Joseph, the main emphasis of Scripture is Jesus, not our efforts to emulate him. It's about his life, a life he now lives through us, not our efforts to emulate his life. Blessings, Tim more on this: ( http://timfall.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/dirty-underwear/ )

"The point of faithful sexuality before God is not holding on to our own efforts of goodness." This phrase is rhetorically wrong-headed: the major emphasis in Scripture IS on active resistance, struggling, etc. The battle for Purity is just that... a battle, and a struggle that involves discipline. "Celebrate our sexual selves" ... That strategy is being played out everywhere now to decidely mixed results. Reminds me of Christopher West's overly optimistic plugging of JPIIs Theology of the Body. As a corrective I'd recommend a saner and more realistic female's corrective: Google Alice Von Hildebrand and Christopher West.

In Revelation 14: 1-5 the apostle John sees Jesus, "the Lamb" standing on Mt. Zion with 144,000 men of whom it is said: "4 These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they [b]have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless." Jesus was a virgin. They will have the special privilege of following our Lord wherever He goes. I find it interesting that this group will be of men. In 1 Corinthians 11:7, the Scriptures say, "For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man." Perhaps, these men will have a special place because they choose to live for Him, rather than their natural desires.

Sandy Palmer Perry: My issue with this show is the obsessive behavior, the drama, and the level of physical contact everyone has. It's just crazy. Your question about how can someone stay pure dating 10 people - I would think it'd be easier to date, at least in my way of dating, 10 people, than one person. Dating several people doesn't mean going deep or getting physical - it's a time of getting to know people through conversation while doing fun things. By the time those ten people have been whittled down to one person - that is when purity is really tested, because I am then pursing a relationship with that person. I know them enough to find them interesting, have heard some of their stories, have developed an attraction to them, and we may have met some of each other's friends. It is this stage of a relationship where purity is the most difficult in thought and action.

This is yet antoher reason why I cannot stand the entire concept of The Bachelor/Bachelorette. I think it objectifies the entire process of finding a mate. Do we honestly expect for anyone to stay "pure" while dating 10+ people at a time? How are any lasting, significant relationships really going to be formed with 84,000 cameras rolling for every conversation? Covenant relationship, which are the bedrock of a good marriage, cannot be formed in front of a live audience.

Well said! I find myself struggling to understand the need to reclaim a label like 'virgin' rather than simply accepting that Christ died to cover all sins and letting His forgiveness be enough. This is a great contribution to that conversation, and I will certainly refer to it in conversations about this issue with my friends. http://hopefullydevon.blogspot.com/

Well done, Enuma. It's not about our purity - which is non-existent - but about Christ's holiness -which exists presently in eternal abundance in our lives. Good job getting us thinking about this today. Cheers, Tim more: http://timfall.wordpress.com/2013/03/11/such-a-wicked-wicked-child/

Karen Smith: I do realize words have meaning, more than you realize... I hestate tossing this particular bachelor in with all the other ones, as his behavior during the show was different than previous bachelors. Granted, this was whatever film was flashed across my TV screen during commercials, but this particular season seemed different. I guess we'll all see how things come out in the future. As far as purity and virginity, yes I do realize that isn't something that can be regained - even to those children/girls/women who are raped and have their physical virginity stolen from them, but a virginity of the heart which goes beyond behavior and where someone draws the line in the sand about what they will and won't do with someone of the opposite sex.

@Kathi - I'm fine with the idea of considering oneself pure (or rather, purified), even if they aren't virgins. But words do in fact mean something, and virginity isn't something that can be restored - that's part of why it has traditionally been so prized. And my comment about the sexuality being sold applies equally to all Bachelor-type shows, not just this one; they all sell themselves, into relationships if not into sex. At least the ladies of Cathouse are honest about it.

I am what people would consider a "renewed virgin". I look at things from a perspective of purity and not just intercourse. I'm now in my 40's and am waiting for marriage. As far as my life before, I'd love to share with young people why chosing to remain pure is so important, good, and a gift to give themselves. As far as Karen Smith's question about people selling their sexuality for money...wow, there's so many ways to respond to that. My guess is the show's producers are the ones who chomped down on Sean's choice to not have sex until marriage, just as the media has done about Tim Tebow and his choice to wait until marriage before having sex. I've never really been a huge fan of the show because of how people are depicted: shallow and crazy, but I did watch After the Rose - it was all that was on and I was drawn in. I was impressed by the way Sean and both young ladies conducted themselves in God-honoring ways during that interview.