For Further Study:
- Another Baptist minister’s approach, Dolph Painter, is found below on pages 10-13 of this document.
- Slide Presentation: Pornography.
- Slide Presentation: Techno Sins.
- Proverb Commentary: Proverbs 5:19.
- Proverb Commentary: Proverbs 6:25.
- Proverb Commentary: Proverbs 7:18.
- Proverb Commentary: Sex Topic.
- Marriage Covenant: Sample Covenant.
- Sermon Outline: Matthew 5:27-32.
- Sermon Outline: Your Husband’s a Fool.
- Sermon Outline: Forgotten Sins.
Other Links (no endorsements intended):
- XXXChurch.
- First Stone.
- Got Questions.
- ERLC of the Southern Baptists.
- Pornography Sin?
- Answers in Genesis.
- Jesus-Is-Savior website.
- BCC.
Sexual Purity
A quick assessment:
- Do you lock onto attractive women when they come near you?
- Do you seek out sexually arousing articles or pictures in magazines?
- Do risqué internets sites or R-rated movies provide you sexual gratification?
- Do you have behaviors you keep from your wife (or parents)?
- Do any of these activities provide an emotional release or a sense of coping?
- If you’ve answered yes to any of the questions above, you are lurking at the door of sexual addiction.
- Every Man’s Battle, co-authored by Stephen Arterburn & Fred Stoeker
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek Him, He will be found of thee; but if thou forsake Him, He will cast thee off for ever. Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it – 1Ch 28:9-10.
This instruction was given by David to Solomon, a father to his adult son:
- Serve God with a perfect heart and a willing mind
- for God searches hearts and imagined thoughts
- Diligently seek God, do not forsake Him
- Be strong, build a God-honoring house
- Follow the pattern I have laid out for thee (v. 11, 19)
David wasn’t specifically addressing sexual purity; but maybe he should have. A N.T. parallel:
- Eph 5:3 – Let fornication, uncleanness, or covetousness not once be named among you
- Matt 5:28 – Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery
- Luke 6:46 – Why call me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
- Josh 24:15 – but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD
- 2Ti 3:16-17 – all scripture is profitable for reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 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 – Jam 1:13-15.
Sexual Purity is keeping the body, the heart, and the mind pure:
- God invented sex. Between husband and wife it is good; but outside of marriage, it’s sin – Heb 13:4
- Young men, marriage is not the cure. Old habits fill voids (travel, pregnancy, illness, cyclical, …).
- Often men who convert to Christianity trade Playboy for Sports Illustrated, physical affairs for mental affairs. They ask, “How far can I go and still be called a Christian?” They say no, but don’t really mean no.
- Their struggles are not with the act, but with thoughts, pictures, or videos; however, action often follows uncontrolled thoughts. Nevertheless, thoughts are sin even if actions do not follow (1Th 4:3-5, 7).
- Nine out of ten boys have been exposed to pornography between the ages of 11 and 14.
- God is grieved by the adulterous heart of men of all ages – Ezek 6:9
- Mark 7:21-23 – For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications …
- Act 15:29 – Abstain from … fornication, if ye keep yourselves from ye do well
- Rom 13:12-13 – Cast off the works of darkness: drunkenness, wantonness, envy
- There is forgiveness in these matters. The AA mentality keeps people guilty for life, God’s does not (2Cor 5:11)
- By all means, we ought to avoid the “holier than thou” attitude like the plague (Is 65:5)
I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? – Rom 7:23-24
The human body can work for us or against us:
- The human body and brain has built in a set of intense emotional, biological, and chemical connections during the sexual process. These connections bind a husband and wife together in very profitable ways.
- Pornography “mimics” or “counterfeits” these built in connections. Its goal is to ignite, excite, and exploit these natural urges. These connections bind viewers to images in very unprofitable ways.
- The human brain releases a tidal wave of neurochemicals during the sexual process. Consider a few:
- Dopamine: narrows focus, ignores negatives, and creates relationship dependencies
- Healthy relationship – creates and builds lasting relationships
- During Porn – ignores or blocks out thoughts of spouse, beliefs, and/or consequences
- Dopamine is highly addictive, more so than cocaine
- And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; – 2Sam 11:2, 4.
- Norpinephrine: causes the smallest details of an experience during its release to be seared into the brain
- Healthy relationship – binds couples together, creates fondness
- During Porn – the details of an airbrushed model are burned into the brain like a branding iron
- Oxytocin – creates an intense bonding, causes milk to be released
- Healthy relationship – man and woman bond like a mother to her new born infant, forever
- During Porn – imagine the same intensity of a mother bonding to her infant as one to a perverted image
- Epinephrine – stimulates the body to elevate blood pressure, dilate bronchioles, & increase heart rate. The same chemical paramedics inject into patients to bring them out of shock.
- The male body secretes this hormone with visual stimulus nine times more easily than does the female
- Secretion may occur with visual stimulus or the recollection of a sexual images
- Epinephrine is also more addictive than cocaine, the body purges cocaine, but it cannot purge an image.
- Serotonin – causes deep calmness, satisfaction, releases stress, and causes the wide perspective to return
- This is “the drug of choice” by many to escape the trials and pressures of life
- Serotonin is the most addictive of the endogenous chemicals
- Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her. Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone. – 2Sa 13:14-15.
- Fractional addiction occurs when there exists a compulsion for the chemical high or the gratification it brings
- Like any addiction, sexual addiction is progressive. The cure is to quit cold turkey, to despise the sin.
- Addictive sex is: devoid of relationship, sex for its own sake, hidden from others, leaves no room to give to others, leaves saints feeling guilty, or used to escape pain or problems.
- Sexual addiction is bondage, a willing spirit but a weak flesh (Matt 26:41).
- Sex addiction is like athlete’s foot & poison ivy. Scratching promises relief, but only intensifies the itching
- Sexual impurity is a series of bad choices, as is holiness a series of good choices (Rom 7:15-22).
- The male body has two seminal vessels (sacs) which fill to capacity after 72 hours
- The male is extra sensitized to sexual stimulus (visual or physical) when these sacs are filled
- Therefore, a trial for a man on day one of a business trip is not nearly the temptation on day three of a trip.
- Repetition and visual form deep ruts in the brain, making certain behaviors automatic.
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 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 – 1Jo 2:15-16.
Sexual Purity can occur only when a man hates his sin, when he is ready to change (Col 3:5-6)
- Imagine all sexual gratification (physical, visual, and mental) coming from our wives.
- When we get our eyes under control (bill boards, joggers, internet, immodest clothing) will we be pure
- When we fight the highs and gratification received through our eyes can we begin to be pure
- Good news: as eye stimulus is reduced both chemical dependence and natural physical pressures lessen
- Christian men, we must recognize and fight Satan’s lies:
- We are not helpless victims, and being addicted to sex is not part of being a man (Rom 13:12-13)
- When we say, “I have no right to look at that.” we give Satan no opportunity.
- But as soon as we ask, “Should I look?” We begin a conversation and are subject to Satan’s lies.
- Most folks are under the delusion porn affects others, and they are exempt
- Sexuality in our society is so subtle and pervasive, often we don’t recognize it or have become immune to it
- Internet pornography is becoming the primary sex educator of adolescents.
- Their scripts define beauty standards, expectations, and the role of women
- These scripts often include aggression (physical & verbal), perversions, and sex outside of marriage
- Adult attitudes and expectations also change with extended viewing (violence, intimacy, roles …)
- We must be like Eleazor who stood his ground even when all those around him retreated (2Sa 23:9-10)
- Porn-ography and Python are derived from the same root word, to slowly squeeze the life out of a thing
- Whether naïve or rebellious, God’s word is the cure – we cannot mix our standards with God’s standards.
- For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he (Pr 23:7); we can flood our hearts with God’s word or garbage.
I made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? (Job 31:1)
Lust – any look that creates a chemical high, it happens quicker than you think
- Bounce eyes away from sexual sights, pretty women, or pictures (2Co 5:10).
- Focus eyes only on our wife (Pr 5:15, 18-19). Illustrative Question: Where are my sexual bowls filled?
- Josiah wept over sin as God’s word humbled him (2Ch 34:27)
- Excellence is a mixed standard, when we measure ourselves against our peers
- Obedience is a fixed standard, when we have no tolerance for sin we move closer to God.
- Gird up the loins of our mind (1Pe 1:13); starve the mind of memories and lust objects
- Do not lurk at thy neighbor’s door (Job 31:9-11); friends’ wives, co-workers, receptionists, tellers
- Step away from the entrapping whore (Pr 7:21-23) and the woman in heat (Jer 2:24).
- Keep our marriage vow of abandoning all others, including models and actresses we do not know
- Minimize female interaction, be nerdy, matter of fact, and do not place added stipulations on our wives
Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity – 1Co 16:13-14.
Real men hear God’s word and do it.
- We do not count on God to take away our desire. We take actions to remove those desires (1Co 6:13, 18)
- We do not count on God to carry us, but we count on Him to walk with us.
- We admit that our culture has manipulated us and we set out to destroy its negative influences (Jude 7).
- We do not offer parts of our life to God, we offer all of it (Rom 6:11-14).
- We rid ourselves of all leaven, knowing a little leaven causes dough to rise (Israel rarely put away all impurities)
- We concede we cannot win until we hate the sin and purge all of it.
- We realize Christ made us free from sexual impurity, but He did not free us from the habit of sexual impurity.
- We do not concern ourselves with people in the world. A brother is my concern, but not the world (1Co 5:9-13).
- We understand accountability to others is needful, and encouragement to and from others is profitable
- We reject the victim mentality and continually look for the escape God has provided (1Co 10:13).
- We cherish women (the joy of our life), we do not consume them (2Sa 12:1-4)
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well – Jam 2:8
Pornography rewires a person’s brain so that fulfilling the royal law becomes nearly impossible
- The addict becomes a taker, not a giver; he/she becomes self absorbed, self-centered
- The addict communicates less and less; intolerance for others, their thoughts and questions
- The addict becomes less satisfied with monogamous relationships, seeks variety and novelty
- The addict becomes less social; isolating him/herself more and more
- The addict becomes abusive to self and others; physically and verbally
- The addict becomes reclusive; embarrassed by guilt and shame he/she avoids others
- The addict’s sexual appetite grows in frequency and intensity (searches out harder core)
- The addict begins to feel a sense of entitlement; sexual fulfillment is a right no matter how achieved
- The addict becomes less sensitive to the law; rape, pedophile, incest, …
- The addict is unable to place another above self (1Jo 4:10-11)
And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him – Gen 18:17-19.
Heads of Households:
- 1. First, we must recognize in ourselves and our sons: males have rebellious natures; we often find the straight & narrow boring; our sex drives are strong & regular; and that we receive sexual gratification through our eyes
- 2. Second, like the prodigal son, we must get up out of the mire and head home. The father loved his son unconditionally, but he did not unconditionally love his son’s behavior (Luke 15:18).
- 3. Third, we must drive our stake deep into the ground. From this day forward we desire to change the destiny of our families. We accept full responsibility.
- 4. Fourth, we must cherish our wives for who she is today. Her sexuality is a valuable possession and she gave it to us. Even if we don’t feel like cherishing her, we do it anyways. We act right & trust correct feelings will follow.
- 5. Fifth, by starving our eyes, we will find our wives and only our wives captivating. We desire to regain our relationship with: God, our wives, our children, and the body of Christ.
- 6. Sixth, in saving my sons from this battle – the energy they would use to fight sexual impurity shall be used for the glory of God, channeling that energy to His service.
- 7. Seventh, great marriages are rare; but they ought not to be. Our marriages ought to make our wives better persons than they were being single.
- 8. Finally, a pure man’s prayers pack a spiritual punch. As intercessors to God for our families, our prayers and communion with God will be much more effective and the impact will cascade down our family trees.
A list of verses to add to those in the outline above which may strengthen a saint during this battle:
Ps 119:37; Prov 4:25, 6:25-27; Matt 5:29-30; 1Co 6:18-20; Eph 5:3; Col 3:5; Php 4:8, 13