1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

The whole idea of holiness seems to be lost from many churches. We adjust to the standards of society around us, in direct contradiction to what Paul famously said to the Romans: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world,  but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2) It’s not that sexual sin didn’t exist in the Church in past times, but it wasn’t openly accepted and normalized. Now, cohabiting couples are accepted unreservedly, and even abortions are celebrated in some congregations. Not so long ago, even popular songs said, “Love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage. You can’t have one without the other.” Dating has become automatically connected with sexual intimacy, when it should be an opportunity for people to get to know each other on an emotional, mental, and even spiritual level. Hormones are real, and procreation is one of our most powerful drives, but they are an opportunity to place God first, not to ignore what He has said in the Bible. This isn’t legalism, as some people would be quick to claim, but an acknowledgement that God’s plans are perfect, and anything less is loss, for us and for society as a whole. And that doesn’t touch on some of the perversions that are openly celebrated in some circles. An official senate candidate recently said that “drag queen story hours” are “wholesome entertainment,” to which she takes her children! When society around us diving into the mud, we have all the more reason to walk in the holiness for which we were created.

I have not been immune to the pressures around me, but God has been more than gracious. My parents set an excellent example, leaving me with no question that they enjoyed each other physically, but doing so with all propriety and absolute fidelity to each other. I was certainly attracted to my wife physically, but our courtship was very heavy on talking, opening our hearts to each other. Intimacy is certainly one of the important things in the foundation of a marriage, but as I tell couples before I perform their wedding, physical intimacy without emotional intimacy is empty. I try to lead them into communication patterns that will bring genuine unity. Some react to that almost in surprise, because that isn’t the message they get from society. I minister in Japan, but that message has been lost from much of America as well. It is my responsibility and privilege to share it with all who will receive it.

Father, thank You for Your grace toward me. Thank You for the couple whose wedding I will be performing today. Thank You for the healing You have already done in the bride, after an abusive first marriage. Thank You for their seeming interest in the Gospel as I shared it with them. May today mark a clear move on their part toward repentance and faith, for the salvation of the whole family. Thank You. Hallelujah!