And the world wonders "Why?"
There is an interesting book review in today's Wall Street Journal on the book "Unprotected" which is about the observations of a campus physician. For 200 pages, she tells of the suffering of young college women. She says cardiologists warn us about fatty foods, pediatricians encourage healthy snacks, helmets and discussion of drugs and alcohol. Everyone condemns smoking and tanning beds. Unfortunately, professionals refuse to address perhaps the most damaging activity a young woman chooses to engage in - sexual choices.

A girl, Heather, speaks about her intense bout of depression. The doctor presses her for a possible cause - she can't think of any and then she says, "Well, I can think of one thing: since Thanksgiving, I've had a 'friend with benefits'" (friend with benefits is the new lingo for someone you have sex with) Heather laments that she wants to spend time with this boy shopping and going to movies and says "that would make it a friendship for me." But the boy says "no" to all that because that would mean they are in a "relationship" and he wants none of that. Heather says, "I'm confused because it seems like I am not getting the friendship but he is getting the benefits."

Scary to say but this is the world we live in - the world our little girls are growing up in. And the world wonders why there are these terrible side-effects of this behavior. The author sees girls who can't sleep, who mutilate themselves and exhibit every symptom of psychic distress. Often, they have no idea why. "As these girls see it, they are acting like sensible, responsible adults: They practice 'safe sex' and limit their partners to 2-3 a year. They are following the best advice modern psychology can offer. They are enjoying their sexual freedom, experimenting and discovering themselves. They can't understand what might be wrong. And yet, something is wrong (amen to that). Sexually active teenage girls were more than three times as likely to be depressed, and nearly three times as likely to have had a suicide attempt, than girls who were not sexually active."

You see the lie in the world's "advice" on sex - "experiment, try many partners, find yourself and enjoy your freedom." Sounds a lot like Satan's advice to Eve in the garden - "experiment, try that fruit, free yourself from God's rules..." It is a lie. He is a liar. Unfortunately the "bright" minds of our world have embraced that "advice" and are spreading it and wreaking untold destruction on legions of young girls.

There are consequences of our sin. The bible is clear on that. Yes, God can and will forgive us but He does not take away the earthly consequences of our sin. Many times, that sin impacts others besides ourselves. These girls face real consequences for falling in under the lie. They face current health issues, suicidal thoughts and depression. Longer-term, they can be real consequences in their marriages.

God knows what He is talking about. "Flee from sexual immorality". Don't talk about it, don't negotiate about it, don't rationalize it...flee from it. Otherwise, there can be hell to pay.