Right Or Wrong: Whose Call?
[ ] #1148
RIGHT OR WRONG: WHOSE CALL?
James 1:13-15; Galatians 5:16
INTRODUCTION:Is pornography a moral problem? Is looking at porn a sin?The promoters of pornography say there is nothing wrong with it. We find the answer in God's Word. God has established His moral standard for right and wrong, and He expects us to follow it. Avoiding sinful lust is one of His moral commands.
In April's edition of "Time" magazine, they had an article entitle "Porn." In this article they interviewed young men who grew up on internet porn who now are advocates for turning it off. The addiction to porn had damaged their sex life. This first generation of young men who grew up with unlimited online porn is suffering the result. They are now sounding the alarm.
I. PLAGUE IN SOCIETY
A. EXPLOSION OF PORNOGRAPHY
The 1960's era brought in the free love and sex mentality. During this time of rebellion, pornography exploded across America. Pornography shops are now available everywhere. Porn has become common in our society. There are video stores and bookstores that are full of porn. Pornography can be found in libraries, on the Internet and cable television. Regular programs on TV channels are showing more flesh and perversion. You can see pornography on many programs and even in the commercials on regular TV.Porn is a $97 billion dollar global industry. It is estimated that over 40% of children ages 10 to 17 have been exposed to porn online.
B. EFFECTS OF PORNOGRAPHY.
The effect of pornography is like a cancer that eats at the moral fiber of society. Our culture has been deceived in believing that porn is a harmless source of sexual enjoyment. Pornography perverts the beauty of marriage and the dignity God intended for women. The use of porn increases divorce, rapes, and spouse abuse. Children are becoming victims of sick minds. Children are used and abused by wicked men for their own pleasure. Every day we hear of more arrests of porn sellers and users of child pornography. Porn feeds the depraved nature of man. It is not only men looking at pornography today. More women are becoming users of porn. It has become an addictionfor many just like an alcoholic to his liquor.
Pornography lowers moral values in individuals and society. Pre-marital sex, adultery, and other sexual perversions are accepted as normal. Shacking up and hooking up are common practices today. We hear of young girls becoming sex slaves and who are treated as trash.
Fatal Addiction: Ted Bundy's Final Interview: "Ted Bundy, an infamous serial killer, granted an interview to psychologist James Dobson just before he was executed on January 24, 1989. In that interview, he described the agony of his addiction to pornography. Bundy goes back to his roots, explaining the development of his compulsive behavior. He reveals his addiction to hard-core pornography and how it fueled the terrible crimes he committed.”
“When Ted Bundy was thirteen years old, he discovered ‘dirty magazines’ in a dump near his home. He was instantly captivated by them. In time, Bundy became more and more addicted to violent images in magazines and videos. He got his kicks from seeing women being tortured and murdered. When he tired of that, there was only one place his addiction could go - from fantasy to reality.”
A leading law official said, “Not everyone who reads pornography is a sexual deviant, but all sex deviants read it.”
ILLUSTRATION
II. PERSPECTIVE FROM THE SCRIPTURES
The Bible spells out clearly what is right and wrong on many subjects.There are other subjects that are understood only by the principles taught in God's Word. The Bible does not address porn as we know it today. The Bible does give us principals on sex and behavior so we can determine that pornography is wrong.
A.MORAL ASSESSMENT OF PORNOGRAPHY.
In determining if pornography is morally wrong, we should ask ourselves these questions.
1) Would Jesus look at pornography?
2) Does looking at pornography make a person more Christ like?
3) Does the use of pornography give a positive witness to the lost?
4) Should pornography be allowed in schools and churches?
Any person who has the Holy Spirit dwelling within him would answer no to these questions. Sin is so destructive that Jesus said, "And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell." (Matthew 5:29 KJV)
B.MORAL AUTHORITY ON PORNOGRAPHY.
As C. S. Lewis correctly observed, "A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line."God is the moral authority for what is right and wrong. His Word has the authority to speak to our moral issues including pornography. Consider these truths:
(1) It is God's will for His people to be separate from the world. "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication." (1 Thessalonians 4:3 KJV) Pornography feeds fleshly desires and promotes immorality.
(2) God's Word teaches us to flee temptation. "Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness." (2 Timothy 2:22 KJV)
"Flee" means to seek for safety, to be saved by flight. The word "lust" means desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden.Pornography feeds the lust of the flesh. Sexual desire is one of the strongest of human desires. Porn fuels the natural desires of the young and old alike.
The words of James 1:15 are clear in regard to sin. "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." (James 1:14-15 KJV)
3) God has established the boundaries for sex. Marriage was instituted by God to be between one man and one woman. (Genesis 2:23-24) The Bible states: "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." (Hebrews 13:4 KJV)
Jesus said, "whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matthew 5:28 KJV) Pornography is wrong because it causes a man to lust for and desire that which is forbidden.
God uses His Word to growHis children to be spiritually mature. We grow by feeding on the milk and meat of His Word. Jesus said, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4 KJV)
God's will is for us to be conformed into the image of Christ. (Romans 8:29) The desire and goal of every Christian should be to grow spiritually mature. Anything that hinders a person's spiritual growth must be discarded. In Hebrews 2:1, it is written that we must "lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us." Porn is a weight that will cause us to stumble in our spiritual walk.
We read in 1 John 2:16, "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1 John 2:16-17 KJV) Pornography is of the world and not of the Heavenly Father.
III. PURITY OF THE SAVED
A. MAINTAINING PURITY.
1. Protect the mind.
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:2 KJV) In order to maintain purity, we have to protect the mind. Paul wrote that we are to renew our minds. Those who have a steady diet of the Word of God and are filled with the Holy Spirit can have transformed minds. Feasting on the things of this world will cause you to be conformed to this world and its evil. The greatest battle ground between good and evil is in our minds.Pornography is like polluted water from a septic tank seeping into our minds. We have to protect our minds to maintain purity.
2. Protect the eyes.
It has been said that the "eyes are the windows of the soul." What we see has a profound effect upon our actions and our attitudes. Jesus said, "The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness." (Luke 11:34 KJV) If a person looks at pornography, it can become a controlling factor in his or her life. Job understood the danger of looking upon women. He said, "I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?" (Job 31:1 KJV) Looking at porn fuels the lust of the heart to desire good things in an evil way.
3. Protect the heart.
When the Bible refers to the heart, it is not speaking of the muscle in our chest. The word “heart” is used in the Bible to speak to the very core of our being. In order for us to protect our hearts, we need to know how dangerous sin is. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." (Jeremiah 17:9 KJV) The Bible warns us: "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." (Proverbs 4:23 KJV)
The apostle Paul said: "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." (Romans 13:14 KJV) Looking at porn is a way of providing for the lust of the flesh. We are responsible to guard our hearts against lust.
B. MASTERING ADDICTION.
In order to master addiction to porn, a person must confess it as sin and commit himself to Jesus Christ. If you are addicted to porn, you will need God's grace to cleanse you and free your mind from its grip. You need the help of a strong Christian friend who will hold you accountable.
Porn addiction is like a person addicted to his drugs. Sin is like a vice that will squeeze the life out of you. The longer a person indulges in pornography the harder it is to get free.
CONCLUSION:
Pornography is a social sin that's destroying the moral fiber of our nation. Christians must stand against this evil cancer. If you believe porn is wrong, stand firm on your conviction. If you are a Christian engaged in porn, you need to repent and seek God's forgiveness. If you are not a Christian, turn to Christ and trust Him as your Savior today.