06.04.11 The 5th Key for Evaluating Purity and Self-Control in a Prospective Partner Does the Person Treat the Body with Honour and Reverence?

5. Does the Person Treat the Body with Honour and Reverence?

Assess how a prospective partner regards the body and its spiritual significance. Does the person treat the body with reverence, discipline and responsibility? Does she or he consider casual indulgence as defilement; or as ‘normal'?

Ruth witnessed Boaz's honour for the ‘sacredness’ of the body given that he did not touch her at the threshing floor despite having slept at his feet. Scientists assert that the soles of humans are among the most sensitive parts of a human body with over 200,000 nerves per sole. But even then, the man chose to act with restraint, honouring Ruth's body and his own; showing that physical intimacy must be approached with honour, discipline and reverence.

Stephen’s behaviour was the opposite. His long-standing struggle with pornography had already shaped his view of physical intimacy before his relationship with Maria. Though he maintained an outward image of maturity, his private conduct revealed ongoing compromise. The man’s simultaneous emotional and romantic involvement with multiple women, combined with hidden indulgence, showed that, for him, physical and emotional intimacy had become casual rather than honourable. This lack of restraint led to betrayal and emotional harm, destroying the trust that each woman might have had for the promiscuous man.

A person who honours the sacredness of your body practices restraint even when there is an opportunity to defile it. Such discipline preserves your dignity and reflects readiness for a relationship grounded in mutual respect and lasting integrity.