Recently I had the great privilege and honor of going with my sister when she went through the temple for the first time. This gave me an opportunity to reflect upon the cleanliness and sanctity of God’s holy house. Temples are sacred to Latter-Day Saints because they represent our belief in eternal life–for inside the temple we make sacred covenants and receive essential ordinances in order to progress in our journey closer to our Heavenly Father.
Just as the temple is pure and clean, we also need to keep our bodies pure and clean. The apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Corinthians, declared, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). In other words, Paul is teaching that our bodies are sacred, just like the temple is sacred. In fact, he goes on to say that our bodies aren’t even our own. I mean if you think about it, our bodies were given to us as a sacred gift once we entered mortality. Furthermore, our Savior paid the price so that we can receive perfect bodies and rise victorious over death and the grave–which is what Paul is referring to when he says that our bodies were bought with a price.
As a priesthood holder and soon to be father, I have the opportunity to advocate for the law of chastity. The Law of Chastity teaches complete sexual abstinence before marriage and total fidelity within marriage. In other words, the only place that sexual activity is authorized is between a man and a woman, legally and lawfully married as husband and wife.
Physical intimacy between husband and wife is sacred and ordained of God. The Family: A Proclamation to the World reads, “The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between a man and a woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife. We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed.” Heavenly Father has ordained this sacred expression of love to exist only between husband and wife in order to provide physical bodies for His children and to strengthen marriages. It is the way we fulfill the commandment to multiply and replenish the earth and is appointed by God. However, it is still sacred.
Heavenly Father feels strongly about sexual sin. When Alma’s son Corianton was found in transgression, his father told him, “Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost?” (see Alma 39:3-5). This sacred power of procreation, when properly used, is wonderful and even directed. When abused, it is a horrible sin.
The road to sexual purity begins with exercising control over our minds. In 2003 President Boyd K. Packer gave a speech at BYU called, “The Instrument of Your Mind and the Foundation of Your Character,” (find it here). In this talk he spoke about a number of wonderful principles, including the importance of controlling your thoughts and maintaining personal purity. He likens our minds to a stage and tells us that we are ultimately responsible for what crosses that stage–and if anything enters our minds that we don’t want to be there we simply need to “delete” it. In order to do this he recommends that we either have a “delete key” (something that reminds us that we are in control of our thoughts such as touching our wedding ring or the tip of your glasses) or we use hymns to control our thoughts. Thoughts, of themselves, are not sin–and everyone will struggle from time to time to control their thoughts, as is the nature of the fallen man. However, if you dwell upon a though long enough or let those thoughts influence your actions, that is where sin enters the picture. So control your thoughts and ultimately control your destiny!
These principles of sexual purity, of controlling your thoughts and actions, and of the law of chastity apply to all of God’s children, even those who struggle with same gender attraction. I in no way want to diminish the challenge or very real temptation that this may be for some of our friends. As is apparent in Mosiah 3:19, we all must wrestle with the natural man, and sometimes that struggle is very difficult and sometimes we even lose. However, the principles of God are unchanging: complete sexual abstinence before marriage and that these powers of procreation are to be employed only between a man and a woman, legally and lawfully wedded. I have found this news release, an official statement of the Church, very helpful in understanding these issues. In it the Church spokesman shares that those who struggle with same-gender attraction in the Church are counseled to control these urges, much the same way an unmarried person must control their sexual urges with the opposite sex. One important note is that those who suffer in this way are still our brethren and sisters, so we need to treat them with the love and respect they deserve as children of our Heavenly Father.
The chaste life provides a blessing and a comfort to us in these trying times as we reflect on commandments kept. Indeed, sexual abstinence before marriage and complete fidelity within marriage is one of the keys to true happiness in this life. However, if you have not been chaste there is still hope. The beauty of the gospel is that we have a Savior who paid the price so that we can be forgiven. Repentance isn’t a negative thing! Repentance is the only way that we can all live with our Heavenly Father again–and repentance is still an option for those who have veered off the path in sexual matters. Even Corianton, Alma’s son, was able to repent and later served the Lord faithfully (see Alma 49:30).
Because of the seriousness of this sin, repentance usually involved confessing to your priesthood leader, which makes this a little more challenging. I would like to say a word about the need to confess, in an attempt to encourage those of you who are facing this task. The principle of confessing your sins isn’t so that you can be embarrassed or that those you confess to can think less of you. The principle of confession is so that you can receive Priesthood power from an authorized and set-apart servant of the Lord to help you overcome your sins and to get the help you need to get back on track. You bishop is called to assist you in this process and will help with the heavy burden you bear.
My dear brothers and sisters, I know that sexual purity is an important commandment of God. I know that we can overcome the natural man and choose self-control. I am also very grateful for the principle of repentance and I know that we can be pure and holy, without spot (see 1 Peter 1:18-21 and 2 Peter 3:13-15), before our God, through the power of the Atonement. Keep seeking that which is best in this world!
Finding the Best in Life 