When they hear the word "purity," most believers immediately think about sex. Maybe it's because we live in such a sex-saturated world, or maybe it's just because the 1990s forever linked the word purity with True Love Waits. Whatever the reason for the connection, sex is a very limited, incomplete definition of the word.
The definition of purity is simply freedom from adulteration or contamination. God calls believers to live lives that are holy and free from wickedness and sin, and while that certainly includes fleeing from sexual immorality, that's only one small part of the bigger picture. What we do with our minds and hearts is equally as important as what we do with our bodies. In fact, what we do with our bodies usually starts with choices to ignore God's call for holiness in our minds and hearts.
In my resource, Praying God's Word for Your Child's Purity, I explain that "A life of true purity seeks to model itself after Jesus, remembering His sacrifice on the cross, not just in principle, but as a part of every moment of every day, "putting on the new self," and trying hard not to take it back off, dwelling on whatever is good, honorable, lovely, and excellent. Living there. Camping there. Building a house on the firm foundation of Philippians 4:8. But a life of true purity will never come through sheer will. It's a growing, maturing love for the Savior that ignites a fire in our hearts to have clean hands and a pure heart. This is the kind of life Christian parents should strive to model for their children in their own day-to-day choices. But how do we pursue this kind of purity? And how do we help our children catch a vision for it in their own lives?
I invite you to start the process with prayer.
Prayer is one of the most important parts of Christian parenting today. Unfortunately, it's also one of the most overlooked and underutilized. God has assured us that when we need wisdom, He'll give it (James 1:5). I suggest praying God's Word for your children (and yourself) because it's "living and active...able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12), and because it will do exactly what God purposes for it to do in the heart of your child (Isaiah 55:11). Prayer is a partnership between you and the God Who loves your child more than you do. He will use your prayers in the life of your child and in your own heart to give you comfort and direction in times of need.
With that in mind, here are three scriptures to pray for your child's purity:
"But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted from a complete and pure devotion to Christ."
Prayer: Lord, give my child a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. Protect his mind from being seduced away from the truth.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."
Prayer: Father, please purify my child's heart so she can see and know more about You.
"...and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth."
Prayer: Lord, may my child put on the new self, the one created according to Your likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.
If you suspect that your child is struggling to understand what it means to pursue a pure life dedicated to Christ, begin praying right away. Look to God's Word to show you what to pray, and bring your petitions to the Lord on their behalf night and day. You might not always know what to do, but you can always know what to pray. If you need help learning to pray God's Word, download your free copy of my how-to guide, How to Pray God's Word for Your Children. And don't forget to pray for yourself. Ask God to give you compassion for what your children are going through, for the strength to follow Him faithfully in your own life, and for wisdom for the next step.
We think of sex trafficking as being out there somewhere in the jungles of Central America or in Thailand and Cambodia. And to be sure, it is there. But what we must understand as parents and as Christians is that human trafficking is in every zip code in the United States as well. What do we need to know as parents to help prevent our children from being sexually exploited? In this important episode of Christian Parent, Crazy World, you'll find practical steps you can take to protect your child.
Related articles:
3 Scriptures to Pray for Your Anxious Child
3 Scriptures to Pray for Your Angry Child
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/FatCamera
This article originally appeared on Christianity.com. For more faith-building resources, visit
Christianity.com.