quilt mistake

How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.*

(Photo of a handmade quilt made by myself in 2012-13)

'Keuschheit' the German word in Galatians 5:23 known in English translations most often as 'self-control' but more directly translated as 'chastity'.**

I made a quilt for my German cousin for her baptism, with the Fruits of the Spirit pictured on it. I used the German words but was inspired for the pictures by the English words. This worked really well, except with this picture; Keuschheit! Self-control has a slightly different meaning to chastity! Once I saw that my cupcake image might not explain chastity I started to think of what the meaning of chastity and self-control really are.

Chastity or chaste defined by the online dictionary^ is being morally pure in thought or conduct; decent and modest; refraining from sexual intercourse, regarded as contrary to morality or religion; virginal; celibate. This has made me wonder if chastity is something only single people can have and/or experience. But I do not think so, I admire the first two definitions: 'pure in thought' and 'modest' and believe that can apply to anybody! But there is a chastity specifically being single which refrains from sexual intercourse. I believe that once married this would change to purity within the marriage, until then I strive to be chaste.

This isn't something that I take lightly, I struggle with keeping my thought and conduct pure, decent and modest. What I have to practice (daily!) is self-control. I am glad that those two ideas were linked for me accidentally in making my quilt, because the more I think about it, the more they are linked. I cannot have chastity without self-control. Without self-control, there is nothing stopping us doing things that might not be in our best interests.

A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.***

I am especially strong in my determination to keep practicing self-control despite temptations to do otherwise because I believe God has my best interests at heart, and He has asked me and everyone to:

"Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."****

This passage tells me a few things. My body is a temple. The Holy Spirit is within me. I was bought with a price. As a Christian, I am not my own.
What does 'temple' mean? In the Bible the Old Testament is the account of God interacting with people through profits, He promises to be with them, and so asks the Israelite's to make a place where He can be (without destroying them with His power and glory). This begins as a tent that moves with His people and eventually a temple is built in Jerusalem where God presides and people come to worship and sacrifice. At the temple people were able to interact with God, through the priest and sacrifice system. In the New Testament, Jesus presents a new relationship with God, He prays to the Father where ever he goes. On the cross He enables others to share in that personal connection with God. This is seen as when Jesus dies, the temple curtain (separating God's inner temple room from people) is torn in two, from top to bottom!

We can have a personal relationship with God where we are! But more amazingly, this is further possible because God gives the Holy Spirit into people so that they can share in the intimate relationship with God the Father that Jesus had! This is only possible because Jesus died on the cross, being the sacrifice and priest, absolving us of our trespasses. The price of a personal relationship with God is the Son of God's innocent death! The fact that Jesus rose from the dead proving He has power over death, gives us confidence in His promises. And so following Jesus means respecting that He has a claim on my life and my body, His Spirit lives in me, so I want to keep it clean and pure! And when I am tempted or fail, I know that His love and forgiveness is unconditional. Yet I strive to be self-controlled and honest, modest and decent, pure and chaste because I know the great cost he went to for my sake!

It's not easy staying on the straight and narrow. But it is good. And it is possible! By living according to the Word of God, seeking self-control and fleeing sexual sin. As Paul wrote to Timothy, may I encourage myself and you to, "Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart".*****

*Psalm 119:9 
**www.dict.leo.org and www.biblegateway.com
***Proverbs 25:28 
^http://www.thefreedictionary.com/chaste
****1 Corinthians 6:18-20 
*****2 Timothy 2:22