A Scourge on Society

It is God's desire for us to pursue a life and lifestyle of purity - that our thoughts and the way we
behave might line up with God's plan for us. In Psalm 101, we can read:
2 I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness.

This passage of Scripture can reinforce the notion that right, or righteous, living begins with right thinking.  In order to have that "perfect heart," spoken of in verse 2, we have to refrain from gazing on wickedness - if we are intent on rejecting evil, we have to release the power of good, the power of God, in our minds and in our spirits.  There is great temptation in the world around us, and the enemy would want to lure us away from the purity of Christ through images that he would project before our eyes and in our minds.  We have the resources to resist!

+++++

The Bible instructs us in a very strong way to stay away from impure thinking and acting. 1st Thessalonians 4 says:
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;
4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,
5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God...

Now, I want to share some material for mature audiences.

There was an online study conducted recently by the Barna Group, including nearly 3,000 adults, teenagers, and pastors. It was commissioned by Josh McDowell Ministry and Cru for an April summit, according to a Christianity Today article.

The study examined pornography’s effect on pastors, churches, the general population, and young people.

One of the general statistics is that 47 percent of men and 12 percent of women in general seek out porn at least once or twice a month. And about 27 percent of Christian men and 6 percent of Christian women actively look for porn during that time.

93% of pastors and 94% of youth pastors said pornography is becoming a bigger problem, specifically for the church, and 75 percent of the laity agree. However, only 7 percent of pastors said their church had a program designed to help those struggling with pornography.

And, it's having a negative impact on students - 7 in 10 youth pastors said that at least one student has asked them for help related to pornography usage in the past year.  Most of those asking for help are boys in high school.

The survey also shows that, according to Barna, “Most pastors (57%) and youth pastors (64%) admit they have struggled with porn, either currently or in the past." It also reported, “Overall, 21 percent of youth pastors and 14 percent of pastors admit they currently struggle with using porn.”

The survey shows that 26% of teens ages 13 to 17 view porn at least once a week. The number jumps to 38 percent of adults who are ages 18 to 24, and drops again to 25 percent of those ages 25 to 30.

On the website for the Set Free Global Summit in Greensboro, North Carolina in April, Josh McDowell writes this on a page that features the heading, "Christianity's Pornography Secret:"

The Internet is shaping the morality of today’s culture. Two decades ago, parents could largely control the information our children consumed during their early years. No more. Incredibly, recent studies show that 67% of young men and 49% percent of young women consider viewing pornography to be acceptable behavior.

In 52 years of working with young people, I have watched this trend grow, and have become convinced that it’s time to take action.

This is striking data, and should be a wake-up call for our culture and for the church.  The use of pornography is a act that is contrary to Scripture and a deterrent to the walk of faith.

Fortunately, there are answers.  This survey is exhaustive in identifying the problem, but Scripture is also powerful and instructive in providing solutions.  This issue is pervasive, affecting leaders and congregations, but we can take God's Word to heart.   The victory is attainable, but the answers are certainly not simplistic.

Some principles that we can think on today; in fact I have 3 words for us:  One is that the Word of God is living and active, and we can use the "sword of the Spirit" as an offensive weapon to pull down strongholds in our minds. God's Word can refine our desires.

Not only can we experience the refining power of God's truth, but we can also replace the thoughts that enter our minds, some that are placed there by the enemy and others that are planted there by our seeking out unbiblical ideas and concepts.   As we pull down those areas that do not line up with Scripture, we can memorize and meditate on God's Word to correct our thinking.

Finally, we are called to renew our minds.  That means we enter into a new way of thinking.  That leads to transformation, according to Romans 12.  We take the initiative to correct those errant thought patterns, and it occurs through truth activated by the Spirit - the solutions, while challenging and complex, are attainable.