Crystal Michelle, a 10th grader has some answers for boys who try to pressure her, if a boy says to her: "Real men are sexually active." She will say, "So is my REAL dog." If he says, "If you loved me, you'd let me." She'll say, "If you loved me, you wouldn't ask." He says, "But I want to." She'll say, "But I don't!" If he says, "Everybody's doing it." She'll say, "Not true. I'm somebody, and I'm not doing it!" If he asks, "Don't you love me?" She'll say, "Yeah, but I love God more." If he says, "I won't get you pregnant." She'll say, "That's right, because you aren't going to touch me." If he says, "If you won't let me, I'll find someone who will." She'll say, "It was nice knowing you." And my personal favorite, if he says, "But you owe me!" She'll say, "Okay, I'll get you a key chain or something."

—http://www.wedding-family.org/essayofmonth.html Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

"Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart." (2 Tim. 2:22 KJV)

"For twenty-two years Michelle saved her virginity for her future husband. She was working as a model when she met an attractive man who was determined to deflower her. She toyed with him, loving the attention. Then one day on his apartment couch she gave in to his advances. Only once. Less than an hour of stolen pleasure. Now he's gone, and she's a single mom struggling to care for her fatherless two-year-old daughter."

Data from the federally funded, National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health shows that virginity pledges work, delaying, if not preventing sexual activity outside of marriage. It further reported that 2.5 million teenagers had taken the "True Love Waits" pledge before 1995.

—http://newsroom.compuserve.com/nr January 4, 2001 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

2 Tim. 2:22 NLT "Run from anything that stimulates youthful lust. Follow anything that makes you want to do right. Pursue faith and love and peace, and enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts."

Dr. Jan E. Paradise, of Boston University School of Medicine, in Massachusetts, led research into the sexual patterns of teenagers. She and her colleagues questioned 197 girls about their sexual activities who were 14 or older and were visiting a health clinic in an urban area. The researchers discovered that "23% of virgins and 13% of sexually inactive girls cited “against my religious beliefs” as the reason why they weren't having sex."

“Our data indicate that urban girls, both those who have had sexual intercourse and those who have not, both view their sexual behavior as being based on personal (although infrequently religious) values,” the authors write.

—Journal of Adolescent Health 2001;28:404-409, http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010608/hl/urban_1.html Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

In his book, Boy Meets Girl, Joshua Harris wrote about a missionary who gave in to sexual temptation before he was married. "He was a virgin in his thirties and two months away from getting married. One night, inflamed by lust and tired of resisting temptation, he made his way to the red-light district of the city and the bed of a prostitute. Only once. Just fifteen minutes in a dark, dingy room—a moment of indulgence in years of work for God. But he left infected with AIDS. Two months later he unwittingly infected the bride who had waited so patiently for him. He groans in anguish at the disease that now wracks both of their bodies."

Proverbs 5:8-11 Keep your way far from her, And do not go near the door of her house, Lest you give your vigor to others, And your years to the cruel one; Lest strangers be filled with your strength, And your hard-earned goods go to the house of an alien; And you groan at your latter end, When your flesh and your body are consumed;

In the past, scientists have linked cervical cancer in women to promiscuity, recently the American Journal of Epidemiology published findings that linked prostate cancer in men to promiscuity. Men who had two or more female sex partners during their teens, 20's, 40's and between 50 to 64 had a higher risk of prostate cancer than men who had only one partner during those years.

Monogamy is certainly good for a marriage, and it appears, it is good for a person's health too.

—American Journal of Epidemiology 2001;152:1152-1158, http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010613/hl/sex_4.html Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

Hebrews 13:4 NIV Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

—http://ypulse.com/archives/2005/09/like_a_virgin.php Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

1 Corinthians 6:13 (HCSB) "'Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods,' but God will do away with both of them. The body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body."

According to a study published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, teaching our children to remain sexually pure and giving them the reasons to say “no” is more effective than programs that include information about safe sex and contraceptive options.

--Time, February 15, 2010 p. 15 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Philippians 4:8 (NASB77) “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.”

A new federally funded study looked at the effectiveness of different sex education programs. One program taught abstinence, the other safe sex. The classes were taught to 12-year-olds. After 2 years, 33 percent of the students taught abstinence had lost their virginity compared to 52 percent of the safe sex group.

--World February 27, 2010 p. 13 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Even though the abstinence class did not teach it on a moral basis, or to save sex for marriage, it taught the students that abstinence is the best prevention for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

Children may not obey completely the things they are taught, but they surely won’t be obedient to those things they are not taught.

Proverbs 22:6 (NASB) “Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

When Jason Collins announced that he is both a practicing homosexual and a Christian he was challenged by ESPN sportswriter Chris Broussard. Broussard said, “If you’re openly living in unrepentant sin, whatever it may be, not just homosexuality, adultery, fornication, premarital sex between heterosexuals, whatever it may be, I believe that’s walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ.”

Among calls for ESPN to dismiss him, Broussard is sticking up to the scriptural admonition for believers to flee immorality. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

1 Corinthians 6:18 (NKJV) Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

Sexual immorality comes in many forms. In an immoral culture people look for simple explanations that explain away misdeeds. In Nigeria, Malam Kamisu Baranda was caught in an act of immorality. When he went before the village elders he insisted that the sex was consensual. According to Baranda they had had sex at least 10 previous times so he assumed he was doing nothing wrong. He was sentenced to two weeks in jail for having sex with a goat.

Baranda, 20, insisted that he asked the animal for permission first. The worst part of this story for me is the assumption that if there was consent, then there was so sin. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

1 Corinthians 6:18 (HCSB) (18) Run from sexual immorality! “Every sin a person can commit is outside the body.” On the contrary, the person who is sexually immoral sins against his own body.

Recently British sex expert Helen Driscoll declared that “Robophilia”—or sex between humans and robots—could be considered “the norm” within the next 50 years.
Our message is the loving word that God intended sex as a beautiful thing, to be shared between one woman and one man, in a lifetime relationship. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Hebrews 13:4 (NASB) “Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”

Sex

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cases of common sexually transmitted diseases have surged to “alarming” levels in the U.S. Rates of common STD’s increased last year for the first time in nearly a decade. “Young people are the most vulnerable,” the CDC’s Dr. Gail Bolan warns. “Women can lose their reproductive health for a lifetime from some of these infections.”

The warning is needed, but unfortunately the CDC blames the wrong culprit. The first reason they give for the alarming increase is that it is due to budget cuts for state and local STD education and prevention programs. The second reason is a change in sexual behavior, especially among some gay and bisexual men.

The CDC solution is unsatisfactory as well. Dr. Bolan says, “Unless you are using condoms consistently and correctly you are putting yourself at risk for STDs.”

Paul’s warning is just as severe. Sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. His solution is much more effective. “Flee sexual immorality.” — Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

1 Corinthians 6:18 (HCSB) Run from sexual immorality! “Every sin a person can commit is outside the body.” On the contrary, the person who is sexually immoral sins against his own body.

As if they needed it, evolutionists have given women who have affairs an excuse. It is ultimately because evolution has biologically programmed her for infidelity. This is the claim of a recent research paper in which “researchers propose that evolution has predisposed women to seek out additional partners as a ‘mate insurance’ policy—someone to fall back on if their current mate loses value to them.”

Not all experts agree with the Darwinian explanation. “Richard Weikart, a history professor at California State University, said the new research is just another convenient way of excusing sinful behavior, relieving people of moral responsibility with a ‘my genes made me do it’ mentality.” He further said, “the ‘mate switching hypothesis’ is an exercise in imagination.”

Even if it were true that humans are programmed that way, the scriptures speak clearly, “flee sexual immorality.” --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

1 Corinthians 6:18 (HCSB) “Run from sexual immorality! “Every sin a person can commit is outside the body.” On the contrary, the person who is sexually immoral sins against his own body.”

The rise of STDs in Massachusetts is alarming according to the state public health department. Katherine Hsu, the medical director of STD prevention & HIV/AIDS for the department attributes the rise, at least partly, to social media. Dating apps that allow people to make contact with potential partners over social media allows people to have partners they hardly know. Instead of having a sexual intercourse in a meaningful relationship they are just having sex.

“We just can’t keep up,” says Ms. Hsu. It is difficult to track down and inform sexual partners of many patients because they are anonymous users of dating apps. This is just another example of how things go wrong when God’s purity principles are ignored. —Jim L. Wilson & Rodger Russell

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/07/11/syphilis-rates-rising-dating-apps/455104001/

Galatians 6:7 (CSB) “Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows he will also reap.”

A kindergarten teacher in Rocklin, California taught her class about transgenderism. Parents took their complaints to the school board which held a discussion about the appropriateness of the lesson to kindergarteners. One parent said about a kindergarten age daughter, “She came home crying and shaking, so afraid she could turn into a boy.”

It is difficult to parent in a culture that has lost its way. Christian parents must find a way to help their children understand the way God made them. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Source: http://www.bpnews.net/51971/uc-berkeley-leader-slammed-over-biblical-gender-views (accessed Nov. 15, 2018)

In our current cultural climate on controversial issues (i.e. gender identity), it is important to know what the Bible teaches to be true and to stand firm for the sake of the gospel. Christians should always be ready to share the hope that is in them. —Jim L. Wilson and Steven Cabrillos

1 Peter 3:14–17 (CSB)“But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear or be intimidated, ¹⁵ but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. ¹⁶ Yet do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that when you are accused, those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. ¹⁷ For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.”

Apparently, in some states in the USA, it is still illegal to engage in unmarried sex . . . or fornication. The democratic led Virginia State Legislature recently repealed the “crime of fornication” in their state, a legal loophole still on the books that states only married couples could have sex. Currently it is a Class 4 Misdemeanor, carrying a fine of up to $250.

Virginia uses the slogan, “Virginia is for lovers,” to attract tourists and moves have been afoot since the “Virginia Supreme Court struck down the law in 2005 as ‘unconstitutional government intrusion,’ though it remains in the Code of Virginia.”

Mark Levin, the Democratic delegate who introduced H.B. 245, said “It’s a stupid law, it’s crazy . . . no one should think they can be prosecuted for this common practice . . . how is Virginia for lovers, if lovers can’t love each other?”

https://www.foxnews.com/us/virginia-democrats-want-to-make-it-legal-for-people-to-have-sex-outside-of-marriage

You know, interesting as it is that states actually still have such laws on their books, and are trying to repeal them, God’s standard remains the same. According to God’s Word, fornication is still fornication, and it cannot be repealed!—Jim L. Wilson and Derick Wilson

Additionally then, brothers and sisters, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received instruction from us on how you should live and please God—as you are doing—do this even more. For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

For this is God’s will, your sanctification: that you keep away from sexual immorality, that each of you knows how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not with lustful passions, like the Gentiles, who don’t know God. This means one must not transgress against and take advantage of a brother or sister in this manner, because the Lord is an avenger of all these offenses, as we also previously told and warned you. For God has not called us to impurity but to live in holiness. Consequently, anyone who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.