Purity Before Marriage
Erlo Stegen emphasizes the importance of maintaining purity before marriage and the dangers of compromising God's standards in a lukewarm culture.
Erlo Stegen emphasizes the importance of maintaining purity before marriage, drawing parallels between the engagement of Mary and Joseph and the spiritual engagement of believers with Christ. He warns against the deception of the serpent that leads many lukewarm Christians to compromise on God's standards of holiness. Stegen passionately advocates for a life of discipline and purity, urging the youth to flee from temptations and not to engage in behaviors that could lead to moral corruption. He highlights the need for the church to uphold God's truth without succumbing to popular opinion, stressing that true love for Christ involves presenting ourselves as chaste and undefiled. The preacher calls for a return to God's Highway of Holiness, rejecting any diluted gospel that condones impurity.
Text
2Cor 11:1-3, "1 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly--and indeed you do bear with me.
2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. "
Matt 1:18, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit."
We read here that Mary was with child by the Holy Spirit "before they came together". One automatically sees it in the sexual realm, but the Greek has no such connotation. The Greek word for "come together" is "sunerchomai" which is almost always translated as "assemble", "accompany" etc.
They didn't visit each other, dating each other.
There is a clear difference between a wedding and an engagement. At the wedding they come together but not before, at and during engagement.
Paul was on fire for God. He was fighting for the purity of the Corinthian Church. But like today many lukewarm Christians want to lower God's Highway of Holiness. Paul reasoned with the Corinthians "bear a little with my folly", for to them it was folly and "going too far" to discipline oneself to go God's Highway of Holiness and not to compromise with the world.
Lukewarm Christians find it old-fashioned and far-fetched to require God's way of purity in body and spirit of our youth. However if a boy and a girl can drive together alone in a car or be alone in a room and not be defiled there is something wrong with them and they have to see a medical doctor.
Right through the Bible we see this theme that we as Christians are the Bride of Christ. But now we are only engaged to Him and we must purify ourselves so that we might be presented to Him as a chaste virgin, without spot at His coming. He shed His own Blood to purchase us as His bride and cleanse and purify us.
The serpent is still at work trying to deceive believers. It is painful to observe a Christian being deceived by the serpent.
Paul made it clear that there were other preachers who preached a different Gospel. They lowered God's Highway of Holiness with their own ways. But he didn't change God's standard but preached God's undiluted Gospel even if it should offend. May we be counted with men like Paul who did not change God's truth for popular opinion. Though he was maligned and accused of legalism he stood firm unwaveringly. May we also stay true to God's Highway of Holiness. May my body rather rot in the grave than that I should preach to a congregation where impurity is condoned.
The Bible commands us to flee the desires of youth. This does not just refer to fleeing in your thoughts but even physically. When Herod wanted to kill the child Jesus and Joseph received the command to flee he fled physically. If he only fled symbolically Jesus would've been killed together with the other children.
Any church which allows and condones its youth to flirt with each other are deceived by the serpent and their youth poisoned by his poison.
A certain lady came here and congratulated me for what I preach except for the strict standard for the youth. She said that the time of youth and romance and flirting with each other is one of the most wonderful times for young people. I asked her whether she had children and she replied that she had two daughters. She wanted the same for them and that's why she spoke the way she did. It didn't take many years and she herself had fallen with another man. It is a disgrace and heartbreaking.
Jesus said that even if you look at a woman lustfully you have already committed adultery with her.
These days technology brought with it a lot of dirt, pornography on the internet, dvds, cellphones etc. Those who look at these things are cursed and will end in hell unless God is gracious to them.
May we never preach another Gospel that tickles the ears but is an abomination to God. Let us stay true to Him.
Sermon Outline
- I points: - Understanding the concept of engagement versus marriage - The significance of purity in the Christian faith - The role of the Bride of Christ
- II points: - The dangers of compromising God's standards - The influence of lukewarm Christianity - The importance of discipline in maintaining purity
- III points: - The serpent's deception and its effects on believers - The necessity of fleeing youthful desires - The consequences of allowing impurity in the church
- IV points: - The impact of technology on purity - The call to uphold God's Highway of Holiness - The importance of accountability within the church
Key Quotes
“May my body rather rot in the grave than that I should preach to a congregation where impurity is condoned.” — Erlo Stegen
“Jesus said that even if you look at a woman lustfully you have already committed adultery with her.” — Erlo Stegen
“Let us stay true to Him.” — Erlo Stegen
Application Points
- Establish clear boundaries in relationships to protect purity.
- Engage in open discussions about the challenges of maintaining holiness in today's society.
- Seek accountability from trusted friends or mentors to stay true to God's standards.