Day 13 | Standing Against Pornography
Matthew 5:27-28, “27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Pornography is the explicit portal of sexual subject matter for the purpose of sexual arousal. Over 42% of Internet users view porn and the average age of initial pornography exposure is just eleven years old. About 64% of young adult men and 18% of women use porn at least once every week. Another 17% of men and another 30% of women use porn 1-2x per month. For a staggering combined total of 81% of all men and 48% of women regularly view porn every month.
Some may think that porn has no real effects upon society other than personal gratification. However, one-in-thirteen U.S. teenage girls reported participating in group-sex as a result of watching excessive pornography and their average age was around 15 years old. Also, due to the sexualization of our teens cities like Philadelphia have lowered the age for condom distribution to eleven years old (fifth grade). God help us!
Other negative effects of porn are: (1) The degrading of the those who make it; (2) The addictive nature of it for those who enjoy it; (3) People who view porn are more likely to become desensitized to real relationships like marriage and become more likely to have affairs; and lastly, (4) Porn is sin in God eyes and can lead to someone being cast into the lake of fire.
We need to stand against porn in the following ways: (1) Remove all porn from your home, computer, and life (including explicit video games and movies/TV shows); (2) Stay accountable in your sexuality to a trusted friend of the same gender to live a personally victorious life over porn and lust; and lastly, (3) Teach others that porn is sinful and help porn users cut it out of their lives, Matthew 5:29-30.
Reflection
Do you live a “porn free” life?
Action
- Explain from the Bible why pornography is sinful.
- Pray that God will use you to reach out to those who either make porn or enjoy it.
- For more information regarding standing against pornography read the following books, “Pure Eyes,” by Craig Gross and “Every Man’s (or Woman’s) Battle,” by Stephen Arterburn/Shannon Ethridge. Also, consider visiting www.xxxchurch.com for more resources including accountability computer software.