What is our attitude toward sin? What is really motivating us to engage in any sin at all? Can you see Jesus enjoying the entertainment we have available today?
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 1 Peter 4:1-4
Salvation from the Power of Sin, Peter wants us to understand salvation from God through faith (1 Peter 1). Saved people praise God for judgement against promoters of sin
Pornography IS a Christian’s Problem. The truth is: Pornography is incompatible with Christianity.
Addiction motivations, cessation of pain, euphoric feeling. “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator.” (Romans 1:25)
- Problem? Out of control, unsuccessful effort to quit or limit use. Incompatible with beliefs and values - leading to guilt and shame. Keeping secrets - consumed thinking, negative consequences in relationships.
Attraction: Looks appetizing, appealing, stirs the desire for distorted reality.
- 1 Peter 5:8 we must “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (think of Eve).
Aversion: 1 Corinthians 6:18 to “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body,but he who sins sexually sins against his own body”
Fight: 1 Thessalonians 4:3: “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.”
- Abstinence requires commitment as well as discipline
- 1 Corinthians 9:24-27: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”
- Physical craving is a small, manageable monster. Starve this one and the large monster of desire will eventually starve to death because only the little monster of the physical can feed that large monster of addiction.
- Sexual immorality in the New Testament
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