Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot
Week 2: Chapters 3–4 — "Why Wait?" and The Corruption of Love
Read Chapters 3–4 of Passion and Purity. Primary Scripture: Song of Solomon 2:7; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–7.
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Elliot does not simply tell her readers to wait — she tries to show them why waiting is actually an expression of love, not the absence of it. These chapters press into that argument directly.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Elliot argues that "waiting" is not passive but active — it is a form of loving. How does she make that case? Do you find it convincing?
2.She draws a sharp distinction between love and lust, arguing that lust is fundamentally about taking while love is fundamentally about giving. Where do you see that distinction playing out in real relationships you know or have had?
3.The phrase "do not stir up or awaken love until it pleases" (Song of Solomon 2:7) appears in these chapters. What does Elliot say this means in practical terms? What kinds of behaviors or situations does she suggest "awaken" love prematurely?
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