10 Ways to Practice Purity

Purity is a state of heart , as well as body.

Purity can be a struggle for men and women, young and old. Problematically, secular culture makes it difficult for persons to stay chaste before marriage and to be faithful to spouses once married. The easy accessibility of pornography and sexual entertainment exacerbate temptations to sin. Fortunately, you can adopt certain habits to practice purity in your life.

Pray

Pray regularly. Ask God to help you stay pure and to help you to overcome temptations. Read the Bible, especially passages that address purity. Recall the word of God during moments of temptation or when you feel weak.

Talk

Talk to friends, family and church members that share your beliefs. Ask people you trust to pray for you. Know that you are not alone, and that every person of faith has battles and tribulations. Some people struggle with alcohol or other addiction, others struggle with pornography and staying pure. Use your temptation to grow closer to God.

Avoid Pornography

Avoid pornography. Pornography degrades people by exploiting them as objects, and it causes people to have lust in their hearts. "Southern Baptist Voice" suggests that persons struggling with temptation to indulge in pornography should keep computers in a high-traffic area of the house. Doing so may curb your temptation to visit pornographic websites. You can also install Internet filtering programs to prevent accidental hits.

Avoid Movies with Sex

Avoid movies in which characters have sex, even if the characters are married. Seeing sex in film may cause impure thoughts or arouse your temptation to sin.

Avoid Secular Music

Refrain from listening to any secular music that glorifies sex and the body. Keep Christan music CDs in your car, at home and at work so you will have alternatives when you want to listen to music. Christian music encourages you to have holy thoughts and to praise God.

Avoid Temptation

Do not give yourself occasion to sin. Avoid tempting situations, such as retreating with a person to a bedroom or private place. Also, avoid beaches, bars or other settings where patrons dress immodestly. To lust for a person in your mind is a first act of impurity.

Choose Group Dates

Go on group dates. Having friends around will make it less tempting for you to engage in impure behavior. Also, you and your partner should focus on developing companionship, rather than sexual feelings.

Confront Tempters

Confront people who try to lead you to be impure. If a person at work tmakes inappropriate advances or sexual remarks, ask him or her to stop. Also, flirting is never harmless if a person is married. Do not be afraid to confront persons in your life that are making it difficult for you to be pure, whether in mind or body.

Avoid Alcohol

Avoid alcohol, or drink in strict moderation. Alcohol lowers a person's inhibitions and can cause someone to sin. The temptations of the flesh are severe enough without adding alcohol to the mix.

Surround Yourself With Chaste People

If you want to stay pure, surround yourself with people that share your values and spiritual goals. Do not date a person that does not prioritize purity; the relationship is likely to degenerate into sin. Also, choose friends that practice purity and that will be good role models for you.

References

• Soutern Baptist Church Voices: (At Least) 9 Ways to Stay Pure on the Internet
• Catholic Education: What Is Chastity & How Can I Be Chaste?