Guest post by Chantelle Blokdyk , author of Parents in Pursuit of Purity

Sixty years ago, parents (for the most part) had the challenge to keep children physically safe. The televisions, newspapers, magazines, phones and even the early computers were limited in who you could contact and even when you could contact them. Never mind that public content was accountable to a high standard of morality. Most mothers also had the privilege to be at home with their small children. They had ample time to teach them the values, skills and the respect that they needed to cultivate healthy and safe social boundaries. 

Today everything has changed. Child protection has changed. 

“Things have changed so radically, and this is sad, but it would be even sadder if we were to continue as though nothing has changed.” (excerpt from ‘Parents in pursuit of purity’) 

As we enjoy the benefits of better technology, there will always be those who will use the same technology for their own selfish, and often evil, intentions and actions.

Through the internet, children have access to every kind of image, sound and ideology that exists. The love of money has pushed an entire generation to uplift material possessions before spiritual, sexual and social health. The responsibility that parents have to protect their children has increased as threats have increased. There is now a desperate need to physically, sexually and mentally protect children. We find ourselves in the middle of a social and sexual revolution, and the threats seem to be mounting up. 

What can parents do? 

We need to talk. 

We need to talk to our children the God who created sexual intimacy and why He created it. We need to promote biblical sexuality – which highly values intimacy, identity and the human body. By no means should we, as Christians, be deceived – secular sexuality and biblical sexuality very different. The one is in pursuit of pleasure and self, while the other is in pursuit of purity and a Holy God. I pray the Body of Christ acknowledges this and starts to declare truth into this area. 

I am reminded of Billy Graham’s words: “They are talking about it (sex) in homes, in schools, in magazines, in the news… so why do we not talk about it from the pulpit?“

I have had the privilege to research sexology and the root causes of sexual exploitation, abuse and addiction – but my greatest privilege has been to study the topic of sexuality and sexual intimacy in the Word of God! 

Pornography puts us all at risk.

Pornography not only puts men, women and children at risk of being violated in their innermost being – it also directly opposes the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let me explain; we were created to worship God, our heavenly Father. Pornography pulls that focus away and seduces humankind to worship humankind, leading to idolatry. This is very serious. 

God knows that to change a person’s behavior, it starts with changing the mind first. The enemy also knows this, and he is using pornography to drive an entire generation to lose themselves in the pursuit of pleasure. 

Romans 12:2 (ESV) reminds us: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” 

“Along this journey, it has become very clear to me that God is after our hearts – before anything else. When our hearts are changed, our lives are changed. He is the only perfect Father, and He has given us guidelines to live by. The original design of God is this: that one man and one woman come together in a covenant agreement called marriage. Anything outside of these physical and spiritual boundaries, which God clearly denies in the Bible and Creation, is not part of His original design. We were created to live for Him, not to please ourselves. We were designed to worship Him, not each other.” –   (excerpt from ‘Parents in pursuit of purity’) 

The only hope our children have is in Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth and the life. Our role, as parents, is to cultivate Jesus in our homes – the first way we can do this is by being honest. Be honest enough to prepare and protect your children. Then pray, with all your heart, that they will follow Jesus completely, absolutely and always. 

For more information, have a look at her website by clicking here.

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