I believe in it too, and I have so far been saved from breaking this ideal, at least physically. Although some of us have not sinned physically in this, by having sex before (or outside of) marriage, we should pay attention to what Jesus speaks of in Matthew 5; that if you even just look at a woman with lust, you have committed adultery. In that respect I am afraid that I have fallen, but in the strict physical sense, I am still a virgin(-man..).
The "marriage bed", I believe God intended for reproduction, as well as an intimate thing that you experience with only that one person you have committed your life to. I believe in that way it was designed to help marriages last, because you would probably attatch the feeling of the marriage bed to the one you married and experienced it with.
These days there is WAY too much of people just sleepin around, and having kids and living together and deciding to get married when their kids are teens, if at all. Many don't seem to hold marriage as an important thing anymore. And then you have people trying to extend the honor of marriage to homosexuals to destroy its status even further.
Seriously am trying to dance around the edges here.:rolleyes:
I am virgin, and I congratulate you others that are.
I wouldn't necessarily write off someone who wasn't a virgin though. People make mistakes. God forgives. I think it would depend on their whole attitude about it. It it something they are actually ashamed about or that they just think was an unideal coincidence at the time? It would definitely, absolutely be something to pray about a bit. :winksmile:
GntlGnt wrote: "I wouldn't necessarily write off someone who wasn't a virgin though. People make mistakes. God forgives. I think it would depend on their whole attitude about it. It it something they are actually ashamed about or that they just think was an unideal coincidence at the time? It would definitely, absolutely be something to pray about a bit."
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Yes, that is an important point to state. I agree with you, but it would definetely involve much prayer as for seeing God's will in the situation. Not to say that prayer is relevant in all other situation as well...
I, too, am a virgin, and I intend to stay that way until my wedding night.
While my hope is to marry someone who is also a virgin, I do realize that people make mistakes and sin. Like others have said, I would have to pray about it a lot, and the guy's attitude about his past would also be very important.
By the way, I've heard of people "reclaiming" their virginity after losing it. That's great, and I understand the theory behind that, but they still lost it. And it is very important to be honest about that with a potential marriage partner. Spiritually, you are cleansed of your sin and pure once again, but physically, you are no longer a virgin.
ive seen my friends and family give themselves away before marriage...Ive seen the pain that it can cause, Ive seen my sisters have babies with no dads...Ive seen what it can do to people and I know what God expects of me as a christian young lady, Im a rock when it comes to waiting...its something special I want to share with my husband.
Based upon scripture I have concluded: 1. Sexual immorality (including premarital sex) is a sin and to remain a virgin until marriage is a way of honoring God with our bodies 2. ALL sin (except blasphemy of the holy spirit) is forgivable 3. God will forgive his children as much as they ask for/need it 4.We have all sinned against God and fallen short his standard of righteousness 5. We are to repent of our sins
The Bible Verses:
1. Sexual Immorality (which by Biblical definition does seem to include premarital sex) and Honoring God with our body.
1 Corinthians 6:12-20 �I have the right to do anything,� you say�but not everything is beneficial. �I have the right to do anything��but I will not be mastered by anything. You say, �Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.� The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, �The two will become one flesh.� But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit. Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 It is God�s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.
Heb 13:4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral
2. All Sin Forgivable except Blasphemy
Matthew 12:31 And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
3. God will forgive his Children of their sin as much as they ask for/need it
Mat 18:21-27 (NIV) Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. "The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go."
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
4. We have all sinned against God and failed his standard of righteousness
Romans 3:22-26 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood�to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished� he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Romans 3:9-12 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. As it is written: �There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.�
5. I believe we are to repent of our sins
"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ..." (Acts 3:19).
Proverbs 28:13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
Isa. 55:7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
2 Corinthians 7:9-10 Yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
Acts 3:18-20 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you�even Jesus.
Col 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
Matthew 5: 27-28 �You have heard that it was said, �You shall not commit adultery. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.�
Even though I am physically a virgin by this standard I am guilty as charged of adultery, ummm, except it wasn�t with a woman� but anyway, I have chosen to remain a virgin until I�m married to honor God and my future husband and to protect my heart from certain emotional entanglements that come with intimacy. Plus, I find it keeps thing�less complicated. I don�t have to worry about STDs, an unwanted pregnancy, and my future husband will not have to wonder if I am comparing him to past �lovers� as I don�t have any�
Hmm, well, that ladies and gentlemen is my humble two-cents worth on the topic�
