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Tag: Adultery

Pornography Bible

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Sexual Sin, What’s new?.

What does the Bible say about pornography?

The three main categories of sin are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). Pornography causes users to lust after the flesh, and it is undeniably a lust of the eyes. Viewing pornography is a sexual sin, but at its root it is a heart problem. Not only is it a gratification of lust, but it also reveals a desire for validation outside of God. Viewing porn distorts one’s view of self, offers counterfeit satisfaction, misrepresents the value of the opposite sex, and perverts God’s good gift of sex. The negative impact pornography has on the brain, mental health, view of the opposite sex, emotional health, and the marriage relationship reveals the true nature of pornography. God alone can heal the heart affected by any hurt, trauma, or rejection. God alone can ultimately meet the desire to be fulfilled and validated, and only He can truly satisfy one’s longings and desires.

Pornography does not qualify as one of the things we are to think about, according to Philippians 4:8. Pornography is addictive, and we are not to be mastered by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12; 2 Peter 2:19). Lusting in the mind, which is the essence of pornography, is offensive to God (Matthew 5:28) and destructive (see Proverbs 6:25–28; Ephesians 4:19).

For those involved in pornography, God can and will give the victory to those who seek Him. Are you involved with pornography and desire freedom from it? Here are some steps to victory:

  1. Confess your sin to God (1 John 1:9).
  2. Ask God to cleanse, renew, and transform your mind (Romans 12:2).
  3. Ask God to fill your mind with things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable (Philippians 4:8)—and consume media that can be described that way.
  4. Ask God to reveal the void in your heart you are trying to fill with pornography, and ask Him to help you find your satisfaction in Him (Psalm 16:11; 37:4).
  5. Learn to possess your body in holiness (1 Thessalonians 4:3–4).
  6. Understand the proper meaning of sex and rely on your spouse alone to meet that need (1 Corinthians 7:1–5).
  7. Realize that, if you walk in the Spirit, you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
  8. Take practical steps to reduce your exposure to pornographic images. Install pornography blockers on your computer, limit television and video usage, and find another Christian who will pray for you and help keep you accountable.

You can find freedom from the bondage of pornography. God’s plan for your life, including His design for your sexuality, is far better than anything sin entices you with.

Whoremonger

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Sexual Sin, What’s new?.

What is a whoremonger in the Bible?

The word whoremonger in the Bible is a reference to those who associate with prostitutes or who, in general, exhibit wanton sexual behavior. Whoremonger is an old-fashioned word found mainly in the King James Version and the Young’s Literal Translation of the Bible. In modern language, we would say the person is a “fornicator” or “adulterer.” Broadly speaking, a whoremonger is anyone who engages in sexual intercourse outside of marriage.

An example of the word whoremonger is found in Ephesians 5:5 in the KJV: “For this ye know, that no whoremonger . . . hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” Most other translations simply say “immoral person.” The Greek word in this verse is pornos, related to porneia, from which we get the English word pornography. Essentially, all sexual immorality falls into this category, but the word changes depending on the person committing the act and his or her gender. For example, a woman who engages in sexual immorality is called a “whore” (porne) in the KJV, but a man who does the same is called a “whoremonger” (pornos).

These Greek words are interesting because they draw no distinctions among a) sexual immorality for monetary gain, b) sexual immorality for the sake of lust, and c) sex outside of marriage between two loving partners. This is difficult for us to comprehend because our culture considers paying a stranger for sex to be quite different from a dating couple “going all the way.” We tend to categorize a man who uses a prostitute (and the prostitute herself) entirely differently from a boyfriend and girlfriend living together. But God classifies both as porneia. A man sleeping with his longtime girlfriend is just as much a “whoremonger” as the man picking up prostitutes, according to the Bible.

Unrepentant, continued sexual immorality is an indication that a person is not saved (Ephesians 5:5). The sexually immoral in the church—those who claim to be saved but who live as whoremongers—must face church discipline, biblically: “Now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral. . . . Do not even eat with such people” (1 Corinthians 5:11). Sexual sin brings serious consequences, and there should not even be a hint of immorality among God’s people (Ephesians 5:3).