Adultery; Faithfulness

The Bethel confirmation program in early November had its 110 students in Bethel Hall studying the sixth commandment, "You shall not commit adultery."  Some people believe that the church has given up teaching fidelity in marriage.  Not true.

It is true that we are swimming against the current.  Our confirmation curriculum reports that the average number of scenes including sexual content in an hour's television programming is five.  For the most popular teenage programs it is seven per hour.

On television only 13 percent of the people engaged in sexual activity are married.

It is no wonder that our young people are swimming in a sea of confusion.

But here is a bright spot.  When these youth 13-15 years old were asked why a person should refrain from sex before marriage and why they should be faithful to their spouse in marriage, outside of one answer, the answers didn't differ from those that would have been common 50 years ago.  Why wait?  Why be faithful?

1. God expects it of us
2. We have given promises to God and to a spouse
3. We could hurt friends and family with inappropriate sexual behavior
4. It would kill our love for a husband or wife
5. Not mature enough before marriage
6. Could get bad reputation
7. Unintended pregnancies

Does that list look different from when you were (or are) a teenager?  The one answer that would not have been common 50 years ago but is a reality today is:  sexually transmitted diseases.  While they have been around for millennia, we just didn't talk about them in places such as the church a generation or two ago.

 So, in spite of the spate of sexual images, maybe youth aren't all that different in these days.  It sounds as if they are listening, learning, responding to faith-filled messages.

As the hour ended, the teacher, Pastor Andy Nelson, closed with this statement:  "This is not God's suggestion.  It is his command."  That command isn't going to change--no matter how far television or culture might go.  Thanks be to God that youth are still listening to the message!