Today’s Reading: Jacob 2:20-35
28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.
The world will tell you that chastity is a silly, outdated concept and that it limits a woman’s freedom to make her own choices.
But as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we know that chastity is not silly, it is not outdated, and it does not limit a woman’s freedom. It is a commandment from a loving Heavenly Father that protects us from spiritual and emotional damage. And actually, it gives us more freedom as women.
Just to refresh your memory, chastity means abstaining from sexual relations until after you are married, and then once you are married, remaining completely faithful to your spouse.
Heavenly Father wants us to be as happy as possible. He wants to give us every blessing he can, and he wants us to return to live with him one day. He also wants us to feel loved. He has given us the commandment of chastity so that we won’t get hurt from sharing physical intimacies with someone outside of marriage.
Chastity is also a part of virtue. Sister Elaine S. Dalton said that “virtue is the strength and power of daughters of God” (source).
Don’t we want to be strong and powerful in the face of temptation? Don’t we want our own daughters to be strong and have the power of God to stand up to temptation as well?
When we are virtuous and chaste, we can grow closer to our Heavenly Father, feel his love more strongly, and we can say no more firmly and easily to things that don’t align with our standards. And we can teach our daughters the blessings of being chaste because we have seen those blessings in our lives as a result of keeping that commandment ourselves.
I’m a wife to a doctor and mama to two toddlers. I love talking about pregnancy and the ups and downs of motherhood. I have a weakness for delicious food, and love anything pumpkin. I have no doubt that our Savior loves us and knows exactly how we’re feeling at all times, good and bad.