You have heard that it was said, Do shall not
commit adultery.” But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has
already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27, 28)
Why has pornography become such an
issue? Not only do sales soar, but the offer of free pornography on the
Internet is vast as well. Since the world’s main motivation is money, why do so
many people give away as much pornography as possible?
Why are a few pornographic pictures
such an issue? Why does pornography enslave men as drugs, alcohol, and
cigarettes do? Men who are enslaved by it can’t live without it. They have to
see more and more, worse and worse and more perverse. The temptation can be
continual, especially for Christian men who had been enslaved before they were
saved. A married man may experience more excitement and stimulation from it than when
he looks at his wife. Why would this be?
The devil always entices people to
sin in areas that are serious to God, because God hates sin. The most severe
issues of sin and crime in this world are direct disobedience to the Ten
Commandments: murder, theft, adultery, using God’s name in vain,
and so on. Not all of them are classified as crime, but society considers all
as sin or moral crime. Every rule God gave us is for our benefit. Satan opposes
God by enticing us to sin in order to displease his enemy, God. Therefore, evil
forces work hard to enslave men in pornography because Jesus has uttered the words in the passage under discussion, which is a serious issue to God.
Some of the Old Testament
commandments were made even stricter by Jesus’ teachings and commands. Up to
the moment of the Sermon on the Mount, adultery occurred only if a man slept
with a woman other than his wife or a woman slept with a man other than her
husband. With Jesus’ new law, looking lustfully at another also became
adultery, a rule for Satan to break.
What is lusting after a woman? When
does looking at a woman become adultery? Are we as Christian men not allowed to
have some joy from the beauty of life? The Afrikaans translation says that if
you look at a woman and desire her, you commit adultery. Yes, a man can look at
a beautiful woman and appreciate her, but the danger lies in the thought life
and the way we look at her. Naturally, it is impossible to look at a naked woman
and not have a desire after her physically, but looking at beautiful, clothed
women also holds its dangers.
What does one think when one looks at
a woman lustfully? In the case of an unmarried man, he wonders what it would be
like to sleep with her. In the Lord’s mind, this man has already slept with
her. A married man might compare the woman with his wife and desires certain
aspects of the other woman’s beauty which he doesn’t find in his wife.
Pornography controls a man’s mind.
God made His laws and rules not to
control or manipulate people, but to protect them. The health laws in the Old
Testament, such as not eating pork, were made to protect people against
illness.
Adultery pollutes the relationship
between spouses and future spouses, because a man does not forget what he saw
and experienced. What would a woman do if she found out her husband slept with
another woman? How would she feel? How would a woman feel if she knew her
husband constantly thinks of other women while with her?
Adultery is sin and brings division
between people and God. If we are separated from God, Satan has an open door to
influence our relationships and emotions, and unhappiness is the result.
Torturous guilt feelings and controlling temptations make that man’s life
unbearable. To relieve this pressure, that man often yields to temptation, and
in the end, this sin becomes an idol controlling his life.
Jesus
replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love
him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love
me will not obey my teaching. (John 14:23,24a)
Therefore, my dear brothers, let’s
consider our wives if we are tempted to desire other women. And sisters in
Christ, please consider your brothers when you (and your daughters) dress for
church activities and wherever you go. Not all Christian men are tempted
equally with adultery of the thoughts, but those who have the problem have
enough suffering resisting this sin in the world, let alone having it in
church. Please pray for our brothers in this suffering. Pray that He will not
let them be tempted beyond their ability, but with the temptation he will also
provide the way of escape, that they may be able to endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13). Pray that the Lord's power will be made perfect in their weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). And be careful to judge them, lest you yourself may be judged (Matthew 7:1-2) for all of us have some sort of plank in our own eyes (Matthew 7:3-5).
This weakness is not easy to admit
for fear of judgment and rejection, therefore the other servants should have
open hearts, allowing such brothers to receive help and healing. Their burden
is none different than that of a drug addict; it’s just less visible.
For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.
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