Pornography- The silent killer of the Body of Christ

[nChrist]

Hello Premed1,

WELCOME!

First, I assume that you are talking about Brother Paul, not Pastor Roger who was one trying to help him. Second, someone stating the truth about this subject is doing you a favor and treating you right. It was Brother Paul who didn't want to hear the truth. We also had the wife of another person having the same kind of problem who didn't want to hear the truth. In this case, someone lying to you would be your enemy, not your friend.

You already know the answer to some of the things that you have stated. You obviously know that involving innocent third parties and placing them in a position where they might have to take blame for your actions is despicable. To make this despicable act worse, you are involving a ministry. Your first and most obvious step is to immediately get some sort of good, freeware, eraser type program and remove innocent parties and a church from your problem. You should have already done this, and I wouldn't have any idea why you haven't. There is no excuse for you not handling this part of the problem immediately.

Reference your addiction, you first have to want to stop it. For a Christian, this would mean asking GOD for forgiveness and praying that GOD will help you stop. In terms of magic or mystery, there isn't either one of these in this situation. The answer is already in this paragraph. Other Christians reading this will be praying for you, including me. If you need more help, you seek Christian counseling. Regardless of what you do, get the innocent third party and the church out of this problem immediately.

[premed1]

Thank you for your advice.  I appreciate you prayer and the prayers of other believes.

By the way, you where correct in assuming that I was writing about the guy who was seeking help, not the one ministering to him.  I apologize to pastor Roger, I was referring to Brother Paul's attitude in my post not the Pastor's.

[nChrist]

Hello Premed1,

I'm really thinking that a more personal and private setting would be better to deal with this. You really don't know much about the people you might deal with over the Internet.  As an example, I'm a grandpa and know that I would be categorized as an old square by many younger people. I've been a Christian nearly all of my life and I'm a retired police officer, so I know that my views are heavily colored by my life experience. I told you what I think is completely correct for a Christian and from a Biblical point of view.

A more personal and private setting would allow more honest interaction without the worry of 8 year old children listening to or reading everything that was said. I honestly believe that seeing a Christian counselor would be the best way to proceed if you are unable to deal with this yourself in prayer. I firmly believe in the power of prayer. I'm alive only because of the power of prayer, a loving GOD, and a good doctor.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Psalms 37:39-40 NASB  But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in time of trouble. The LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, Because they take refuge in Him.

[MusicMedic5150]

You can start by removing yourself from the source. Sacrifice any medium and device you use to access pornography.  Fellowship more with other Christians. When you feel "the urge" to give into temptation drop on your knees and pray..  A television or computer is not worth an eternity of suffering!!!! You are in my prayers..

[nChrist]

Hello MusicMedic5150,

I agree with you completely. It would be much better to give the computer and television away if the person is incapable of controlling them.

I see that you are new, and I haven't had a chance to welcome you, so WELCOME!

I sincerely hope that you enjoy Christians Unite. I'm looking forward to reading your posts and having fellowship with you.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Romans 3:21-22 NASB  But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;

[heirtoHisriches]

these last couple of posts were the kinds of responses I was looking for when I first started visiting this thread.  You see I've had some pretty big problems with sin as well (as well as all of us), but like it was stated (in this thread) when I tried to seek out help from church family and friends I was shuned and rebuked and ridiculed but not helped.  I think that the over-all intent of this thread was to find those who may have been in this position; wanting the help, seeking the help, but only finding rebuke.

So many times when I sought help I was told that "It's wrong" "you're living in sin" "You need to repent".  Which I in turned answered them, "I know" "I can read (the bible)" "I've did".  For which they responded with "just stop" "don't do it anymore" "repent means to change your way of thinking and not do it anymore".

But what I have come to find out was that there are some things (Most things in my opinion) for which we are not designed to handle alone.  It takes us coming together and helping folks walk through it.  It would have worked better for me to hear things like "You need to change your environment (with examples of things that should be changed)" or "I'll lhelp you, call me when you get the urge and we can talk" or maybe something like what was said here.

I'm not condoning the act of sinning, but the problem with it is that it's hard to fight alone or without the proper information of how it works and how it's affecting us.  If someone knows how it gets in, how it can be stopped and is able to follow it up with more ways of staying aware of it, then that's the kind of things that need to be shared.  I grew up in the church under many different denominations, but that was because I didn't "have" the information that I do now. I couldn't honestly identify what was truth and what was false, and don't ask me then if I understood what the bible told me, back then I would have said yes, but today I know that I didn't.

This is a very touchy issue from both sides, Pastors and Ministers do need to set the example and do need to be above reproach, but  like any person (man) they will sin and make mistakes.  Set the example by taking every Christian means necessary to solve the problem, but never try to cover it up.  If time aafter time you cannot over come it then by all means find another way to serve the Lord.  But what about those who haven't put forth the necessary effort, what about those that are just starting to head down that path.  Where do they go for help (remembering that trying to fix it yourself is a plan of the enemy)?

Some advice given here may be what is needed to set them off on the right path to recovery.

Thank you Music Medic and Black Eyed Pea for coming back and saying "Hey, do this....; The Word tells us this..and this is what that means and this is how you can put it to use..."  These were the kinds of things that I needed, I'm glad that I finally got... but you might be surprised where it came from...

This is why I want to minister, most folks need more than just "it's wrong, so fix it."

Please don't misunderstand me.  I just didn't have a lot of help applying the Word to my life.  I read it and read it and only thought that I understood it, but never knew how to make it work or how to apply it.  Now I have a new found understanding, have learned to really "study" the bible.  I read it with dictionay and concordance, several translations and expositories, pen and paper and with Aramaic and Hebrew dictionaries and thesaurases just to make sure that I can try to get a better and more accurate understanding of it.

So many things in here were true and are Truth, but the one thing that was missed is that knowing what is true isn't always enough, sometimes a little advice and understanding the truth and knowing how to overcome what's wrong in your life helps you to understand how "the truth will set you free..."

Jesus Christ came so that we all might have life and have it more abundantly, but He also told us how to get it in a way that the majority could understand, then He spent the rest of the time speaking out to those who may not have understood, or may not have gotten the message so that He could explain it even further in a way that they would understand.

[nChrist]

Hello HeirToHisRiches,

The truth was given here, and there really isn't any mystery or difficulty in finding the truth. In my firm opinion, the devil is using "wallowing in sin" issues like this to ruin many Christian forums and many churches. In fact, they have come so far out into the open that many so-called churches and Christian forums are conforming to the world and departing from basic Biblical doctrines.

The examples are all around us and in the Christian news every day. Large churches and networks of churches are even adopting evil as normal and putting the devil's servants in charge. So, some so-called churches and Christian forums are little more than dens of iniquity. Pleasing each other, pleasing the world, and making each other comfortable while they wallow in sin has become their religion, and pleasing GOD is no longer an issue.

What we are really talking about here is a disease, and the devil wants to infect everyone with it. That's why the devil wants to bring it out in the open and make it seem to be more and more common. After all, if it's common, people don't have to feel so bad about wallowing in it. If someone truly wants help in dealing with wallowing in sin, private and more concentrated personal ways are much more effective, and they limit the devil's ability to snare and devour more victims. The opposite is being done by many so-called churches. Abominations are being placed in pulpits, and whole so-called congregations and being made comfortable in their sins. Some might want to throw rocks at me and call me self-righteous for daring to make a statement like this, BUT - I could really care less. I didn't claim any righteousness, but I serve ONE who is HOLY and completely RIGHTEOUS - JESUS CHRIST! I have ZERO desire to be politically correct or make folks happy who are wallowing in sin. The TRUTH of GOD'S WORD is the answer, and it's MOST KIND.

Love In Christ,
Tom

GOOD NEWS!

1:  Romans 3:10 NASB  as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE."

2:  Romans 3:23  NASB  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

3:  Romans 5:12  NASB  Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--

4:  Romans 6:23  NASB  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

5:  Romans 1:18  NASB  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

6:  Romans 3:20  NASB  because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

7:  Romans 3:27  NASB  Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.

8:  Romans 5:8-9  NASB  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

9:  Romans 2:4  NASB  Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

10:  Romans 3:22  NASB  even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;

11:  Romans 3:28  NASB  For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

12:  Romans 10:9  NASB  that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

13:  Romans 4:21  NASB  and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.

14:  Romans 4:24 NASB  but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

15:  Romans 5:1  NASB  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

16:  Romans 10:10  NASB  for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

17:  Romans 10:13  NASB  for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."

Thanks be unto GOD for HIS unspeakable GIFT!, JESUS CHRIST, our Lord and Saviour forever!

[heirtoHisriches]

@ Black Eyed Pea -  I hope that you understand that I agree with you.  Especially about 'wallowing' in it. 

[nChrist]

@ Black Eyed Pea -  I hope that you understand that I agree with you.  Especially about 'wallowing' in it. 

Hello HeirToHisRiches,

I didn't mean to suggest otherwise. The purpose for my post was trying to point out what appears to be a growing problem that is out of control, and I'm certainly not talking about the sole issue of pornography. I would be talking about a host of worldly issues that appear to be devouring hosts of people. There appears to be fewer people by the day who are willing to stand up and state the truth. The TRUTH isn't touchy feely, it makes people unhappy, and it convicts people of their sins. We ALL need a heavy dose of the TRUTH frequently, and I do mean ALL of us. GOD'S WORD is just as powerful and TRUE as it was 2,000 years ago, and the WORD contains prescriptions for us that will never be matched by men. There is certainly a time and place for doctors, psychologists, counselors, and other people who are well-equipped to help others. When I say well-equipped, I would certainly include the WORD of GOD at the top of the list.

I recently took a look at many Christian forums, and I was disappointed with what I saw. I'm not even hinting that we come close to doing everything right here, but we are trying to keep JESUS and the CROSS as a primary focus and other Biblical TRUTHS as the vast majority of the content here. We have been the subject of many attacks and criticism here, but I think that GOD is happy with the work being done. I'll just give thanks that many sweet Christians have joined us and GOD is making a way for us to continue. This is a good opportunity to remind all Christians that we should be praying for GOD'S WORK around the world. May GOD give all of us the guidance and strength to keep standing until HE comes to take us home.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Matthew 25:35-40  NASB  'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'

[ollie]

James 1:14.  "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
 15.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."

1 Peter 4:1.  "Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
 2.  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God."

Where is the heart, the spirit of man that he will go after what he wants in the flesh and not what God wants walking in the Spirit?

Lay hold upon yourself to be guided by the Holy Spirit of God in the light that shines forth through the Christ.

Donot allow yourself to fall victim and revel in the things of the devil that abide in darkness and put you in the dark.

ollie

[daryl152]

im a teen and i have a really hard time ..i admit i am an addict. its difficult to get through this. can anyone give advice? cuz i am spiritually getting drained out..i need help plz somebody ...

[Soldier4Christ]

Hi daryl,

The only that can help you here is God and yourself. When you feel tempted turn to Him. Immerse yourself in Him through prayer, Bible study in any means. Fill your thoughts and your heart with Jesus. Do all you are able to avoid those things that bring such temptations to you and replace them with the things of God.

I will also pray for you in this matter.

[PopeII]

I too was adicted to pornography of all sorts.  And recently the old man is resurrecting.  I have to die daily.  I need to nail the old man to the cross.  When i get stressed out on the computer, its easy to type in (words removed, not appropriate for a Christian forum) ....  I dont do it on purpose it comes out.  Then  I have to stop myself.  I m going to start praying before going online for the spirit to control my actions and thoughts.  Girl pictures are everywhere.  Sex is everywhere.  We cant hide.  So I learned to apprecitate the beauty of women and accept the fact thay they are made arousingly.  After all we are men.  So I plead the blood over my senses and ask the Holy Spirit to control my daily actions.  The good news is that when I gave my life to Jesus, all the garbage was removed ie the sexual addiction.  Now I must fight the mind to ressurect.   I dont want to let in a little fellow (demon) or open a door.  So I stay as pure as I can and when I fall, I repent and accept forgiveness and dont condemn myself.  Thats what the enemy wants self condemnation.  So forgive us Lord for allowing our former selves to ressurect, (words removed due inappropriate for a Christian forum).  Forgive us Lord for not being pure.  Show us Lord in fact Control us Lord in all we do think and feel.  Let Your Spirit overwhelm us and fill us to overflowing.  Teach us to see your daughters as you see your precious flowers.  And thank you Satan for reminding me to repent for the sexual impuraties in my Life.  I repent Father for sexual impurity and for not keeping in line with your holy inerrant word.  I bless you brother with the Love Yeshua has for you and I ask him to pour out his river onto you now.  Fill him Lord.

[nChrist]

 

Self-condemnation on immorality isn't from an enemy. That would be your conscience telling you that you are doing something wrong. This would depend on who you think the enemy is. I see that you've made yourself a guest, so we won't get to find out who you think the enemy is. The devil wants you to enjoy immoral acts and keep doing them. For Christians, the devil is the enemy, and the HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD is our ally and guide. Having a conscience and recognizing right from wrong is a good thing. The enemy of Christians, the devil, wants the opposite for us. The devil doesn't want any Christian to have a pleasing testimony for CHRIST, and the devil certainly doesn't want any Christian to have strength in CHRIST. Strength in CHRIST means that the devil loses his control and dominion over us, and the devil doesn't like that.

To help some with any possible confusion - the devil, sin, and immorality is the enemy. I will add that your use of vulgar language on a Christian family forum is evidence that the enemy is trying to use you. It might also be evidence that you need to be rescued from the curse of sin and death.

GOOD NEWS!

1:  Romans 3:10 NASB  as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE."

2:  Romans 3:23  NASB  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

3:  Romans 5:12  NASB  Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--

4:  Romans 6:23  NASB  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

5:  Romans 1:18  NASB  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

6:  Romans 3:20  NASB  because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

7:  Romans 3:27  NASB  Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.

8:  Romans 5:8-9  NASB  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

9:  Romans 2:4  NASB  Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

10:  Romans 3:22  NASB  even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;

11:  Romans 3:28  NASB  For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

12:  Romans 10:9  NASB  that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

13:  Romans 4:21  NASB  and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.

14:  Romans 4:24 NASB  but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

15:  Romans 5:1  NASB  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

16:  Romans 10:10  NASB  for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

17:  Romans 10:13  NASB  for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."

Thanks be unto GOD for HIS unspeakable GIFT!, JESUS CHRIST, our Lord and Saviour forever!

[Stryder1030]

God Bless you all for coming to confess your sins infront of others so that you might be forgiven. 

I believe it is sad that none of you so called disciples haven't come up with that one.  Jesus tells us to confess, these people are coming to you with a problem.  They are calling for your help, and some young lady weak in faith has to be the first to tell them what they are doing by coming here for help is right.  I believe you all need to take a look at what you are saying and expecting of one another.

A friend of mine was heavily addicted to porn.  I was not the loving friend I am today that can discuss it quietly and without demands.  I yelled and told him that God saw what he was looking at.  His excuse was that God tells us to admire the opposite sex.  Admire is not a gawk, stare or anything else.  I can admire a mans body without "elevator eyes".  I don't end up drooling or making a private idiot of myself.  Now I understand that each persons sin is their own and all i can do is try to help when help is needed.  First off, if you have a computer that you share with another person, ask them to put on a parental blocker for your log-on.  This will be a nucense at first, because they will have to type in the password a million times for everything good that you view, but after a while it will get better.  Also, try to look up beating pornography at the library or online. 

I went to another forum when I was super stressed about it and they directed me to a Christian Recording Artist named Clay Crosse.  He was addicted to pornography and he and his wife wrote a book about it.  I suggest that you try to find the link (since links are removed here) and do what you can to get this book.  It helped me understand things from the other side.  And verified what I was thinking about my friend.  It also helped me correct my thinking and how I came to my friend with this issue.

I can do nothing other than pray for you on this matter, so please, do not be afraid to confess your sins, even if it is to a stranger on a message board.  You are doing something right.