How To Be Holy As A Youth In Today’s Generation
Today’s generation of young people is faced with countless challenges, some of which impede the desire to get closer to God and diminish any dream or action taken towards holiness. From technology to the freedom party, the challenges seem endless as new ideas, philosophies, techs, and other discoveries come to light to better the way the world lives and sees things. Fewer of these discoveries, however, come with the manual to help youths get holier and closer to God. How to be holy as a youth in today’s generation is written in the light of these backgrounds to help the youth see possibilities to be holy in a challenging and changing world.
In this article, we shall cover the following points on how the youths can keep themselves holy before marriage:
- Being self-disciplined
- Abstaining from evil Communications
- Shunning sexual immorality and Embracing sexual purity
- Having a strong personal relationship with God
- Studying the word of God and in prayers
- Being obedient to the word of God
- Training your mind
- Avoiding unhealthy relationship
- Abstaining from pornography
- Keeping themselves busy.
1. THROUGH SELF DISCIPLINE
This means to exercise power over oneself. It is a measure that young people should activate in their lives in order to keep themselves under control in terms of thoughts, actions, inner desires, and words.
Just as our brother said in 1 Corinthians 9:25, self-discipline helps young people to make the right choices in their lives that bring positive results. It helps young people to set standards and know their limits. This is because the flesh is always fighting against the desires of the spirit (Galatians 5:17).
Self-discipline includes establishing boundaries such as avoiding finding yourself becoming intimate and alone with someone with whom you are physically or emotionally attracted, staying out late in the night, watching sexually arousing movies. Also, young people should be modest in dressing and be content with what they have.
2. THROUGH ABSTAINING FROM EVIL COMMUNICATIONS
Any communication that challenges the authority of God’s word is an evil one. 1 Cor. 15:33 says “Be not deceived, evil communication corrupts good manners”. There’s a saying “Show me your friend and I will tell you who you are”. Being in a wrong company can influence young people to do wrong things (Psalm 1:1). The people whom young people relate with do affect them in life. If they are with gossipers and liars, they tend to be influenced to gossip and tell lies, if they are with false teachers, they will be influenced by false teachings.
3. THROUGH SHUNNING SEXUAL IMMORALITY AND EMBRACING SEXUAL PURITY
Sexual immorality includes acts such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, prostitution, lust, rape, and incents. Sexual immorality as addressed by God in Matt. 5:28 does not only include fornication but also lustfully looking at the opposite sex. Young people’s purity is their priceless possession no matter how society tries to put it as a lack of opportunity. It means being sexually pure, for your body is the temple of the holy spirit (1 Cor. 6:19), so why try to defile our marriage beds as singles.
Think of being infected with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, HIV/AIDs, and a lot more. What about unwanted pregnancy? Its consequences for youth are far-reaching. Remaining sexually pure before marriage relieves young people from negative emotional, psychological, and physical outcomes. Meditate on Psalm 119:9-10.
4. THROUGH A STRONG PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
Young people cannot have a strong personal relationship with God except they are born again (John 3:3). Being born again means repenting and turning away from a sinful life and accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Savior. It means a transformation of the soul and heart by the work of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 2:2).
When young people give their lives to Christ, they can live holy lives as the Holy Spirit directs and guides their actions, hearts, feelings, and emotions (Gal. 5:16) and protects them from eternal condemnation.
5. THROUGH STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD AND IN PRAYERS
Once a young person is born again, the most important thing is to nourish and grow this new life. This can only be done by praying and spending time in God’s presence and His word (1 Peter 2:2). God tells us to study to show ourselves approved (2 Tim. 2:15). Studying God’s words helps young people to produce and manifest the fruits of the spirit which includes self-control and patience (Gal 5:22).
Prayer remains a veritable tool in dealing with battles of life. It is a way of communicating directly with God.
Through prayers, young people can easily pour out their hearts, problems, desires, and requests to God believing that He will answer them (Mark 11:24). Constant studying of the bible and prayers reveals more about God, directs young people right by creating the fear of God in them (Psalm 119: 11).
6. THROUGH OBEDIENT TO THE WORD OF GOD
Obedience means submitting totally to God’s instructions and principles for our lives. One thing is to study and another is to practice what you studied. God rewards obedience to His word. The word of God brings blessings (Isaiah 1:19). Just as Joseph was obedient to God in Potiphar’s house when he faced challenges (Gen. 39:6-12), Young people must be obedient to God in order to remain holy before marriage. God commands us not to be hearers alone but also the doers of His word (James 1:22). When young people obey the word of God, they become slaves to righteousness and not sin, again (Rom. 6:18-19).
7. THROUGH TRAINING YOUR MIND
Young people train their minds by restricting what they let into their minds through their eyes and ears. Job 31:1 says “I made a covenant with mine eyes, why then should I think (lustfully) upon a maid?”. Young people must guard their eyes against evil. What the eyes see affects the whole body physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. How can the eye be the lamp of the body when it is filled with impure thoughts? Then the whole body will be full of darkness (Matt. 6:22-23).
God wants us to resist the devil (James 4:7) by removing things that Satan uses to defeat us out of our lives such as sexual magazines, movies, worldly music, and other sinful activities. Young people should occupy their minds with the word of God (Phil 4:8-9) and realize that victory is possible.
8. THROUGH AVOIDING UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIP
An unhealthy relationship is a friendship that exists between persons which is toxic in nature. An unhealthy relationship is normally parasitic. Young people should walk away from any relationship or friendship that does not add value to their lives.
The majority of these relationships are usually romantic. That is why the bible instructs young people to flee the evil desires of the youth (2 Tim. 2:22). Feel free to choose friends that give you godly counsel. Young people must maintain a healthy relationship with wise and Godly people (Prov. 13:20).
9. THROUGH ABSTAINING FROM PORNOGRAPHY
Pornography means a representation of sexual activities in books, films, pictures, and other media that causes sexual excitement. Pornography is a form of sexual immorality and the sexually immoral will not inherit the kingdom of God (Eph. 5:3-6). Young people should avoid indulging in pornography for it is poisonous. It satisfies your short-term sinful urges but steals your Joy. It also wastes your precious time. Pornography addiction can lead to terrible sins such as rape, murder, or masturbation. God’s will for you is to be holy (1 Thess. 4:3-4).
10. THROUGH KEEPING THEMSELVES BUSY
Being idle is very bad. Proverbs 16:27 says “idle hands are the devil’s workshop” when people are busy, it saves them from dwelling in unhealthy thoughts. Be busy and productive (Prov. 31:13-30). Engage in church activities, go to seminars, learn skills and be useful, don’t be lazy for no one wants to get married to a liability.
