For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one Husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:2
There are several online websites with names similar to “Virgins for Christ”. These websites represent those young women (and young men) who, as Christians, desire to maintain their sexual purity until they are married, as they realise that this is what is called for in the life of a professing Christian. In making this choice they are fighting against an absolute torrent of immorality in a world that is quickly coming towards its end. We all respect these young people (and older ones also) for the decision they have made and pray that in the strength of Jesus their Saviour, they will be able to uphold this important decision.
Throughout history there have always been individuals who have chosen to prematurely give away that very special part of themselves that our Creator only ever intended to be shared in a loving marriage relationship. Whenever humanity has lost its hold on Christ, it has then tried unsuccessfully to fill that empty space in the life with “fleshly lusts” — pre and extra-marital sex, alcohol, drugs, excessive amounts of food, etc., until we have arrived at the place where we are now; where what should have been the most loving and intimate time between a husband and wife exclusively, has come to be expected even in the most casual of relationships.
We would have to question whether with some, underneath all of the bragging and bravado, there is not still a tiny hint of the voice of conscience trying to break through and be heard, but that once an individual has ignored this voice and has given into either their own sexual desires or the intense peer pressure that is being faced, they have thrown it all in and then tried to cover their guilt with more immorality, tried to drown it with alcohol and block it out with drugs, food etc.,. It’s as if they reason, “Well, I’ve done it now so it might as well be a good one!”, and then they often continue these practises, even openly and with no apparent shame. ”Whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. Philippians 3:19 There is another category who while overcome with guilt spend the rest of their lives trying to “do” good things to make up for it. Both of these groups have not had anyone to clearly point them to “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John 1:29, the only Solution to the sin problem that we all find ourselves faced with.
Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 1 Corinthians 15:46
From the sad state of affairs in this society that is soon to come to its end, like the apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 11:2 (see above), we can and must draw some timely spiritual parallels.
Humanity was created to be in a very close and intimate relationship with its Creator. No one and nothing else was to be permitted to violate that sacred circle. Unfortunately the human family had barely begun before it gave in to outside pressure and chose to follow what “felt good” at the time. Our first parents gave away that very special part of themselves that was to always and only be reserved for the One who wanted to be their Husband, and each one of us has followed along in their footsteps — “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”. Romans 3:23
Once we have been stung with “the sting of death” 1 Corinthians 15:56, and realise that fact, each individual is faced with a choice. We can throw our hands in the air and choose to “make it a good one”, or we can come to that slain Lamb — our precious Jesus — “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame” Hebrews 12:2. Through His shed blood we can be recreated into a “chaste virgin”; and not only that, through His indwelling, we can be “kept by the power of God through faith” 1 Peter 1:5, so that we never violate our spiritual (or our natural) bodies again by giving into temptation. Our part to play in this miracle of miracles is to believe that God can and will do what He says He can, and is willing, to do. But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6
It is our prayer that each one of us might allow ourselves to be transformed into, and presented, “as a chaste virgin to Christ”, with “a pure faith” and espoused to our perfect Husband — the Lord Jesus Christ.
