Abstinence means that a person is not sexually
active. If I heard that a guy was abstinent, that would not tell me much about
him. Maybe he is a man with courage and character and is saving himself for
his bride. Maybe he just can not find a date. Either way, abstinence is defined
as what is not happening to a
person’s body—in other words, no sex.
Chastity
is different because it is defined by what a person is doing with his or her sexuality. It means having the strength to
use your sexuality according to God’s plan, whether you are single or married.
Living this virtue purifies your heart, heals your memories, strengthens your
will, and glorifies God with your body. For an unmarried person it is sexuality
dedicated to hope—saving sex for marriage. An unmarried person who has already
had sex can still choose to be chaste by starting over.
For
the married and the unmarried it means having reverence for the gift of sex.
Chastity is a virtue that defends love from selfishness and frees us from using
others as objects. It makes us capable of authentic love. In short, abstinence
ends in marriage but chastity holds marriage together.
from...
If You Really Loved Me
by Jason Evert
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