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| Volume 22 Number 12 December 2020 | Page 11 |
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| Volume 22 Number 12 December 2020 | Page 11 |
Aaron Cozort
Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines the word chaste as: “1. Pure from all unlawful commerce of sexes. Applied to persons before marriage, it signifies pure from all sexual commerce, undefiled; applied to married persons, true to the marriage bed. 2. Free from obscenity. While they behold your chaste conversation. 1 Peter 3:2. 3. In language, pure, uncorrupt, free from barbarous words and phrases, and quaint, affected, extravagant expressions.“
The primary use of the term in English indicates purity in sexual matters. Paul wrote to the Corinthians and used the sexual purity concept in an analogy concerning the congregation as a body of Christ.
Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly — and indeed you do bear with me. 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. 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. (1 Corinthians 11:1-3)
As the bride of Christ, the church is to be pure and chaste, but it can only be such if its members who make up that body are chaste. The analogy in this passage speaks of the Corinthian’s assembly as a betrothed (engaged) woman. She has been promised to her spouse and is awaiting that marriage date. How, then, can she be seeking after other men? Also notice the description of her as a virgin. She has not been promiscuous or in a prior relationship with another man, and so, why is she now (as a betrothed woman) going after someone other than her husband-to-be?
In sexual matters, the standard for young people is visible here. The picture God uses of the church is the representation of what God wants for us as individuals. God expects virginity from young people, not safe sex. God expects virginity from non-married Christians, not free from disease. The world and our culture plan, anticipate and promote premarital sexual relations. God hates it. It is sinful, wrong, a blight on our society, and destructive to the home and to the persons involved.
“Virgin” is not the only word in 2 Corinthians 11:2, but “chaste virgin.” God expects His betrothed to (1) be a virgin, but also (2) to be a chaste (pure, clear, clean) individual. Christian actions should be without opportunity for accusation. We are not to be sexually impure; nor are we to live a provocative or sensual lifestyle either. Like the church that was drifting toward spiritual sin, so is the Christian living a life filled with sensuality, flirtation, immodesty, dancing and other lascivious actions. These have no place in the life of a chaste Christian – either male or female.
It is time for Christians to wake up and stop living, dressing and talking like the world. Christians need to raise their standards out of the gutter, off of the street and up into purity.
Guard Against
Outbursts of Wrath
David R. Kenney
I am not much of a fan of professional sports, but a news story relating to tennis caught my attention. Novak Djkovic was going for his 18th Grand Slam. Reports are that he became frustrated and hit the tennis ball to the back wall, which was not unusual. However, this time the tennis ball hit a line judge and bruised her throat. He immediately went to the line judge to apologize and wait with her for the medical staff to examine her. He was eliminated from the U.S. Open for 2020 and will face serious fines. From my vantage point, it did not appear to have been done with wrath but was an accident. To the officials’ credit, the penalty was enforced regardless of his status or stakes. One of the commentators, who was John McEnroe, said, “The pressure just got to him. I think a lot’s been going on off the court; it’s obviously affected him. And now, whether he likes it or not, he’s going to be the bad guy the rest of his career. It’ll be interesting how he handles it.” Strong words from a notoriously misbehaving former player who over his career was fined over $69,000. Perhaps McEnroe wishes for Djkovic to take his place in the “bad guy” category, but that is a decision that will be left to Djkovic as he reflects on his conduct and attitude. Whether one thinks Djkovic had an outburst of wrath or not, certainly his personal and professional reputations have taken blows.
The ever-relevant Proverbs certainly warn about losing one’s temper. “He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he who is impulsive exalts folly” (Proverbs 14:29 NKJV). See also Proverbs 12:16; 15:1, 18; 27:3. Paul instructed Titus on the qualifications for an elder including “not quick tempered” (Titus 1:7), and to Timothy he wrote, “not quarrelsome” (1 Timothy 3:3). Elders must be men of integrity, and a man who cannot control his temper will do serious damage to his and the church’s reputation. Paul warned the Christians at Corinth, “For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults” (2 Corinthians 12:20).
The same word in the Bible translated “jealous” is also translated “zealous.” The context determines whether this word is positive or negative. Likewise, the context of our actions may determine if an act is positive or negative regardless of the motivations for our actions. Righteous anger and unrighteous anger are not the same thing, but sometimes the temporal consequences are. Preachers need to be careful about displaying anger and outbursts of wrath. One may be right, but one may still face the same temporal consequences regardless. Guard against outbursts of wrath!