youth sitting on bridge

June 26

Why Is Chastity Important in God’s Plan?

2 Samuel 5–7; 11–12; 1 Kings 3; 8; 11

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Counsel Together

Led by a member of the quorum or class presidency; 10–20 minutes

At the beginning of the meeting, repeat together the Young Women Theme or the Aaronic Priesthood Quorum Theme. Then lead a discussion about the work of salvation and exaltation using one or more of the questions below or questions of your own (see General Handbook, 10.2, 11.2, ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Plan ways to act on what you discuss.

• Live the gospel. How have we come closer to the Savior? How are we trying to be more like Him?

• Care for those in need. Who has been on our minds lately? How can we help these individuals?

• Invite all to receive the gospel. How can we answer our friends’ questions about the Church in a way that strengthens their faith in the Savior?

• Unite families for eternity. What are some ways we can better connect with extended family members, such as grandparents and cousins?

At the end of the lesson, as appropriate, do the following:

• Testify of the principles taught.

• Remind class or quorum members about the plans and invitations made during the meeting.

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Teach the Doctrine

Led by an adult leader or youth; 25–35 minutes

Prepare Yourself Spiritually

Our Heavenly Father, who wants us to be happy, gave us the law of chastity. And Satan, who wants us to be miserable, teaches that this law is not important. He does everything he can to tempt us to commit sexual sin. Young people can be influenced by images and messages that contradict what God teaches about sexuality. Each of us needs to beware of such temptations and strive to keep our thoughts, words, and actions pure throughout our lives. We learn this lesson from King David’s sad experience. He was an example of great faithfulness. But he gave in to temptation and broke the law of chastity (see 2 Samuel 11:1–5).

You can prepare to teach by reading 2 Samuel 11, Elder David A. Bednar’s message “We Believe in Being Chaste” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2013, 41–44), and other resources about chastity. What might inspire class or quorum members to see chastity the way God sees it? What might help them reject the way Satan sees it?

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To remain faithful to God’s law of chastity, we should strive each day to keep our thoughts, words, and actions pure.

Learn Together

Here’s one way to introduce the topic of chastity while helping those you teach review what they have read in the scriptures. Write the words David and Joseph on the board. Then review together 2 Samuel 11:1–5 and Genesis 39:7–12. How did David and Joseph each respond to temptation to commit sexual sin? What do we learn from their examples? Use the following activities or some of your own to inspire further discussion about why chastity is important in God’s plan.

• The youth you teach might benefit from defining the Lord’s standard of sexual purity. Invite them to review “Sexual Purity” in For the Strength of Youth ([booklet, 2011], 35–37) or the fourth paragraph of “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). How are the Lord’s teachings about sexuality different from what Satan wants us to believe? The youth could review “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” looking for statements that explain why sexual purity is important to Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness. What do we learn from these statements that helps us to live righteously in today’s world?

• Sometimes others don’t understand our standards of morality, especially because these standards are so different from what many people believe. How might we answer their questions? What do we learn from Elder and Sister Renlund in the video “Why Is It Important to Live the Law of Chastity?” from “Face to Face with Elder and Sister Renlund” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). The youth could also search the scriptures in “Supporting Resources” for statements that describe the blessings of chastity. You might ask them to share their thoughts about why they choose to obey the Lord’s standard of sexual morality.

• Popular culture often teaches that there is no need to be sexually pure. Yet the culture ignores truths about the blessings of chastity and the dangers of immorality. To learn more about these truths, the youth could study Elder David A. Bednar’s message “We Believe in Being Chaste.” Some could study the section “The Intent of the Adversary,” and others could study “The Blessings of Being Chaste.” Then they could share with each other what they learned. Encourage them to write down a phrase from this message that they want to remember the next time they encounter false messages about sexuality. You could also direct them to the section titled “The Principle of Repentance.” Discuss how the Savior can heal all those who want to repent of sexual sin. Remind those you teach that they can speak with their parents or the bishop if they have questions or need to repent.

Act in Faith

Encourage class or quorum members to ponder and record what they will do to act on the impressions they received today. If they would like, they could share their ideas. Invite them to think about how acting on their impressions will strengthen their relationships with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Supporting Resources

• 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (Our bodies are temples)

• Alma 38:12 (If we bridle our passions, we can be filled with love)

• Doctrine and Covenants 25:2; 121:45–46 (The blessings of virtue)

• “Chastity: What Are the Limits?” “True Confidence,” “I Choose to Be Pure” (videos), ChurchofJesusChrist.org

Teaching in the Savior’s Way

In every setting, the Savior was an example and mentor. He taught His disciples to pray by praying with them. He taught them to love and serve by the way He loved and served them. He taught them how to teach His gospel by the way He taught it.