Addicted to pornography?
Recently the Spanish website Ayuda Pastoral (Pastoral Help) started up a weekly problem solving column. They give you a maximum of 300 words to respond to an issue and you must be biblical.
This week's was: What steps would you recommend to a church leader or pastor to free someone addicted to pornography.
And my tuppence worth ...
1. Convince the person that pornography is sin
Matt. 5:28; Rom. 1:27; Col. 3:25
Within marriage sex is a gift of God and a blessing. Outside of it: a disaster. Even though someone is a Christian, if they do not remain faithful in their living, potentially their end will be catastrophic, as in the case of Judas.
2. Persuade the him or her to repent
Mark 1:15; Rev. 2:5
The tense of the verbs in Mark 1:15 implies a continual sense. We believe and keep on believing. We repent and keep on repenting. Faith and repentance are not just conversion experiences, they are for the rest of the Christian life.
3. Explain they must leave off pornography
Col. 3:5; 2 Tim 2.22, Eph 4.22, 25, 27
Paul uses phrases such as "run away from" or "put to death". To do this it is necessary to remove yourself from the opportunity of seeing pornography or even thinking of it. It implies not logging on to the computer if that is the source of temptation or blocking adult TV channels.
4. Help the person to replace it with what is good
Eph 4:24; Col 3:10,14; Phil. 4:8
The thinking of the apostle is that of an exchange: putting off the old nature and putting on the new. Leaving aside the pornography and replacing it with Christ. Instead of thinking about the immoral, thinking about the word. Practice what is good rather than licencious (Phil. 4:8). And if this becomes your practice, in time you´ll beat the addiction and gain a far, far better life..
1. Convince the person that pornography is sin
Matt. 5:28; Rom. 1:27; Col. 3:25
Within marriage sex is a gift of God and a blessing. Outside of it: a disaster. Even though someone is a Christian, if they do not remain faithful in their living, potentially their end will be catastrophic, as in the case of Judas.
2. Persuade the him or her to repent
Mark 1:15; Rev. 2:5
The tense of the verbs in Mark 1:15 implies a continual sense. We believe and keep on believing. We repent and keep on repenting. Faith and repentance are not just conversion experiences, they are for the rest of the Christian life.
3. Explain they must leave off pornography
Col. 3:5; 2 Tim 2.22, Eph 4.22, 25, 27
Paul uses phrases such as "run away from" or "put to death". To do this it is necessary to remove yourself from the opportunity of seeing pornography or even thinking of it. It implies not logging on to the computer if that is the source of temptation or blocking adult TV channels.
4. Help the person to replace it with what is good
Eph 4:24; Col 3:10,14; Phil. 4:8
The thinking of the apostle is that of an exchange: putting off the old nature and putting on the new. Leaving aside the pornography and replacing it with Christ. Instead of thinking about the immoral, thinking about the word. Practice what is good rather than licencious (Phil. 4:8). And if this becomes your practice, in time you´ll beat the addiction and gain a far, far better life..
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