I am writing this recovery testimony from the vantage point of a believer who knows that Jesus will give victory over this “particular problem” and that the battle has already been won, although I presently struggle daily with the issue. What issue is that you may ask? It is the issue of watching pornography. I grew up in society like every other young male and somehow it was implied, at least it seemed from what I could see, that interacting with pornography is a healthy and normal activity that every body engages in. I can now look back at some of the consequences of dealing with pornography and say that nothing can be further from the truth. Not to say that watching pornography is not a common thing in our society, there are many people who enjoy it and are unaware of the second and third order effects that result from watching it. With the information technology age upon us, pornography has become very access able to society via the internet. It use to be the case that VHS tapes and DVDs dominated the pornography market as the main delivery method, but the Internet is fast taking over that distinction. I at one point in time had a substantial collection of files stored on a hard drive of one of my computers, and probably still do if I am totally honest. With the advent of the Internet and the advancement in technology you can now stream media (to include pornography) directly from servers, meaning you do not have to spend time downloading a file before you can watch it. So what is so wrong with pornography you may ask?
First I will tell you some of the ways I believe pornography has affected my life negatively and then I will direct you to what the bible has to say about it and related issues. Without going into all of the details, I sadly have to admit that I know of at least one person, who is very close to me, who has participated in an extra-marital affair, a politically correct way of referring to what the Bible defines as the act of adultery. Secondly pornography shapes the mentality of it’s audience and reduces the individuals that are interacting with or participating in it to objects of pleasure and fantasy, when in reality human beings are created in the image of God and have much more to offer and be appreciated for. After years of watching pornography I can say that I would become very angry if my wife did not meet my needs sexually. I know that there are few things on the face of this planet that can drive a man crazy like not having his sexual desires met by his spouse, however I will admit that there should be a fine balance struck in a relationship. The wife should submit herself to the husband and the husband should love and respect the wife as Christ loved the church. Sexual relations within the proper constraints of marriage and what has been communicated above is the ideal situation, but what pornography does ever so subtly is to condition the mind to think that I can have my needs satisfied whenever I want without regard for the way another person is feeling. In other words, people do not watch pornography to learn how to better please their spouse in bed, (an altruistic motive indeed), and that is not to say that there aren’t any techniques that can be acquired by watching porn, but I would argue that most people watch pornography out of a selfish motivation to please themselves, (me, me, me), and that the disadvantages far outweigh the insatiable and temporary satisfaction that one may experience from watching it. Since I am a Christian I know that the act of watching pornography is not something that glorifies God and that it is displeasing to God, so whenever I watch it I feel a tremendous amount of guilt that results in me feeling distant from God. During the periods in my life that God has kept me from this particular sin I have felt an increased level of fellowship.
The Bible was written during a time when pornography was not in existence but there are verses that address issues that are related to pornography:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; 28 but I say to you, that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.”
“Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.”
“Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. ”
Although I still struggle with this sin presently, I know that Christ has won the battle and because of this I will be vicotorious in this area of my life as a Christian. The same can be said for you friend if you trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, no matter what it is that you may be struggling with in life; drugs, alcohol, gambling, depression, Jesus is the answer for all of the problems in life…