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Introduction:
I. Continuing our teaching concerning courtship.
II. Last week, we discussed the problem of "selecting a
Mate" - Review.
III. Today we will be discussing conduct on dates.Body:
I. The Bible demands that purity of life be maintained by
God's children - and this includes those in courtship.
A. The fulfillment of the sex drive is to be enjoyed
only in marriage, and any fulfillment outside of
marriage is sin.
B. The word "fornication" is used:
1. Sometimes interchangeably with adultery.
2. Sometimes in a broad sense to include any sexual
sin.
3. Sometimes in reference to sexual relations on
the part of unmarried people.
C. In every sense, it is condemned in the scriptures -
Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.
D. Examples of purity:
1. Mary and Joseph. Matthew 1:18-25
2. Ruth and Boaz.
a. Qualities in Ruth that made her a wonderful
prospect for a wife - Loyalty, industry,
unselfishness, virtuous, humble.
b. Qualities in Boaz - Good provider, God
fearing, kind to the poor, determined to
carry out God's law in every detail.
c. Ruth, intending to become Boaz's wife,
thinking that God's law granted to her the
right to be his wife, went to Boaz, but Boaz,
knowing that the present time he did not have
a right to Ruth, had sufficient self-control
to maintain their purity until the
requirements of the law could be met.
E. Fornication is sin, and carries with it serious
consequences, whether young people get caught or
not - public approval will not change the matter. II. How can young people refrain from fornication?
A. Dates should be well planned.
1. Petting and parking on dates sometimes are the
result of boredom - not having anything else to
do.
2. Girls, understand where you are going before
accepting.
B. Good associates are so important.
1. 1 Corinthians 15:33
2. Cannot always know about a boy or girl before
dating, but if bad signs show up after a few
dates, refuse to date.
3. Double-dating is good if the other couple is
wholesome - but extreme care should be taken in
this matter.
C. High standards must be maintained.
1. Illustration: Teacher who passed a rose around
to the class.
2. Not only is fornication condemned, but
lasciviousness is also condemned.
Lasciviousness - wanton (acts or) manners, as
filthy words, indecent bodily movements,
unchaste handling of males and females. Thayer
D. Proper dress will help.
1. Rodney Miller - "In an issue of Psychology Today
- under Misreading the Signals - on how young
women dress - to her, tight jeans and no bra
means she is in style, to it means she wants to
have sex. Boys still read more sexual comes-ons
into girls behavior than girls intend… Males are
more likely to see clothing as deliberate
encouragements as well. Low cut shorts, low cut
tops, shorts, tight jeans, no bra, etc."
E. Avoid those things that would corrupt the mind.
1. Proverbs 4:23-27.
2. Matthew 15:19-20.
F. God-consciousness will help.
1. Hebrews 4:13.
2. If you engage in conduct that you would be
embarrassed for your parents to see - or the
elders - just remember, God sees!
3. Ecclesiastes 11:9III. Blessings to be enjoyed by those who conduct them-
selves properly on dates.
A. You'll have self-respect, peace of mind and
conscious.
1. Sin and its accompanying loss of self-respect
can change the whole person.
a. Change appearance - eyes fall, countenance
change.
b. Change personality.
c. Produces fear of others. Proverbs 28:1
B. You'll have respect of fellow man.
1. Boys are great boasters.
2. Let some boy make improper advances, and you can
be sure he will tell.
3. You will get a reputation that will cause other
boys to try to take advantage of you.
C. You'll be freed from future regrets over your life
while you were young.
D. You'll be spared the shame involved in the
consequences of sowing wild oats.
E. You'll be protecting that tender conscience so
vital to faithful service to the Lord.
F. You'll be pleasing to God and living in hope of
eternal life.Top of the page
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