We Can Remain Chaste

"BECOME DOERS OF THE WORD"

Jehovah can answer our prayers for help by means of his Word, the Bible.   The wisdom contained in God's Word is "first of all pure." (James 3:17)  Reading the Bible daily and meditating on what we read can help to guard our minds against immoral thoughts.  (Psalm 19:7, 11; 119:9, 11) Additionally, the Bible contains examples and specific counsel that can help us to avoid falling victim to unclean desires.

At Proverbs 5:8, we read:  "Stay far away from [the immoral  woman]; do not go near the entrance of her house." The danger of disregarding this counsel is illustrated in Proverbs chapter 7, where we read about a young man who goes for a stroll near the house of an immoral woman. Night is falling.  At the street corner, he is approached by the woman who may be clothed in revealing attire.  She grabs him and kisses him. Her seductive speech awakens in him a desire that he seems unable to resist.  They engage in sexual immorality. Apparently, that young man did not set out to commit immorality. He is inexperience and lacks good judgment. Even so, he has to live with the disastrous consequences of his actions. If only he had stayed far away from her! -Proverbs 7:6-27. 

Might we at times, show a similar lack of good judgment, perhaps straying into dangerous situations that could awaken wrong desires?  For example, at night, television networks may relax their restrictions on program content.  What if we occasionally  channel surf?  Or perhaps we might aimlessly follow links on the Internet or frequent chat rooms and sites that carry invitations to view pornography or offer other sexual services.  Could it be that in such circumstances  would be confronted with something that would arouse improper desires and undermine our fight to remain chaste?

Another way the Bible helps us is by giving counsel on how to treat those of the opposite sex.  (Read 1 Timothy 5:2) Such counsel clearly rules out flirting.  some may view the use of body language, gestures, and glances that have romantic overtones as harmless in that these do not involve any physical contact.  But flirting, or responding to it, may arouse unclean thoughts that can lead to serious sexual wrongdoing.  It has happened before-it can happen again. 

Next time: We Can Remain Chaste - Conclusion of  "BECOME DOERS OF THE WORD"

From the Watchtower magazine