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From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Dear Rev. Graham: I’m trying to be an example for Christ on campus. Everywhere I turn, there’s immorality and people looking out for number one, but it’s covered in deception. How can I be sure I won’t stumble into this and hurt my testimony for Christ? Is this what Jesus meant when He said to take up our cross and follow Him? – C.C.

Dear C.C.: It’s not just the young who find it challenging to live a pure life. All believers are called to be holy in mind, body, and spirit (1 Peter 1:15). Advertisements and entertainment have become so saturated with sexual themes and images that it is difficult to avoid them. Greed, self-gratification, and the lust for power seem to drive our culture. We’ve become like the people of Jeremiah’s day: “They have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush” (Jeremiah 8:12, NIV).
If we are to be pure and holy, we must first commit ourselves — mind, body, and spirit — completely to Christ. We can’t hold back any area of life from Him, and it is right to avoid situations that might encourage impure thoughts or actions. The best way to do this is to fill our minds with Christ by feeding our souls on a daily dose of prayer and God’s Word.
To take up our cross means to associate with Christ and to share His rejection (see Matthew 16). It means to take a stand for Him even though people poke fun and, yes, even persecute us. The greatest hindrance to Satan’s destructive efforts is for us to stand strong in the knowledge and fear of the Lord.
“How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word” (Psalm 119:9, NASB).
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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)