I’m terrified when I hear about someone who’s succumbed to sexual immorality.
That’s because I know that I’m every bit as vulnerable to illicit sexual temptation as any man who ever lived. And while the formula for victory over the forces of temptation isn’t rocket science, I’ve come to realize that Biblical truthand common sense are distant cousins.
For example, the apostle Paul was encouraging the disciples in Corinth to employ some degree of instinctive resourcefulness when they found themselves in a tempting situation:
“Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body” [1 Cor. 6:18-20] [my emphasis]
This passage is an appeal to self-preservation.
But, unlike Biblical truth, common sense is sometimes willing to sanction any carnal dalliance a man can formulate in his mind. Adulterous behavior is bound to have devastating consequences on a marriage, but looking at pornography once in awhile never hurt anybody, did it?
That depends on who you ask.
Even the man who claims to belong to Christ can be very calculating in that process. He might need to be sure the answer will allow him to conceal his penchant to dabble in the activities he otherwise publicly denounces. So it’s very likely he’ll find the response he’s looking for with no difficulty.
Unfortunately, the consequences for engaging in acts of impurity are not limited to the age to come. Reliable clinical studies claim that the adverse effects of viewing pornography are similar to those of substance abuse. Both trigger a surge of dopamine in the brain, a stimulus needed in incrementally higher “doses” during each subsequent viewing. And this is only one of the several cerebral chemicals altered in the process.
But this evidence is only ancillary to what’s obvious.
We’re all witnesses to an epidemic of dispassionate, detached relationships many men experience with their wives and families today because of their involvement with some form of artificial, dehumanizing sexual gratification. It’s heartbreaking, because I’m convinced that the talons of depravity bear no prejudice, nor do they relinquish their prey without a desperate struggle.
While every created man is equipped with a high-performance, sight-activated sex trigger, ready to pull at a moment’s notice, his tendency to leave the safety on is an acquired skill. It’s a learned exercise, developed and refined by painful experience and spiritual maturity.
I’m furthermore pursuaded that the faithful disciple of Jesus Christ is an overcomer in every respect. He’s persistent and he’s faithful. He’s bold as well as compassionate. He always seeks to edify the Body rather than tear it down.
He’s content to indulge in some of the simple pleasures of this age, but he’s determined to never nibble at even the fringes of licentious behavior.
Because it bites back.
“There is a kind who is pure in his own eyes, yet is not washed from his filthiness.” [Pro.30:10-12]
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Last Updated: December 14, 2024 by cjournalme
Common Sense and the Slipperiest of Slopes
I’m terrified when I hear about someone who’s succumbed to sexual immorality.
That’s because I know that I’m every bit as vulnerable to illicit sexual temptation as any man who ever lived. And while the formula for victory over the forces of temptation isn’t rocket science, I’ve come to realize that Biblical truth and common sense are distant cousins.
For example, the apostle Paul was encouraging the disciples in Corinth to employ some degree of instinctive resourcefulness when they found themselves in a tempting situation:
“Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body” [1 Cor. 6:18-20] [my emphasis]
This passage is an appeal to self-preservation.
But, unlike Biblical truth, common sense is sometimes willing to sanction any carnal dalliance a man can formulate in his mind. Adulterous behavior is bound to have devastating consequences on a marriage, but looking at pornography once in awhile never hurt anybody, did it?
That depends on who you ask.
Even the man who claims to belong to Christ can be very calculating in that process. He might need to be sure the answer will allow him to conceal his penchant to dabble in the activities he otherwise publicly denounces. So it’s very likely he’ll find the response he’s looking for with no difficulty.
Unfortunately, the consequences for engaging in acts of impurity are not limited to the age to come. Reliable clinical studies claim that the adverse effects of viewing pornography are similar to those of substance abuse. Both trigger a surge of dopamine in the brain, a stimulus needed in incrementally higher “doses” during each subsequent viewing. And this is only one of the several cerebral chemicals altered in the process.
But this evidence is only ancillary to what’s obvious.
We’re all witnesses to an epidemic of dispassionate, detached relationships many men experience with their wives and families today because of their involvement with some form of artificial, dehumanizing sexual gratification. It’s heartbreaking, because I’m convinced that the talons of depravity bear no prejudice, nor do they relinquish their prey without a desperate struggle.
[How far can it go?: Living With the Enemy]
While every created man is equipped with a high-performance, sight-activated sex trigger, ready to pull at a moment’s notice, his tendency to leave the safety on is an acquired skill. It’s a learned exercise, developed and refined by painful experience and spiritual maturity.
I’m furthermore pursuaded that the faithful disciple of Jesus Christ is an overcomer in every respect. He’s persistent and he’s faithful. He’s bold as well as compassionate. He always seeks to edify the Body rather than tear it down.
He’s content to indulge in some of the simple pleasures of this age, but he’s determined to never nibble at even the fringes of licentious behavior.
Because it bites back.
“There is a kind who is pure in his own eyes, yet is not washed from his filthiness.” [Pro.30:10-12]
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