How can one stay pure as a celibate Christian or follower of Jesus?

rockytopva

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For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. - Genesis 3:5

Keeping the eyes pure is to mind what you watch. I remember the old WW2 generation would stay busy enough not to entertain temptation.
 
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ajcarey

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It says in Proverbs that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. With that said, I think a better question to ask is "How can I NOT stay pure as a celibate follower of Jesus?" (Obviously married people ought to stay pure as married followers of Jesus and ask how they could afford to not stay pure for the Lord, but your question as you worded it is sure a question which every single person should ask themselves as long as they are single)

I'd also add know that there are likely to be days where it is very hard and other days when it doesn't seem too hard. Don't be discouraged and think the difficulty will never de-escalate, nor be presumptuous and think the difficulty is over when you feel things are easy. The Lord is powerful enough to keep us faithful even when staying faithful seems beyond us. His mercies are new every morning, so we don't know how He will help us until we go on with Him and face the obstacles that going on with Him requires us to face.

1 Corinthians 10:13: "13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

Hebrews 4:10-16: "10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. 12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
 
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Aussie Pete

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Any advice? Just realized I miss spelled the word celibate.
First thing to realise is that sexual desires are normal and not evil in themselves. Trying to suppress those desires by willpower is futile for most people. However, if we have the indwelling Holy Spirit then we have Him to be our self control. As we commit ourselves entirely to the Lord Jesus, so that He really is Lord of our lives in practice, He becomes responsible for our Christian lives. While we want to remain independent, we miss out on His power to live the righteous life. I was normal and divorced. That is a difficult combination. I asked the Lord to lower my sex drive. To my amazement, He did. We also need to avoid temptation. Not easy the way that many women dress these days. Learn to avert your eyes. Avoid clicking on anything remotely dubious on the internet. Ask "Do not lead me into temptation, but deliver me from evil". Learn to resist any imaginations. You don't have to allow your thoughts to freewheel.
 
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yeshuaslavejeff

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Any advice? Just realized I miss spelled the word celibate.
Find Ekklesia who know it is possible to stop sinning, and stop sinning.
(not 'perfectly', but willingly and full of joyousness daily in union with the Son and with the Father.)

Don't disobey Proverbs - especially concerning loose (for sale or free ) women.
Don't bring yourself to a place where there is temptation , on purpose.
(set no impure thing before your eyes;
"make a covenant with your eyes" ) (see in Scripture).....
 
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ThisIsMe123

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A couple years ago I was desperate to get married but honestly after being on forums and reading about so many failed marriages my desire for it has dwindled. I'm still looking but I'm coming to grips that I might never marry and that that is ok. It might be better than married life.

Yeah, there was this one woman on Match, she was pretty divorced, married and divorced 3 times. At which point she still believed in celibacy before marriage. She even said she was celebrate prior to marriage with her 3 husbands.

This always kind of confused me as, well, she's been with 3 men already and in a sense, no longer celibate? There's no unhinging that bell. So she's insistent on being celibate, (at age 50), prior to whomever husband #4 may be. Which, quite frankly, will likely not be on board with being chaste at at that age bracket.

But her caveat is that, "Well, in my defense, I was celibate prior to all 3 marriages.

But the thing is, having been divorced 3 times is still unfavorable to pretty much any Christian man she comes across.
 
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ReesePiece23

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Remember, that what you want goes SO much deeper than anything any human can offer. God's offering to you is a blissful kaleidoscope of heightened consciousnesses, euphoric joy and intrinsic understanding.

Search, go WAY out, far out, beyond the mind and beyond the universe, in the constant pursuit of finding that bliss. And be sure to view everything in this world as secondary, or even tertiary to God.

I know it all sounds seductive, but if celibacy is your goal, then you'll need something better than sex. Something more meaningful and real.
 
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Miles

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Celibacy and abstinence aren't quite the same, so I'm not sure how to answer this. A monk or a nun is celibate. They're committed to avoiding intimate relationships for the foreseeable future. Abstinence has more to do with refraining from sex outside the context of marriage, while maintaining a desire to eventually marry. I'm not celibate, for instance, as I would like to marry someday. I'm not married yet, however, and choose to abstain.

Confusing the matter is the internet phenomenon of "incels", but I don't consider them to be abstinent or celibate. If they were celibate, they would be at peace with their celibacy, and if they were abstaining they wouldn't be trying so hard to have sex.
 
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ThisIsMe123

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I dunno I guess she is trying to not get super promiscuous outside of marriage. I have a hard time finding christian men that are interested in me too.

Yeah, the struggle is real. lol Is it because you've been married more than once?
 
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