JESUS SPEAKING
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘you shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Mathew 5: 27 – 28.)
INSPIRED THOUGHTS
Pornography was as prevalent in ancient times as it is today. Archeologists have uncovered rooms in many Roman homes, set apart for sexual debauchery (the walls and ceilings of these rooms were lined with images of people in erotic positions.) Scholars have also discovered tens of thousands of sensual stone carvings; men and women, naked, exposed, and objectified; many small enough to be carried from place to place (likely an ancient form of mobile pornography.) Similar sexually explicit images and carvings can be found in every culture, and in every generation; India, Asia, Egypt, Peru, and even Europe. Despite the popularity of pornography, it is not profitable, proper, or permissible. Every lingering stare and intense gaze has consequences. To lust for someone who is not a husband or wife, whether naked or dressed, on the television or on the computer, in secret or in person is a sinful behavior. Improper lust separates an individual from God, and is therefore a very serious and damaging activity (Note: Proper lust is good; to lust for a God given companion is encouraged by The Lord; to stare at and be aroused by a husband or wife is an integral part of a healthy marriage.)
Improper lust has some very grave consequences. ‘At a 2003 meeting of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, two thirds of the 350 divorce lawyers who attended said the Internet played a significant role in the divorces in the past year; with excessive interest in online pornography contributing to more than half such cases.’ Also, ‘nearly 57% of pastors say that addiction to pornography is the most sexually damaging issue to their congregation.’ Despite God’s command to refrain from indulging in pornography, many still seek to justify their disobedience; ‘29% of professing born again Christian adults in the U.S. feel it is morally acceptable to view movies with explicit sexual behavior.’ No amount of rationalization will ever make pornography acceptable. To view erotic materials is to transgress against God Himself. To watch others engage in sex acts is to join in with them. For those who are married it is adultery, and for those who are single it is fornication.
Improper lust and pornography are spiritually, mentally, and morally debilitating. They separate the believer from God; they destroy marriages and rip apart families; they promote promiscuity, lewdness, and idolatry. They cause men and women to objectify one another; they encourage vice and exploitation (especially exploitation of children: “there are currently 20,000 images of child pornography posted on the web each week.”) Pornography is a pathway that leads to increased evil. According to Ted Bundy (one of the most notorious serial murderers in U.S. history) pornography eventually led him to commit multiple acts of rape and murder. Today, we have a choice; do we engage in those things that God has condemned? Or do we disobey our Lord and continue in sin? Trust in Jesus Christ and turn away the lust of the flesh and you will know true fellowship with God [Note: If you are struggling with lust and pornography, and desire to make a change, there are often accountability groups at your local church that can be of great benefit. The quickest way to deal with any sin is to bring it in to the open; sharing your burdens with others can help you to overcome them.]
“Lord Heavenly Father, we seek clean hearts and proper minds. Remove the lust from our hearts. If we struggle with pornography, or any other sexual sin, we ask that You empower us to overcome them, that we may once again know true purity and holiness. Father without You we can do nothing; we ask that our increased wholesomeness be a work of Your hands; that through our victory, You may be glorified. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you.
Jesus Speaks 