The Bible and Pornography
Today, pornography is more popular and accessible than ever before. While the Bible does not mention pornography specifically, the use of pornography is in direct opposition to what the Bible teaches. Jesus said, “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).
The Lord is here referring to the tenth commandment (Exodus 20:17) when He warned against looking “at a woman to lust for her.” Thus, the person who orders his affections and his will in harmony with the tenth commandment is thereby protected against violating the seventh commandment – adultery- (Exodus 20:14).
The three main categories of sin are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). Pornography makes a person lust after flesh, and it involves also the lust of the eyes. To lust after people in the mind is the core act of pornography. As a man “thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7).
Christ points out that character is determined not so much by the outward act but by the inward attitude that motivates the act. Sin is first and above all else an act of the higher powers of the mind—the reason, the power of choice, the will (Proverbs 7:19). The outward act is merely an extension of the inward decision.
Pornography leads a person into hard-core sexual addictions and ungodly desires. When people are addicted they are slaves to their addictions. “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage” (2 Peter 2:19). The claim that pornography doesn’t not hurt anyone is little more than an attempt to “call evil good, and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20). Believers are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) and defiling that temple of God is a sin against God (1 Corinthians 3:17).
Paul listed some of the works of the flesh that God condemns as sinful: “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness…drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand…that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21). Pornography falls into the categories of fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, and revelries, which would exclude all those that get involved in it from the kingdom of God.
Therefore, Paul admonished the believers saying, “I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness” (Romans 6:19 also Galatians 5:16-17). And he added that true holiness can only be achieved when a person chooses to crucify “the flesh with its passions and desires” and foster the fruits of the Spirit, which are “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-24).
The Lord invites His children to think of “whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).
And for towards that end, God promises to supply all the grace and power necessary to overcome the sin of pornography by transforming the mind (Romans 12:2). For those that choose to overcome the sin of pornography, they should set out to saturate the minds with the word of God (John 6:51), pray constantly (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18), and don’t expose the hearts to evil. The Psalmist said, “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes” (Psalm 101:3).
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In His service,
BibleAsk Team
