Abstinence vs Safe Sex

I had the privilege to attend a meeting last week with a group of medical doctors, college professors, high school superintendents, pastors, and community leaders. This meeting was called to order to discuss the rising problem of teen pregnancy, abortions, and sexually transmitted diseases. The really mind-blowing part of this meeting is that all were there to promote sexual abstinence, not "safe sex".

The overall goal of the meeting was to state the purpose for an abstinence program in schools and communities and to find a way to implement this program. We had three great speakers that discussed the psychological issues that sex has on teenagers, the physiological issues that sex provides teenagers, and the overall value that is placed on sex within marriage. Remember that the group is made up of Christians and non-Christians. The group as a whole believed that sex is for married couples only and only within that marriage. I never thought this would come about.

I believe that abstinence is the way...However, I don't know if an abstinence program is the way to solve the problem of sexually active teenagers. Follow my thoughts here. Why would a person choose to shoot someone? Maybe they made them mad...Maybe he was paid...Maybe he was tricked into it. The point is that behind every act that we do, we have an ultimate purpose for that action. If the purpose is centered on ourselves or on our situations, then our response or action can change because we are beings that change. Therefore, the ultimate purpose for our choices must be based on God.

If a student decides to stay abstinent until marriage, and Mr. Right comes along, what will they do? Some may push aside their decision because now they have someone who cares about them. Only when we focus on Jesus Christ as Lord will we be able to abstain. Daniel, while being taken into captivity, "purposed in his heart that he would not defile his Lord." That is what it takes to be abstinent. Not just the decision, but the purpose behind the decision.

Have you purposed in your heart?