Posted on 06/02/2014 6:47:27 PM PDT by Kaslin
The Bible is the “word of truth.” It’s mankind’s user manual. It’s the blueprint, even in suffering, for a joyful and fulfilled existence in this life, and an incomprehensibly glorious eternity in the next. The total truths and precepts inherent within the Judeo-Christian scriptures are both timeless and universally applicable to all people and peoples across the globe, be they Christian, Jew or pagan.
Obviously, neither pornography nor pornography use, in the modern sense, was around during ancient biblical times. Still, since all time is biblical time, and since the Bible transcends time and space, God, in His boundless love and wisdom, has given us specific truths that directly apply to the use and abuse of modern pornography in all its ugly forms.
Studies indicate that at least 70 percent of American men and 30 percent of American women regularly view online pornography. The numbers aren’t much better among Christians with a 2011 ChristiaNet survey finding that 50 percent of Christian men and 20 percent of Christian women regularly use porn.
The following is in no way a comprehensive analysis of the devastating medical, mental, spiritual and societal pitfalls associated with porn use. Neither is it a complete examination of what the Holy Scriptures have to say on the subject. Still, here are six specific truths, from the word of truth, about pornography use:
1) Pornography use is always wrong.
Like adultery, fornication, homosexuality, incest, bestiality and other forms of sexual immorality, the use of pornography, too, is sin.
1 Thessalonians 5:22 admonishes us to “abstain from every form of evil.” As we will further develop in the subsequent “porn truths” below, porn use is evil. “Do not desire her beauty in your heart, nor let her capture you with her eyelids” (Proverbs 6:25).
“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality …” (Galatians 5:19).
When you use pornography, you engage “the deeds of the flesh” and grieve the Holy Spirit. “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).
2) Married? Pornography use is adultery. Not married? Pornography use is fornication.
“[B]ut I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).
Husbands, I realize that you tell yourself, “I’d never cheat on my wife.”
Using pornography?
You already have.
You also don’t have much sense.
“The one who commits adultery with a woman is lacking sense; He who would destroy himself does it. Wounds and disgrace he will find, and his reproach will not be blotted out” (Proverbs 6:32-33).
Using porn? Knock it off, repent and ask God’s forgiveness. You’re destroying yourself and your marriage.
“Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4).
Hear that, single guys? If you’re using porn, you’re committing fornication. You’re sinning against God, your future wife and God’s precious daughters featured in the images after which you lust.
Again, knock it off, repent and ask God’s forgiveness. Then save yourself, from now on, for your wife. That’s what your Creator both expects and demands.
3) Pornography use leads to death.
“But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death” (James 1:14-15).
People often say that pornography use is a “victimless crime.” Nonsense. Both the subjects of pornography, the men, women and children featured in it and objectified through it, as well as those who consume it, are hurt by pornography.
Pornography use is a cancerous epidemic in America. It’s destroying lives, souls, children, marriages and families.
It’s also destroying our culture.
Porn use leads to death – spiritual, emotional, marital, familial and societal death.
4) Pornography use is demonic.
“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world” (1 John 2:16).
Porn use typifies all of this and more. Porn is “of the world.”
Scripture calls Satan the “prince of the world” and the “father of lies.”
Pornography, which is “from the world,” is the wicked, destructive, deceptive and deadly brainchild of the “prince of the world.”
“Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret” (Ephesians 5:11-12).
5) You must flee pornography.
“Flee [sexual] immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18).
Flee pornography while you still can. You will be discovered. Many falsely believe that porn use is a personal, harmless form of entertainment. They think that what they do, they do in secret. Nothing is done in secret. More often than not, your loved ones will discover you. As scripture warns: “[Y]ou may be sure that your sin will find you out.”
Either way, God knows.
6) You can be free from pornography use.
“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
The way of escape is available in and through the person of Jesus Christ, His holy word, the Holy Spirit and the full armor of God:
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:13-18).
Try this: Every time you’re tempted to return to your computer for porn, pick up a Bible instead. Or go to BibleGateway.com.
Begin reading.
“How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments” (Psalms 119:9-10).
I second the Apostle Peter’s plea: “Dear friends, I urge you … to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11).
Even if you feel you cannot stop using pornography under your own power, you can stop under the power of the Holy Spirit. Ask Jesus – keep asking Jesus – and He will help you.
If you screw up, then stop, ask His forgiveness and then ask Him again for help.
Because a soul is a terrible thing to waste.
A succinct admonition that is not well-received on the part of my flesh. Rom. 7:23
bump
Those who love this particular sin will react badly.
That’s pretty much what your Bible quote mean.
Guess I’ll have to bypass the lingerie models in the department store ads in the Sunday paper.
So does breathing.
Nice pick Kaslin.
Porn is simply people having sex. Its just male fantasy and no one would describe as an approximation of a real life relationship.
That is a good deal more complicated than porn films show. The human heart cannot be visually conveyed and the vulnerability of love in the eyes is only a language shared by lovers.
Paul asked HOW many times to have the ‘thorn in the flesh’ removed?
So does holding your breath while driving through a tunnel
Sex is not a sin; its a gift given to us by God to show our love to someone we share our life with and for the procreation of the species.
A gift can be misused; but that does not diminish the meaning of the gift we are given and we thank God for giving us the ability to love others like we love Him.
People aren't always the only ones involved. My wife watches porn on TV - House Porn.
At least that's what I call it.
Flip this House
Extreme House Makeover
Crash my Backyard
HGTV is of the DEVIL!!
She sees all that stuff and lusts for more!
I've got paint and saws and nailers and chainsaws and shovels and all the other little kinky toys that this addiction uses to tittalate and fantasize with.
Really?
Do anything long enough, and you’ll eventually die.
I got a shed to build
LOL!
At least you got to buy a bunch of tools to help satisfy your wife’s “lust”...
I remember when SEARS catalogs had models wearing black leotards and the undergarments over them.
When they did away with the black leotards, some women tore those pages out of the catalog before the kids and old man could see them.
Pornography addiction leads to same brain activity as alcoholism or drug abuse, study shows
It's statements like this that make conservatives look like troglodytes.
Death? Really?
I've seem some porn and it all looks remarkably similar and mechanical, and pretty artificial in terms of how the participants are "acting."
However, I can see how a little bit can fire up some fantasies and add some spark in the bedroom.
And that's not addiction or death or misogynism or whatever. It's simply a little help where one might need it for your sex life.
Lighten up, Francis.
This becomes a slippery slope. What is porn? What if you feel lust seeing a woman in a bikini at the beach? Or that woman on the Monistat yeast infection commercial (sorry, I haven’t learned how to post youtube videos)? Do we start demanding women cover up in burkas because we can’t control our lust? Do we start becoming barbarians like certain religious zealots not allowed to experience lifes pleasures who go around blowing themselves and others up?
It says 70 percent of men, 50 percent of Christian men, watch porn.
I wonder what the methodology of the studies are that give us these stats.
Sounds like guesses to me rather than verifiable social science.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.