From the wisdom of others, the Bible and my experience...

1. Because God said so. He is Creator, Author of Life, and just The Man. He is worthy of all our obedience, period. He is more valuable than anything we can imagine. The world and everything in it falls into its forgotten niche when He is worshiped, because He is simply worth that. Our obedience to Him is an expression of fragrant worship that all of creation longs to smell.

2. God is smart, and He's on our side. He kind of knows how we tick, and when He says to do something its because it is a good thing that involves benefits. From my experience we usually realize that His commandments are worth following after we take His advice, which is unfortunate. We should give God the benefit of the doubt because He has some life experience under His belt, much more than we do.

3. Pursuing sexual purity builds spiritual authority in your relationship (this one is especially for the guys). Men are meant to be the spiritual leaders in relationships. What is it saying to your soon-to-be wife if you vocalize how you want to root your relationship in the Lord and then show her that only part of that process is worth following through with? Saving sex for marriage is one of the best ways to tell your future life-mate that you mean it when you want to have a Jesus-filled relationship. Compromising purity tells her the exact opposite. Down the road she will be more inclined to question your integrity and less eager to follow your lead.

4. Pursuing purity tells your wife that she is worth fighting for (for the guys again). I have not met many men who do not war within themselves to stay sexually pure, especially in today's age, and women know that. Fighting that war for the sake of your relationship with your wife is an honorable thing but also expected. The dating or courting process, whatever you would like to call it, is a process for the man to win the heart of a woman through showing her that she deserves to be cherished and treasured. Tell your sweetheart that she is valuable by officially commiting to her through rich and poor, sickness and health before you lay down your expection to "have her."

5. Tell him that you are worth waiting for (for the gals). Women, your bodies, hearts and souls are endlessly valuable. Valuable things are not just given away. The only thing that deserves to have you is a man who shows you that he will cherish you. Other than Jesus, you are the best reward he will ever get. He can wait until he commits to you before you become his. You are showing him that he needs to respect you, cherish and treasure you. You can't show him what you are worth without making him wait.

Side note - Men need to fight for you. They need to pursue you and win you over. We are inlcined to get bored if we aren't doing that. It is exciting for us to win you over.

6. Better sex. Sex is better with one partner over a lifetime of commitment. Studies have shown that the  happiest couples sexually are the married ones, ages 40-50 to be more precise.

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