[This is a post that's been simmering on the back burner for some time. I'm revisiting it having been inspired by our new Sunday school series on applying the gospel in a fallen world.] I listened to Voddie Baucham's talk from the 2012 Shepherd's conference and heard the most beautiful and compelling argument for purity I have ever heard. (Audio here , video here - start listening around 24:00.) He does a little pretend dialogue with his son regarding abstinence and the one flesh union solely within the bounds of marriage. Baucham then says, "It is awesome because this is a picture of Christ and His bride, the church, and you should no more illegitimately unite yourself physically with a woman outside of marriage than Christ should unite Himself with one who is not His own. " Why is this so powerful? It's not a "carrot and stick" approach - obey the rules and God will bless you, disobey and you'll be stricken with a loathsome disease a...