ILLICIT SEX: ITS CASCADING IMPLICATIONS

The vices of premarital sex are plenteous compared to the
ill-fated but short pleasure derived from it.  It is an absolute
wonder how sex is been valued these days. Now it is the
trade mark, the basis-the factor used to determine the
authenticity of a relationship. While many others see it as an
"icing in the cake" for living a fun-filled youthful live style.
It is alarmingly disturbing seeing that the major actors these
unbecoming days are teens who lack the slightest idea of the
"dos" and "don't s" associated with premarital sex. They see
the act as a form of meeting up with their peers egoistic prowess,
derived from sexual escapades with peers peers of opposite sex.
It becomes rather appalling for parents becoming complete
ignoramus to the exorbitant lifestyles of their wards. While mos
 parents leave their their wards to solely care for themselves giving
them no little but no chance from the claws of sexual predators.
Parent should endeavor to cater for their children, for it their
responsibility. Even so, the bible compelled them to, regarding those
who fail to the task as worse than infidels. This mundane negligence
from parents often stray these wards to selling their chastity-their
prides to vanities.

RELATIONSHIPS:
Considering how premarital sex can affect relationships.
One high school girl wrote, “I am sixteen and have
already lost my virginity. I truly regret that my first time
was with a guy that I didn’t care that much about. Since
that first night he expects sex on every date. When I
don’t feel like it, we end up in an argument. I don’t think
this guy is in love with me, and I know deep down that I
am not in love with him either. This makes me feel
cheap. I realize now that this is a very big step in a girl’s
life. After you have done it, things are never the same. It
changes everything.”
Another young person said, “I slept with many, many
people trying to find love, to find self-worth. And the
more people I slept with, the less self-worth I had.”
Some people may argue, “Well, what if I really care
about him or her? I think sex will bring us closer
together.” Indeed, sex creates a bond. However, 80
percent of the time, the physical intimacy of a teens first
sexual relationship won’t last more than six months.
Couples who want what is best for their relationship or
future marriage will have the patience to wait.
Most of the time, when a girl gives away her virginity,
she assumes the relationship will last forever. Beyond one’s
 relationship, premarital sex frequently
causes tension within families because of the dishonesty
that usually accompanies the hidden intimacies.
Relationships with friends are often strained, and when
things turn sour, the gossip and social problems often
become unbearable. Everyone talks about how hard it is
to say no to sex, but no one tells you how hard it is when
you say yes.

PHYSICAL:
In regard to the physiological side of things, it is
dangerous for a young single woman to be sexually
active. Because a teenage girl’s reproductive system is
still immature, she is very susceptible to sexually
transmitted diseases (STDs). In fact, early sexual activity is
the number one risk factor for cervical cancer, and the
second is multiple sexual partners. A girl’s body, like
her heart, is not designed to handle multiple sexual
partners.
While your friend might plan on sleeping with only one
guy, she could be exposing herself to the STDs of
hundreds of people through a single act of intercourse.

EMOTIONAL:
The emotional side effects of premarital sex are also
damaging to a young woman. One of the most common
consequences of teenage sexual activity is depression.
Girls who are sexually active are more than three times
as likely to be depressed as girls who are abstinent.
In fact, the condition has become so predictable that the
American Journal of Preventive Medicine recommends to
doctors: “[Girls who are engaging in] sexual intercourse
should be screened for depression, and provided with
anticipatory guidance about the mental health risks of
these behaviors.” Even if a girl experiments with sex
once, research shows an increased risk of depression.
Also, consider the fact that the rate of suicide attempts
for sexually active girls (aged twelve to sixteen) is six
times higher than the rate for virgins.  Tragically,
these girls do not realize the purity, hope, and
forgiveness that they can find in Christ.
Unfortunately, many young women search for meaning
only in relationships with guys, instead of with God. It is
not uncommon for a girl to have sex in order to make a
guy like her more or to encourage him to stay with her.
She may compromise her standards because she is
afraid of never being loved. Once he leaves her, though,
an emotional divorce takes place. A person’s heart is not
made to be that close to a person and then separated.
Since teenage sexual relationships rarely last, the girl’s
sense of self-worth is often damaged. She may conclude
that if she looked better, he would have stayed longer.
This mentality can lead to harmful practices, such as
eating disorders. Or the disappointment she feels may
drive her into a state of self-hatred. Some young women
even begin to hurt their own bodies in an attempt to
numb the emotional pain. Such practices never solve the
problems, though. If she wants to be loved, she needs to
begin by loving herself.
In her heart, a girl who has been used knows it.
However, she may immediately jump into another sexual
relationship to escape the hurt. If she tries to boost her
self-esteem by giving guys what they want, then her self-
worth often ends up depending upon those kinds of
relationships. Her development as a woman is stunted
because without chastity she does not know how to
express affection, appreciation, or attraction for a guy
without implying something sexual. She may even
conclude that a guy does not love her unless he makes
sexual advances toward her. She knows that sex exists
without intimacy, but she may forget that intimacy can
exist without sex. A girl on this track usually feels
accepted initially, but that acceptance lasts only as long
as the physical pleasure.
Such a lifestyle will also take its toll on her ability to
bond. Here’s why: Sharing the gift of sex is like putting a
piece of tape on another person’s arm. The first bond is
strong, and it hurts to remove it. Shift the tape to
another person’s arm, and the bond will still work, but it
will be easier to remove. Each time this is done, part of
each person remains with the tape. Soon it is easy to
remove because the residue from the various arms
interferes with the tape’s ability to stick.
The same is true in relationships, because neurologists
have discovered that previous sexual experiences can
interfere with one’s ability to bond with future partners.
This does not mean that if a person is not a virgin on
the wedding night, he or she will be unable to bond with
a spouse. It simply means that when we follow God’s
plan, we have the most abundant life possible. But when
we turn from his designs and break his commandments,
often we are the ones who feel broken afterward.

SPIRITUAL:
Sin cuts us off from God, and this is the most serious
consequence of premarital sex. After going too far, many
of us know all too well the cloud of guilt that weighs on
our hearts. The solution is not to kill our conscience but
to follow it to freedom. It is calling us, not condemning
us. Provided we repent, God will be there to welcome us
home and let us start over (see John 8 and Luke 15).
What this all means is that our bodies, our hearts, our
relationships, and our souls are not made for premarital
sex. We are made for enduring love.