Pornography industry is big business.One major pornographic internet site alone draws 80 million visitors a day which sales around a billion dollars a year. That is about 30% of the American population including children of all ages.
Now, I don’t want us all to miss the point as I’m sharing here. This is not about the stats detail information about pornographic industry, nor is it about the psychological damages pornography does, nor is it about how people’s opinion about pornography.
There are times and place to discuss about those issues, but it is about how to fight against one of the deadly sin of sexual immorality and lust. The reason being it’s not about the stats as I have never quite yet met a person experience profound change because they read or heard about how much money was made through the pornographic industry.
Too often, somehow churches are good at preaching theology but doesn’t reach to their methodology. Jesus’power is extremely practical, and I believe how we deal with sin can be very practical as well.
I used to look at pornography almost every day for decades. But by the grace of God, I’m finally set free!
Being a father myself of two children, I want to fight for this well and teach them well how to think biblically about these issues.
However, I realize that that is not always the case as I meet people.
1. De-normalization of Pornography
We need to first recognize that we are living in a culture saturated with pyrography; it is a Pornographic culture. As a result, we are desensitized to pornography. “Well, everyone else in my youth group is watching it. It’s a lost cause. Why even care for it?” Young men and woman are not bothered by pornography anymore.
One day, we are certain there will be a reckoning for the explosion of pornography for its normalization or pornography in our culture.
Pornography is evil. It is wrong, it is deadly, it distorts human sexuality, it is an assault upon human dignity. The moral consequences not just the secular world but even in American Evangelicals is devastating. Whether or not we are willing to overlook something like these repeated challenges, and is a scandal.
2. Cut Off the Supply
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 says this,
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” –(1 Cor. 6:9-11).
Too many people look at pornography with guilt of condemnation. But praise God, Paul doesn’t simply end with condemnation but hope.
“So, flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” (2 Tim. 2:22).
Cut off the source. Flee from the sin. As Martin Luther said it well, “Temptations, of course, cannot be avoided, but because we cannot prevent the birds from flying over your heads, there is no need that we should let them nest in our hair.”
“But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.” (Eph. 5:3).
3. United in Christ as the Source of Warfare
The ultimate need of the Christian fighting pornography is not new or better tips, tricks, or tools — it is Christ.Jesus is our source of help and comfort in time of need (Heb. 4:16).
This union is intimately and intensely personal, and profoundly real, (John 6:53-58; Ephesians 5:29-32; 1 Corinthians 6:15-17) This union is spiritual as it brought about by the Spirit, who is the bond that unites us to Christ. (Romans 8:9-11; John 14:16-20; 1 John 4:13.) [1]
Therefore, as believers;
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i). We are in Christ
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ii). Christ is in us.
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iii). We are like Christ.
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iiii). We are with Christ.
Apart from Him there will be no lasting change as it is the work of the Spirit of God. The power of faith does not reside in itself, but in its object, namely, in Jesus Christ. Matin Luther said, “Christ the bridegroom, in The Freedom of a Christian.” Now, if by faith we come into this union with Christ, then it is on the basis of this union that we come to enjoy all Christ’s blessings.
As Heath Lambert said it well, “The tide will begin to turn in your struggle against pornography when you begin to grasp forgiving grace and transforming grace, as you learn to repent.” [2]
It’s Not Too Late. There is Great Hope in Christ.
Pornography is a plague that has destroyed countless lives and can also destroy you and your family.
The good news is, Jesus is greater than your addiction to pornography. Jesus’ grace to change you is stronger than pornography’s power to destroy you. Jesus’ grace is stronger than your own desires to watch sex.
However, until God is your chief concern…. until sinning against him is what makes your heart break, you will never turn the corner.
There is hope in the blessed Hope Jesus Christ (and is not too late for you to fight against this sin.
Fathers, you and I are leaving a legacy. We are raging war against this deadly sin. As you war against the sin of the flesh, as you battle against lust of the eyes, as you lead your family with your boys in this fight, there is great hope.
Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Leicester, England : Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 1994.
Lambert, Heath, and Joshua Harris. Finally Free: Fighting for Purity with the Power of Grace. 7/13/13 edition. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013.
Amen!