Sexual Sins

Sexual sins are obviously vices that trip a lot of us up. Lust, adultery, pre-marital sex, homosexuality, pornography, sex trafficking, gender identity, abortion.

Sexual sins are the perfect example of God’s plan trumping man’s plan. Just imagine for a moment if everyone in the world was following the plan of God for one man and one woman in a committed relationship for life. Even that sentence will make many people in our world today bristle. What a narrow-minded, bigoted, homophobic, selfish, condemning thing to say!

Satan is the master of deception. He is the master of making good evil and evil good. In our sexual freedom, we are clearly destroying our lives, our families, and our society. And we call it good! And Wholesome! And Loving! and Right! While we are clearly slaves to “the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). Sexual sins are idols we place in our lives above God.

"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20).

It’s time we start standing up as the church and calling sin, sin. "But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul" (Hebrews 10:39). We have to stop shrinking back, staying in the shadows, being politically correct, trying not to offend. The most unloving thing we can possibly do is to leave people in their sin! The most unloving thing we can possibly do is to stay quiet while our world moves closer and closer to hell.

Yes, the world will hate us! This should not come as a surprise.

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But they will do all these things to you on account of My name, because they do not know the One who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. The one who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated Me without a reason.’ “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning" (John 15:18-27).

God is love. He truly loves us. He truly wants what’s best for us. All of His instructions and decrees are for our good. We love because He first loved us. Don’t get me wrong. I am not proposing we go out and start picking fights. We are not to go out and try to be persecuted. But we must ALWAYS share the Truth and stand up for what’s right. And when we do this, we will be persecuted—Jesus promises us this. The world loves their sin and does not, in their pride, like to be told what to do and how to live. But, we must be bold and get out of our bubbles we’ve created for ourselves.

We must help our counselees identify their sexual sins as sin. We must help them understand the root of their sin and that their sin is keeping them in bondage to the evil one. We must help them, through the Truth of the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to develop a hatred for sin. One of our goals is to offer our counselees hope and encouragement. Our goal is to not blast them and shame them in their sin but to lovingly and patiently guide them through prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit working in their lives. All heart change must be the work of the Spirit.

Questions to answer with our counselee

• What areas of sexuality are you currently confused about or questioning?

• When did this confusion/ questions/ lifestyle start?

• How are these sexual practices playing out in your life?

• How has this impacted your relationships with those closest to you?

• Do you view these sexual practices as sin?

• (If no, you will, over the next few weeks, need to take them to the Word of God, trying to help them understand what God says about their sin.)

• (If yes, you will be able to move forward with solutions to help them overcome their sin, still with the Word of God! )

• How would your life be better if you were to overcome this sin?

• What damage is your sin causing others?

• Do you truly believe you are able to overcome your sin?

• Are you willing to admit this struggle is not an addiction but rather a sin?

• Have you truly repented of your sin?

• What word does the Bible give to your sin? (i.e. lust instead of sex addiction)

• What steps do you need to take to overcome this sin?

Stories to consider

David and Joseph contrasted. See article on the Temptation and Sin page.

Verses for study

Created order

• Genesis 1:26-28: “male and female He created them”

• Ephesians 5:31-33: For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, as for you individually, each husband is to love his own wife the same as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

• Hebrews 13:4: Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.

• Ecclesiastes 9:8: “Enjoy life with the wife whom you love all the days of your futile life which He has given you under the sun.”

Adultery; lust; deeds of the flesh; sexual immorality

• 1 Corinthians 6:15-20: Do you not know that your bodies are parts of Christ? Flee sexual immorality. Every other sin that a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought for a price; therefore, glorify God in your body.

• Proverbs 6:20-35: “Can anyone take fire in is lap and his clothes not be burned?”

• Galatians 5:16-21: But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

• Galatians 6:6-10: Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

• Genesis 16:2: Abram with Hagar

• Leviticus 20:10-15: must be put to death

• Deuteronomy 22:22-24: must be put to death

• 2 Samuel 11:1-5: David with Bathsheba

• Proverbs 5: “Her feet go down to death, her steps take hold of Sheol.”  

• Proverbs 7: “Call understanding your intimate friend to keep you from an adulteress.”

• Proverbs 9:13-18: “Stolen water is sweet; And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.”

• Proverbs 22:14: “The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; He who is cursed of the Lord will fall into it.”

• Proverbs 23:26-28: “For a prostitute is a deep pit, and a strange woman is a narrow well. Certainly, she lurks as a robber, and increases the treacherous among mankind.”

• Proverbs 29:3b: “But he who involves himself with prostitutes wastes his wealth.”

• Ecclesiastes 7:26: And I discovered as more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.

• 1 Cor. 5:1-7: in Corinth, a man has his father’s wife

• Ephesians 5:1-5: But sexual immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness or foolish talk, or vulgar joking, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, which amounts to an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

• Colossians 3:5-8: Therefore, treat the parts of your earthly body as dead to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8But now you also, rid yourselves of all of them: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene speech from your mouth.

• 1 Timothy 1:8-11: But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and worldly, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10for the sexually immoral, homosexuals, slave traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching

• 2 Timothy 3:1-5: But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these.

• 1 Peter 4:3-5: For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of indecent behavior, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries. 4In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them in the same excesses of debauchery, and they slander you; 5but they will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

• Revelation 21:8: But for the cowardly, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and sexually immoral persons, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Perversions

• Incest

  • Genesis 19:30-38: Lot with his daughters

  • 2 Samuel 13: Amnon raped his sister Tamar

• Homosexuality

  • Genesis 19:5: Sodom and Gomorrah

  • Leviticus 18:22: an abomination

• Bestiality

  • Leviticus 18:23-25: a perversion

  • Leviticus 20:15: must be put to death

• Cross-dressing

  • Deuteronomy 22:5: "A woman shall not wear a man’s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman’s clothing; for whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord your God."

• Pornography

  • Matthew 5:28: "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

• Abortion (see article below)

  • Psalm 139:13: "For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb."

Put off | Put on

"to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness" (Eph. 4:22-24 ESV)

• Put off: Satan; temptation; sin; slavery; false teachers; idols; selfishness; anger; gossip; foolishness; pride; blaming God; guilt and shame

• Put on: God; repentance of my sin or forgiveness of another’s sin; Jesus; repentance unto salvation; Holy Spirit; sanctification; fruit; spiritual disciplines; identity in Christ; healthy emotions

Article: Sexual Sin by Bryan Carlson

We were created to be worshippers:

• 1 Chronicles 29:11: "Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and on the earth; Yours is the dominion, Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all."

• Psalm 95:6: "Come, let's worship and bow down; Let's kneel before the Lord our Maker."

• Luke 4:8: “Jesus answered [Satan}, ‘It is written: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.”’”

• 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

• Colossians 1:18: "He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything."

• Revelation 5:12-13 - "Saying with a loud voice, 'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!' And every created thing which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, 'To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be the blessing and the honor and the glory and the dominion forever and ever.'"

We worship Satan rather than God in our sin:

• Romans 6:16: "Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?"

• Ephesians 2:1-2: "And you were dead in your offenses and sins, in which you previously walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience."

• 1 John 3:7-9: "Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. The one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin continually, because he is born of God."

• 1 John 5:18-21: “We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, guard yourselves from idols.”

1 Peter 5:8-9: "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brothers and sisters who are in the world."

Our sin is a violation of God’s holiness and must first and primarily be confessed and repented to Him. This is in context of David’s sin with Bathsheba and murder of her husband, Uriah.

• Psalm 51: “Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my wrongdoings. Wash me thoroughly from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my wrongdoings, and my sin is constantly before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge. Behold, I was brought forth in guilt, and in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, let the bones You have broken rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my guilty deeds. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach wrongdoers Your ways, and sinners will be converted to You. Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation; Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise. For You do not delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”

God is always watching and always present:

• Psalm 139:7-12: “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will take hold of me. If I say, 'Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,' Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.”

We should live with the fear of the Lord in mind:

• Proverbs 1:7: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction."

• Job 28:28: "And to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.'"

• 2 Corinthians 7:1: "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

• Hebrews 12:25-29: "See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, 'Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.' This expression, 'Yet once more,' denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire."

Habitual sin creates a massive wall built between us and the Lord--a barrier between us and God, hindering the development of a close, intimate relationship.

• Psalm 66:18: "If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear."

• Isaiah 59:2: "But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear."

• 1 John 1:6: "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth."

• James 4:8: "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

Habitual sin reduces the Holy Spirit to the size of a pea in our life. We need to live in the power of the Spirit!

• Galatians 5:16-24: "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."

Through repentance and seeking God's forgiveness, this barrier can be removed, allowing for a restoration of a close and growing relationship with Him.

• Lamentations 3:22-23: “The Lord’s lovingkindnesses certainly do not fail. For His compassions never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."

• Matthew 11:28-30: "Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

• 1 Corinthians 10:13: "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."

• 1 John 1:9-10: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us."

God meets you where you are at today. If you turn back to Him, He is right there. You need to live your life moving forward not looking in the rearview mirror. God is a God of forgiveness, and he will forgive you 70 times seven times as he teaches. But according to Romans 6:1, we shouldn't just keep sinning that grace may abound.

Our identity must be as a child of the King, not as an addict, defined not by our sins or struggles.

• Romans 8:15: "For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!'" Here, Paul speaks of the spirit of adoption. As God's adopted children, we have the privilege of addressing Him as "Abba! Father!" This speaks to our close and intimate relationship with God.

• Ephesians 1:4-5: "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will."

• 2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." Through faith in Christ, we are made new. Our past, including struggles like addiction, should not define us. We are transformed into new creations in Christ.

• 1 John 3:1-2: "See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him because we will see Him just as He is." This verse reminds us of the incredible love of God in calling us His children. Our true identity is rooted in this divine relationship.

God's choice to adopt us as His children was based on His love and kindness. Our identity is now rooted in His purpose and grace. These verses collectively affirm that as children of the King, our identity transcends our past struggles and sins. Through faith in Christ, we are adopted into God's family, loved unconditionally, and transformed into new creations. Understanding and embracing this identity empowers us to overcome addiction and live in the fullness of our relationship with God.

This is a spiritual battle that requires action. Would you go into a physical battle with a laissez-fair attitude and mindset?

• Ephesians 6:10-18: "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm, therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints."

Head, heart, hands:

• Head (Knowledge): Knowledge is the foundation of the sanctification process. It begins with the acquisition of biblical knowledge and understanding of God's Word.

  • Proverbs 18:15: "The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge."

  • This verse highlights that knowledge and understanding of God's Word are a gift from the Lord, which serves as the starting point for sanctification.

• Heart (Understanding and Wisdom): As knowledge deepens, it moves from the head to the heart, leading to a more profound understanding and wisdom.

  • Proverbs 9:9: "Give instruction to a wise person, and he will become wiser still; teach a righteous person, and he will increase his insight."

  • Here, understanding is emphasized as we are encouraged to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding. This deepened understanding and wisdom come through a personal relationship with God and a continued study of His Word.

• Hands (Action/Belief): Knowledge and understanding, when integrated into the heart, naturally lead to actions that align with one's faith.

  • Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

  • James 1:22: "But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves."

  • These verses underscore the importance of action. Sanctification is incomplete without practical application. When we truly understand and believe God's Word, it should lead to actions that reflect our faith. This is the step where we prove that we actually believe what we say we believe.

• The progression from head to heart to hands is a dynamic process in sanctification. We start with knowledge, gaining an intellectual understanding of God's Word. As we deepen our relationship with God and meditate on His Word, this knowledge moves into our hearts, transforming our understanding and leading to wisdom. Ultimately, this deeper understanding and wisdom should manifest in our actions, as we live out our faith in obedience to God's commands. In this way, sanctification is not merely an intellectual exercise but a transformative journey that encompasses the entirety of our being, from our minds to our hearts and ultimately to our actions. It's about knowing, understanding, and applying God's truth in our lives, resulting in a closer alignment with His will and a reflection of His character in our actions.

• Sorrow of the world versus sorrow for the Lord: If you keep doing it, you are not truly sorrowful. You do not actually believe you should stop sinning or you would.

  • 2 Corinthians 7:10: “For the sorrow according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

We must renew our minds, putting off our sin and putting on righteousness.

• Romans 12:2: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—His good, pleasing, and perfect will.”

• Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.”

• Colossians 3:1-4: “Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

• Ephesians 4:22-24: "to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

• Hebrews 12:1-2: “Therefore, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

We are to live as living sacrifices, denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily, and following Him.

• Romans 12:1: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”

• Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."

• Luke 9:23-27: “And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, this is the one who will save it. For what good does it do a person if he gains the whole world, but loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and the holy angels.”

Victory will only come through abiding in the Lord:

• Jeremiah 17:5-8: “Thus says the Lord: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord. For he will be like a bush in the desert and will not see when prosperity comes, but will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, a land of salt without inhabitant. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.’

• John 15:1-11: "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full."

• 1 Peter 1:3-9: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls."

• 2 Peter 1:3-4: "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world because of lust."

We should live with eternity in mind. Addictions live only in the moment, without the future in view.

• 1 Corinthians 3:10-17: “According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each one must be careful how he builds on it. For no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become evident, for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”

• Revelation 21:3-4: "And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.'"

Biblical counseling involves the Word of God, prayer, and the power of the Holy Spirit working in your life. In my opinion, this is so much better than the techniques of the world. It's between you and the Lord whether you overcome this addiction or not.

• Colossians 2:8: "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of mankind, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ."

• 2 Timothy 3:16-17: "All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the person of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work."

• Hebrews 4:12-16: "For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.”

This is not about me as the counselor. I can lead you to the water, but I cannot make you drink. I can ask that you stop at that gas station to refuel. But it's your choice whether you keep going and run out of gas. There isn’t room in our heart for both God and Satan. Let’s fill ourselves up with God and eradicate Satan from our lives.

Habitual sins are serious and must be dealt with seriously:

• Mark 9:43-48: "If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off…If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off…If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out.”

• This is not literally suggesting we maim ourselves, but to cut the things out of our lives that cause us to stumble.

I was one way, and now I'm completely different. And the thing that happened in between…was Him!—Mary Magdalene from “The Chosen”

Article: Case Study—How to Work with a Young Man, a Believer, Using Pornography, focusing on “Putting Off” and “Putting On” from Ephesians 4:22-24 by Bryan Carlson

I will begin by thoroughly reviewing his intake form and, in the first session, conduct a thorough investigation to discern the nature and extent of his struggles with pornography, exploring his beliefs about sex, others, and God, as well as identifying what needs pornography is meeting for him.

I will address the "put off" and "put on" aspects of dealing with his struggle with pornography. Ephesians 4:22-24 states that we must put off our old selves and put on the new self, created to be like God in righteousness and holiness. Verse 23, as well as Romans 12:2 exhorts us to renew our minds to be transformed. Renewing the mind is essential in putting on the new self and dealing with any sin or “addiction.” In this case, renewing his mind involves replacing lies and distortions with the truth of God's Word. He must regularly read and meditate on Scripture, understand God's character and his identity, and cultivate a deeper relationship with the Lord through prayer and worship. Along with renewing his mind, he must put off his old self and put on the new self, living out the values and principles of God's kingdom. As he focuses on God's truth, he will be transformed from the inside out and empowered to overcome his struggles with pornography. I will specifically counsel him by:

1. Helping him renew his mind by recognizing the serious impact his choices have on his life both now and in the future, putting off living for the moment and instead putting on living for his earthly future and for eternity (1 Corinthians 3:10-17; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

2. Putting off the belief and practice that sin may not have a consequence and putting on reminders of the high price of salvation (Galatians 6:7-8).

3. Putting off media and entertainment that may be triggering his addiction and putting on a heart that is learning more about God’s Word (Psalm 119:11).

4. Putting off the hope that he will be able to survive temptation and teaching him how to put on the armor of God daily (Ephesians 6:10-18).

5. Identifying practical strategies for avoiding temptation by putting off laziness and putting on times of meaningful service in a local church or ministry (1 Corinthians 10:13).

6. Teaching him to practice regular confession of sin at the earliest stages of sin by putting off concealing sin and putting on repentance (James 5:16).

7. Helping him view others of the opposite sex as being made in the image of God by putting off the belief that others exist to serve him and putting on the truth that he is here to serve, not use, others (Philippians 2:3-4).

8. Putting off thinking lustful thoughts about others and putting on praying for those around him (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Specific homework assignments:

1. Purchase and start using a daily journal. Because of the temptation involving technology, I want this to be a physical, paper journal. All of the following homework will be recorded in this journal.

2. One goal will be to help him develop a robust prayer life (1 Thessalonians 5:17). I’ll have him start a daily prayer journal and find a time that works best and pray and journal each day. I will ask him to show me his journal each week. I will also be praying with and for him.

3. Have him begin a daily habit of reading and meditating on God's Word (Psalm 1:2-3), identifying every passage in the Bible that discusses lust, sexual sins, and self-control and writing these out in his journal, as well as what he learned.

4. Have him find an accountability partner in the church or Christian community whom he can talk to and who can hold him accountable for his actions (James 5:16). Ideally, this would be an older man from his church.

5. Ask him to install an internet filter on all devices he uses to access the internet and have the emails sent to his accountability partner, with permission. 

6. Challenge him to work on fleeing the sinful desire. I’ll have him read and journal about how Joseph responded in Genesis 39 when tempted and identify, journal, and avoid triggers that may lead him to view pornography, such as being alone in his room with no plans or spending time alone on social media. I’ll have him keep a log of all the times he felt tempted and what he did to avoid the temptation. If he failed to flee and viewed pornography, I’ll ask him to write down when he viewed the pornography, what type of pornography he viewed, and for how long. We will review this log, as well as the rest of his journal, each week.

Article: Sexual Immorality and Homosexuality by Bryan Carlson

God and His Word:

God is truth:

To know God, we must know His truth. God is the only source of truth. It is our goal to align our truth with the truth of God. We cannot create truth; we can only submit to God’s truth. God has always been truth. The God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament is the same God.

• God never changes—Malachi 3:6: “I the Lord do not change.”

• Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

The Word of God is our authority:

The Word of God absolutely has to remain our authority—the yardstick by which we measure everything. The only way to justify sexual sins and homosexuality Biblically is to make the Bible say something it simply does not say. Many liberal or uneducated people tend to make the Bible line up with current events or personal persuasions as opposed to letting the Bible inform our beliefs on the events of the day. This is extremely poor exegesis. Isaiah 5:20-21: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.”

Any time someone concludes that the Word of God is not the absolute authority—that defines the way we interpret the world—false doctrine ensues. To believe that God is absolute truth and the Spirit’s voice is absolute truth, but not believe the Bible is also absolute truth, opens the door to every false doctrine. 1 Peter 1:24-25 (quoting Isaiah 40:8) is a beautiful verse. It says, “For all men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever. And this is the word that was preached to you.”

To know God is to align/conform to His truth—to His image and likeness—Romans 12:1-2: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” We are to conform our will to His; our truth must align with His truth. God, as Creator of all things, determines how everything in the world works and makes the rules.

Sin:

God determines what is sin, not us. God, and only God, determines the truth around sex. God’s Word defines marriage and the appropriateness of sex as one man and one woman for life. Any and all sex outside of the parameter of one man and one woman in marriage is outside of God’s plan:

• Genesis 1:27: “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

• Genesis 2:20-25: “But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.’” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

• Matthew 19:4-6: “Haven’t you read,” He (Jesus) replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

• Hebrews 13:4a: “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure.”

Marriage is a picture of Christ and His Church, which should not be defamed.

• Ephesians 5:21-33: “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”

All sin is a violation of God’s holy character with eternal consequences, separation from God:

• Romans 2:5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when His righteous judgment will be revealed.

• James 4:4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit who indwells every Believer. Be holy as I am holy (1 Peter 1:16—quoting Leviticus). It is sacrilegious to say that something is holy that God calls detestable. This is blaspheming God.

Satan:

After creation, Satan deceived Eve, and sin entered the world. Romans 5:12, says, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.” Ever since sin entered the world, Satan has been masquerading as an angel of light looking for someone to deceive and devour. Satan convinces us, if we are not careful, that God is holding out on us—that our plan is better than His plan—that we know better than God. 1 Corinthians 11:3: “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”

Satan hates us with a passion. He is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). He comes only to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10). He gives us deluding spirits (1 Timothy 4:1). He gives us ideas that are close to the truth that sound and look like truth but are actually false teachings. He is the great deceiver.

• 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12: “And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason, God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.”

Since the beginning of time, we have been in a spiritual battle for truth. Satan has deceived billions of people into thinking their way is superior to God’s way. Our battle is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:10-18). It is common for Satan to fight using our emotions and feelings to deceive our minds and to form false theology—even theology that completely contradicts Scripture. Satan uses this weapon to discount any number of things the Bible teaches, even to the point of discounting the whole of Scripture, which is eventually what will happen to all of us who start making verses fit our desires.

Sexual immorality:

Sexual immorality is any sexual act outside of one man and one woman in a marriage relationship. Sexual immorality is now considered the norm in our world and those who believe in the traditional view of marriage and sex are considered backward and strange.

• Acts 15:28-29: You are to abstain from… sexual immorality. 

• Galatians 5:16-26: “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;  idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

• Colossians 3:1-10 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.

• 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8: “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;  that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable,  not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God;  The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.”

• Revelation 21:8: “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

Homosexuality:

One form of sexual immorality is homosexuality, which is defined as romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender.

Our society as a whole has embraced and now even celebrates homosexuality as a lifestyle. How should we as the Church look at this issue? Generally speaking, the homosexual community considers the traditional Biblical view as bigoted and intolerant…and some would say hateful. Today’s more liberal theologians and churches espouse that homosexuality is not a sin and that the Bible doesn’t say that two men or two women of the same sex in a committed relationship are living in sin. Their thinking and rhetoric usually goes something like this: “we are called to love and not judge”; “their sin is not any worse than my sin or your sin”; “God wouldn’t have created them this way and then expect them to live according to their nature”; “the Bible was condemning homosexual rape—not the loving, committed relationship between two men or two women.”

Homosexuality is a perversion of God’s design and plan for mankind. Like all sin, it takes what God intended for good—love, intimacy, and sexuality—and perverts it into something unholy. Some would say that homosexuality is not a sin—and is even something accepted and celebrated by God—and still claim to believe the Bible. Doing so grossly misrepresents the Word of God. Never is it mentioned, or even hinted at, that a relationship between consenting same-sex couples is okay. Marriage is ALWAYS in the context of a husband and a wife.

• Leviticus 18:22-30: “Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable. “‘Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion. “‘Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. But you must keep my decrees and my laws. The native-born and the foreigners residing among you must not do any of these detestable things, for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you. “‘Everyone who does any of these detestable things—such persons must be cut off from their people. Keep my requirements and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practiced before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the Lord your God.’”

• Leviticus 20:13: “‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

• Romans 1:18-32: “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.  For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore, God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other me and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy.  Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”

• 1 Corinthians 6:9-20: “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit. Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.”

• 1 Timothy 1:9-11: “We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.”

• Jude 3-25: “Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

Is it okay to identify as homosexual and not act out on it?

No. That’s what we were before we were saved! Our passions and desires have been crucified. We are no longer slaves to sin or children of the devil. We will truly only be happy if we are delighting in the Lord and obeying Him (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 2:20, 5:24-25; 1 John 3:9-10; Romans 6:5-14).

Did God create homosexuals this way?

Did God create me to lust? For those that struggle with same-sex attraction, did God create them that way? No.

The same way he didn’t create me to struggle with lust for women. Sin deceives us. Satan wants us to believe that God is holding out on us by not allowing us to pursue our natural desires. We are “more than conquerors through Christ who gives us strength” (Romans 8:37).

• James 1:13-15: “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

What about love?

We cannot confuse the issue of loving homosexuals and endorsing homosexuality as a lifestyle. They are two very different issues. We should love homosexuals, care about them, listen to them, give them a safe place, share the Gospel with them, and disciple them. We can’t conflate the two issues. It is never loving to leave people in their sin. Come as you are does not mean stay as you are. Many people in our society today would say intolerance is equivalent to unloving. Love is not telling people what they are wanting to hear and affirming their beliefs when they contradict the holiness and plan of God. Love is speaking truth and calling the person to repentance. Ironically, “loving” people so much to accept their lifestyle is the most unloving thing we could do for them—because their lifestyle does not please the Lord.

Repentance and salvation:

The point of all of life is to know God—to be redeemed to the lover of our souls. The decisions we make about God on this earth will determine where we spend all of eternity. Each person’s name will either be in the Lamb’s book of life or not. In John 17:3, Jesus says, “Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom who have sent.”

Like all sinners, the person tempted by sexual sin needs to turn to Christ for salvation. All of us will struggle with sexual sins at different points in our lives—lust, pornography, adultery, heterosexual sex outside of marriage, homosexual sex, etc. We all need to strive to live holy lives as He is holy—confessing sin, turning away from sin, and turning to God in obedience.

Our only response to sin is repentance—Jesus said in Mark 1:15, “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” 1 John 1:5-10: “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.”

Deny ourselves:

Individuals with homosexual lusts may struggle with this sin the rest of their lives. They may have to deny themselves every day and take up their cross and follow Christ. This may be a cross they must bear. God may be calling them to singleness, which isn’t always a bad thing—Paul passionately talks about the benefits of being single—a single person can more effectively serve the Lord (1 Corinthians 7). Or it is possible that God may give them the ability and desire to be attracted to and love someone of the opposite sex.

Confused Christians:

How do we address this with Christians who are confused on these issues? First, we must acknowledge that not everyone who identifies as a Christian, who sits in a pew on Sunday, or leads a church, is a Christian. We must confront in love and in truth by defending this as a direct violation of what the Scriptures teach thoroughly and clearly from Genesis to Revelation.

• Galatians 1:6-9: “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!” You are making a mockery of the Gospel—to make the Gospel fit your sinful desires. 

We are called to lead our errant brothers and sisters in Christ to holy living and repentance.

• Matthew 18:15-17 (Jesus) “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

• Luke 17:3 (Jesus) So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” 

• 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord. Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But 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 or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”

• 2 Corinthians 7:8-12 Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while—yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are.“

• Galatians 2:11-13 “When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.” Even Peter, the rock on which Christ was building his church, was capable of being deceived. Praise God that Paul loved Peter and the Gospel of Jesus Christ enough to oppose him to his face. And praise God that Peter humbly repented and agreed with Paul’s rebuke.

• Galatians 6:1-8: “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Defending and protecting sin, though well intentioned, will lead to death.

• Ephesians 4:11-16 “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

• 2 Thessalonians 3:10-15 “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good. Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.”

Our plea is for those we love to respond to our teaching.

• 2 Timothy 2:11-19; 22-26: “And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”

• 2 Timothy 3:14-17: “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

• 2 Timothy 4:1-4: “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”

• Hebrews 10:23-27 “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.”

• James 5:19-20: “My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”

Article: Choose Life! by Bryan Carlson

Church, what am I missing?

• Abortion is ending an innocent life.

• Ending an innocent life is murder.

• Intentionally ending an innocent life is premeditated murder.

• Premeditated murder, in every other scenario, is condemned and punished to the fullest extent of the law.

• Anyone who practices or advocates for mass-premeditated murder is generally considered deranged and evil—Hitler, Dahmer, Bundy, Manson, etc. 

• Yet, many “Christians” vote for those who actively advance this “freedom of choice” in our country and around the world.

There are two (and only two) diametrically opposed forces active in our world today: the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. The kingdom of God stands for love, light, life, mercy, defending the innocent, protecting the defenseless and the vulnerable. The kingdom of Satan stands for evil, deceit, darkness, lies, murder, hatred.

• “And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:5-7).

• “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:10-12).

Jesus said very clearly of Satan: “He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44); and “the thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life and might have it abundantly” (John 10:10).

“…Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14). “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:20-21).

Abortion—kind, responsible, and good? 

The billboard across from the Planned Parenthood in Lincoln proudly proclaims that they are here for GOOD. They actually believe they are doing good in ridding women of their inconveniences. In their minds, they are providing a safe form of birth control—a normal part of natural family planning. They are empowering women to have control over their bodies. Their name says it all—they help men and women plan whether or not they want to become parents—if they are not ready, for whatever reason, they can abort the pregnancy. Many align with this way of thinking and believe they are doing good for women in their support of their right to choose.

There is nothing about abortion that is good—it is pure evil, the most egregious sin in the history of our country—literally the ripping apart of a baby inside his or her mother’s womb and sucking the remains out through a tube. This gruesome practice has taken place nearly 60 million times since 1973—all protected by the laws of our country. 

Let’s hear it directly from plannedparenthood.org:

“How do abortions work? Suction abortion is the most common kind of abortion procedure. During a suction abortion procedure, the doctor or nurse will:

• Insert a thin tube through your cervix into your uterus

• Use a small, hand-held suction device or suction machine to gently take the pregnancy tissue out of your uterus

• They may use a small surgical tool called a curette to remove any tissue that’s left in your uterus, or check to make sure your uterus is totally empty

What happens during a D&E (dilation and evacuation) procedure? D&E is usually used for abortions later than 16 weeks after your last period. For later second-trimester abortions, you may also need a shot through your abdomen (belly) before the procedure starts. During a D&E abortion, the doctor or nurse will:

• Inject a numbing medication into or near your cervix

• Stretch the opening of your cervix with a series of dilating rods

• Insert a thin tube through your cervix into your uterus

• Use a combination of medical tools and a suction device to gently take the pregnancy tissue out of your uterus

• Once the procedure is done, you’ll hang out in a recovery area until you feel better and are ready to leave.”

They’ll use a thin tube, and a small suction device, to gently take the pregnancy tissue. And if they are not successful in sucking all of the baby out, they use a small scalpel to cut up the rest of the baby so your uterus it totally empty. And for D&Es they use a combination of medical tools to gently cut up your baby into pieces so it can all fit through the thin tube used to suck out your baby. And then you get to “hang out” in a recovery area until YOU feel better. How nice.

 What is God’s opinion of this practice? 

• “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;’…And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them” (Gen. 1:26a-27).

• “For You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you. If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty” (Psalm 139:13-19)!

• “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13).

• “And if a man takes the life of any human being, he shall surely be put to death” (Lev. 24:17).

• “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8).

• “There are six things which the Lord hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers” (Prov. 6:16-19).

Is this political?

Believers should never align with those who support this practice—in any circumstance. Believers should never support Planned Parenthood over a Crisis Pregnancy Center; we should never support a political candidate who supports murder over one who doesn’t.  This should so clearly be a black and white issue for believers. We are being deceived by the lies of the devil.

• “But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3)

• “He who walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm” (Prov. 13:20).

• “Professing to be wise, they became fools” (Rom. 1:22).

• “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever” (2 Cor. 6:14-15)?

• “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His Law he meditates day and night. Therefore, the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish” (Psalm 1:1-2,5-6).

• “Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not proceed in the way of evil men. Avoid it; do not pass by it; turn away from it and pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; and they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know over what they stumble” (Prov. 4:14-19).

• “He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord” (Prov. 17:15).

Should a born-again Christian ever align, voting or otherwise, with an abortion advocate. This is a moral argument, period. To vote for those who support abortion is 100% a vote for the murder of the unborn. It’s hypocritical to say we support the unborn and vote for those who support the murder of babies.

Yes, we have the right to vote. We also have the moral obligation to defend and protect the innocent. Which one wins? If, in your opinion, there are no good candidates, don’t vote! Voting does not trump our faith. We are not required as Christians to vote and absolutely should abstain if it violates the law of God or our conscience.

• “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).

If voting causes you to sin, don’t vote!

Core truths:

As Christ followers, we agree that certain core truths must be believed in order to be accepted as Christian doctrine—the Trinity; the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin; salvation only by grace through faith, etc. In the same way, there should be certain core beliefs that affect who we choose to support—abortion, without a doubt, should be one of those issues.

If a political candidate/platform from either party came out in full support of sex trafficking—good for the economy, meets the needs of men, a way for young women to earn a living—as Christians we would be outraged and obviously not support this candidate or their party. Why? Because it’s morally wrong. I sure would not assume any Christian would say that there are other important issues to consider that their platform stands for—other things they believe that still make them worthy of our consideration. How would this not be a single-issue vote? Once again, this is not first-and-foremost a political argument. We don’t start with politics and then decide how our faith fits into that box. We start with our faith and only vote if the candidates and the platforms they support don’t violate God’s law and our consciences. 

How are the issues of sex trafficking and abortion any different? Other than one of them has been the law of the land since 1973. They both grieve the heart of a loving, just God. We as Christians have become numb to the fact that innocent babies are being murdered every day. But their blood is still on our hands—especially if we cast our vote for those who support this inhumane practice. 

Aligned with Christ:

As Christians, this world is not our home. We are called to not be of this world. According to Ron Hutchcraft, Christians live 20 miles closer to God than the world. The problem is that as the world moves farther away from God, so do Christians. (To the point we are no longer recognizable.) 

Look at Paul; he used to celebrate the murder of Christians—until he was miraculously saved. He then preached the truth. At the moment of salvation, he became perfectly aligned with the way of Christ and completely opposed to the teaching of the Pharisees—his former people. He didn’t become just a little bit closer to God than them—to make himself look even holier in their eyes. No, He ran to the cross, distancing Himself so far from the world that they hated him and eventually killed him. When we were saved, according to John 5:24, we crossed over from death to life. We now support a different agenda.

• “But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove to myself to a transgressor. For through the Law I died to the Law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and delivered Himself up for me” (Gal. 2:17-20).

• “For He delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).

• “Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God…and such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirt of our God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10)

• “As you therefore received Christ Jesus as Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed and overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ” (Col. 2:6-8).

• “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:2).

Who will avenge the innocent?

• “Who will stand up for me against evildoers? Who will take a stand for me against those who do wickedness? Can a throne of destruction be allied with thee, one which devises mischief by decree? They bind themselves together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death” (Prov. 94:16,20-21).  May we never be party to these things that grieve the heart of God! 

Love:

Is what I am saying loving? What is love? To lead each other toward the truth. Being nice or tolerant is not love. There will be a lot of well-adjusted people in Hell. We are to all “…attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, ever Christ” (Ephesians 4:13-15). We are supposed to speak in love, yes; but we are also supposed to speak truth.

• “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death” (Prov. 12:1,26,28).

By the way, so I am not accused otherwise, I am in favor of loving women (and men) who have had abortions. Jesus came to save sinners. All sins can be forgiven. These individuals need to know there is hope and forgiveness in Jesus Christ.

Are there different severities of sin and different judgements for certain sins?

Yes. Positionally, before a holy God, we are all sinners. We are as deserving of Hell over one lie as we are if we were murderers.

• “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” (Rom. 5:12).

But there are clearly different levels of punishment we receive from God. Noah for example, was a sinner but was not destroyed with the rest of the world. The Bible speaks often of the day of judgment coming for those who do evil. They prosper now but will soon face destruction.

Even using common sense, we know that exceeding the speed limit does not carry with it the same level of punishment as murder. God hates all sin; however, he does punish some sins more severely. Hitler will be more severely judged than Mother Theresa, for instance. This has been made clear from the Mosaic Law: if a man kills another man, his very life is demanded of him, while if he kills another man’s animal, only restitution was to be made for that animal.

• “And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things that were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds” (Rev. 20:11-13).

In conclusion:

All Christians must be aware of the fruit we are producing—what we are building. None of us want to get into heaven just escaping through the flames.

• “According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire—even though only as one escaping through the flames.” (1 Cor. 3:10-17).

 Above all we need to pray—pray that God will allow us to see the end of this atrocity and the role we have played in it during our lifetimes.

•  “…and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:14).

Resources

“Gospel Treason” by Brad Bigney

“What’s Wrong with a Little Porn When You’re Single?” by Nicholas R. Black

“Sexual Addiction” by David Powlison

“Passions of the Heart: Biblical Counsel for Stubborn Sexual Sins” by John D. Street

“Help! I Want to Change” (booklet) by Jim Newheiser

“Pure Freedom: Breaking the Addiction to Pornography” by Mike Cleveland

“Sex and the Supremacy of Christ” by John Piper

“The Useful Lie” by William L. Playfair MD

“What Do You Do When You Know You’re Hooked?” (booklet) by Jay Adams

“Pornography: Slaying the Dragon” (booklet) by David Powlison

“Closing the Window: Steps to Living Porn Free” by Tim Chester

“Finally Free: Fighting for Purity with the Power of Grace” by Heath Lambert