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What Does the Bible Say About.....Pornography?
By Betty Miller
Song of Solomon 2:15 says, "Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that
spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes." Foxes sometime in search of
food would enter into the grape orchards and devour the grapes and spoil the crop.
However, the little foxes were too small to reach the grape bunches so they would chew on
the vines and it would kill the whole vine. Instead of the farmer just losing his crop, he
would lose his vine which was more disastrous. Spiritually some things we do or allow that
we might think are little or insignificant can also be disastrous for us.
One of the most devastating problems that has ensnared many
good people is the sin of pornography. Many of these same people will testify that they
were ensnared with just a "peek." This one "little fox" led to their
downfall. Many, out of curiosity, just went to a site to see what was there. This is one
of the devil's tricks to get people ensnared. Satan, is the power behind this attraction
to forbidden sexual images. People that are trapped today can tell you there is an evil
"drawing" that compels them to return again and again. Many are desiring to be
free, but seem hopelessly gripped by this evil desire. We want to share the good news --
there is a way out through Jesus Christ.
In the U.S.A., as well as many other nations of the world,
our societies have become the most sexually saturated societies in human history. Sodom
and Gomorrah might be the only exceptions. America's pornography industry is not only
pervasive, but powerful as well. It generates more than $12 billion in revenue annually.
In 1997, more than 665 million pornographic videos were sold. On the Internet, there are
more than 72,000 pornographic sites. Sexually explicit "900 number" phone calls
are a $2.4 billion-a-year industry. ¹
From the Internet to video stores to magazines and
"900 numbers," pornography can be easily accessed nearly anywhere in America.
This involvement is not limited to world at large, as surveys reveal the Christian
community is highly involved in this evil snare of perversion too. How did this happen?
What can be done to help people get free from this bondage? What does the Bible offer as
hope to those ensnared in sin?
God has called the church to be the answer to the problems
facing those addicted to pornography. God hates this sin, but He loves the sinner and
wants to set them free. Many marriages are being destroyed by this evil, as after the
addiction of pornography has set in, then the normal marital relationship with their
spouses is no longer satisfying. Many husbands then want their wives to partake in bizarre
sexual behavior with them or use sexual toys as stimulants. Some couples even watch erotic
videos together to arouse each other before they engage in sex. These abnormal approaches
to what God intended to be a wonderful relationship, defiles them. Instead of finding
satisfaction... guilt, shame, and dissatisfaction set in. True love and intimate sharing
is replaced with raw lust. What God meant to be the most beautiful experience between two
people becomes a hellish depravity. God can, and will restore this relationship if they
will call on Him. There is absolutely nothing that is outside of God's ability to forgive,
deliver, heal and restore.
How Did This Happen?
How did our world arrive at a time in history that has so
much emphasis on sexual perversions? This did not happen overnight. When the church failed
to maintain a holy standard and example to the world, the world's evil influence gained
momentum and now has saturated our society. Little by little, the church lowered her
standards. Instead of the church influencing the world, the opposite happened, the world
influenced the church. The church began to watch movies that each year became a little
more dirty, a little more violent, a little more immoral, a little more deviant, a little
more crazy and a little more erotic. Now today, there are unspeakable things on film that
come directly from hell. They were inspired by the devil himself. These "little
foxes" are now raging wolves. Sin and evil are progressive. Several layers of gray
have now become black.
An example of how this happened in the area of women's
dress, would be to observe the progression of women's styles. Women's hem lines have gone
up while the necklines have gone down. It didn't start by going from ankle length to above
the knees overnight. It took years for the ladies in the church to gradually adopt this
revealing attire that others were wearing. Most Christian women on stage look no different
than those in Hollywood. I am not saying that we should wear our hair in buns with no
make-up. However we don't have to look like the women of the world. We can be stylish and
attractive without being immodest and lustful in our dress. Today young girls come to
prayer meetings in shorts and crop tops and never think any thing about it. Before you
call me prudish ( I will admit I am old fashioned, yet in my school days we didn't
experience the sexual violence that is happening today), let me share where I am going
with this.
My husband and I, while pastoring the church, prayed with
many young and not-so-young men, who were deeply disturbed as they were having problems
keeping their minds on the Lord. The distraction ---- pretty young girls who would attend
services in shorts, ultra tight jeans, short skirts, or low cut dresses. The men did not
want these lustful feelings and were sincerely fighting to keep their thoughts pure. Most
of the young girls were totally oblivious to the fact that they could be contributing to a
man's temptation toward lust. I remember an incident when several people were gathered
around a man to pray for him for healing. One of the young girls who wore a sleeveless and
low cut top kneeled down at his feet while others stood in a circle around him to pray. I
happened to be standing over her and looking down as we started to bow our heads and pray
I could see her breasts above her low cut bra. The thought came to me how these young men
must struggle to pray when they could see the same view as I saw.
What Can Women Do To Help Men Get Free From This
Bondage?
Most of the indulgence in porno is done by men, although
some women come under its power too. However, since this affects everyone in the family,
it is a family problem. It must be addressed as a family issue. One of the things that I
believe women are doing today, that is adding to this problem, is the way in which they
dress. The goal of many young girls today is not dressing to be well groomed and
attractive, but rather to be sexy. Sex crimes and rapes have soared in numbers and women's
dress habits have contributed to this problem. I believe because we have not taught our
daughters to dress modestly it has contributed to these crimes. We must teach our sons and
daughters morality and return to Bible standards if we are to see this problem reversed.
Men no longer have to go to houses of prostitution to see
women's unclad bodies. They can go to any beach or public swimming pool in the world or
just watch the ads on T.V. It is really a disgrace to the church when our young daughters
are allowed to wear bikini swimsuits and many of the mothers wear them too. I am not
excusing men and their porno habits but we women must also change if we expect the men to
get free from their sin. The Bible speaks about how women should be attired:
Proverbs 11:22, "As a jewel of gold in a
swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion."
1 Peter 3:1-5, "Likewise, ye wives, be in
subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the
word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation
coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the
hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of
the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit,
which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the
holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their
own husbands."
How To Be Free From Pornography
(1.) You need to first of all repent of your sin and ask Jesus to come
into your heart and cleanse you and deliver you from this evil. No sin is
too black or wicked that the blood of Jesus cannot cleanse you from it. The Bible says in:
1 John 1:9-10, 2:1-2: "If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is
not in us. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any
man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the
propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins: and not for ours only,
but also for the sins of the whole world."
(2.) Because pornography is a spiritual problem you will
need spiritual help in getting free from it. By partaking of this evil you have opened
yourself up to demonic control. You may need someone who has the gift of the Holy Spirit
to pray deliverance over you. You should seek out a Bible believing church that believes
in deliverance and knows how to deal with demons. The Lord will lead you in this matter if
you ask Him. Do not allow pride to prevent you from getting help and getting free if you
need it.
James 4:7-8, "Submit yourselves therefore to
God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh
to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded."
(3.) As you commit your life to Christ and obey Him you can get
the victory because you are not fighting this battle alone, but you have access to the
power of Christ and what He did for you.
Romans 6:12-18:
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body,
that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield
yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as
instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under
grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to
whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart
that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
(4.) Today men and women must war in this culture to maintain their sexual purity.
This battle is a battle in the mind. You must cast down imaginations that do not agree
with the Bible and quote the Word of God over your body and mind.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do
not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every
high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity
every thought to the obedience of Christ."
(5.) You must stay away from the area of temptation and destroy all
videos, games, magazines, etc. that are pornographic. If you must use the computer in your
work environment, you should employ a filter service for your ISP or software that filters
out those evil invitations so they do not enter your e-mail and cannot be accessed by your
browser.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20: "Flee fornication. Every sin that a
man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own
body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you,
which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore
glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
(6.) Should you stumble or fall, do not stay down. Just
ask the Lord to forgive you and start again in your walk with Him. Ask Him to empower you
to overcome. You cannot do it in your strength. Just remember that in Him you can do all
things.
Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me."
(7.) If you need prayer we will stand with you for your victory. You can
write us through the prayer room. You need not give your name. The Lord will know who you
are. Remember, the Lord loves you and so do we. Blessings! E-mail us through the PRAYER ROOM.
(8.) If your life or marriage has been devastated by sexual
addiction we highly recommend a book that has been helpful to many called An Affair of
the Mind by Laurie Hall. This amazing book is published by Focus On The Family
and written from the first-hand perspective of a wife whose husband was addicted to
pornography for over 20 years. This powerful book delves deep into many facets of sexual
addiction. The principles in this book, if applied, can save many marriages and restore
even those who are most bound to sexual addiction. You can purchase it from our Chapel Bookstore.
In summation, many are snared by just a "peek" or just a little
curiosity in regard to pornography. Don't allow any little things that could lead to a
pornography addiction. Calendars or pictures of naked women, Playboy magazines or movies
with erotic sexual scenes are just a few of the things that can open the door for a
greater entanglement into the pornography trap.
End Notes:
¹Chris Mitchell, CBN News Reporter. Fact File Resource, Air Date:
November 10, 1998
 An
Affair of the Mind by Laurie Hall
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If you are struggling with this problem we have an excellent book in our On-line
Chapel Bookstore that could be of help to you. Published by Focus On The Family and
written from the first-hand perspective of a wife whose husband was addicted to
pornography for over 20 years, this powerful book delves deep into many facets of sexual
addiction. The principles in this book, if applied, can save any marriage and restore even
those who are most bound to sexual addiction. The author shares candidly of her struggles
as she sought the Lord for the salvation of her marriage and restoration of her husband.
The things she learned from the Holy Spirit along the way will minister to every person
who reads the book. It will help both husbands and wives.
Click
here for a full description of the book and how to order. |
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You can also find help at the following sites so you can get free from
pornography and find healing if you are sexually and relationally broken:
Love Lines:
http://www.lovelines.org Help in getting free from sexual addictions.
Pure Intimacy:
http://www.pureintimacy.org/
Mastering Life Ministries:
http://www.gospelcom.net/mlm/
Desert
Streams: http://www.desertstream.org
This is a California-based Christian organization which offers
programs for people seeking sexual and relational wholeness and healing.
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