Corrupted Saints

The enemy has plenty of weapons in his arsenal that he will turn on Christians, to hit us in our points of vulnerability and diminish our walk with Jesus. Plain and simple, one of his main arenas is in the mind, and that is why we have to be very cautious regarding what we allow in. Romans 13 states:
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

Here is a strong and troublesome statement from a recent article at The Christian Post:

Even though practicing Christians were still found to view pornography less frequently than non-Christians, the gap between the two groups was only 14 percentage points. Some 54% of Christians reported viewing pornography compared with 68% of non-Christians.

That data was included in a recent report from a report from the Barna Group called Beyond the Porn Phenomenon, which was conducted in tandem with Pure Desire Ministries. The article said, "researchers found that pornography use is so prevalent among all demographics and the gap in use among Christians and non-Christians, as well as men and women, has grown narrower over the last eight years."

When broken down by gender, "75% of Christian men and 40% of Christian women reported consuming porn on some level," according to The Christian Post, which relates:

“Despite the Church’s stance against lust generally, it seems little progress has been made to deter many of those who fill the pews from pornography consumption specifically,” researchers said. “The gap between professed beliefs and actual behavior raises questions about the efficacy of current approaches within faith communities.”

Nick Stumbo, executive director of Pure Desire Ministries, who noted that statistics for Gen Z "are even worse," said:

“What may be more troubling is that well over half of Christians who use porn say they are comfortable with their porn use. The reality for those who struggle in the Church is that they, too, often feel like they are alone. When asked, ‘Who is helping you with your struggle with pornography,’ a staggering 82 percent of Christians say ‘no one.’ Isolation is the enemy’s playground..."

The article stated: "The Pure Desire Ministries leader said the Church needs to be the place where people can get free from the troubling habit so many Christians have now accepted."  It goes on to say:

To help churches address the pornography problem among the pews, researchers encouraged leaders to, among other things, partner with experts, prioritize education and awareness and “create safe spaces for people to get real.”

“Ultimately, the Church is meant to be a source of hope for people facing all sorts of challenges in life, including struggles with pornography. By addressing this issue head-on with care, understanding and practical support, churches can fulfill their role as places of healing and restoration,” they said. “Even small steps toward openness and support can make a significant impact in the lives of those struggling.”

So how is that done? How is God's healing released in the lives of believers in this area. On its website, Pure Desire Ministries states:

We believe you were designed to live a life without sexual brokenness or betrayal trauma and the effects they can have on your future. Like you, we once felt powerless, but have found freedom and healing. We now have shared this healing with hundreds of thousands of men and women around the world.

It seems Pure Desire has adopted a small group model, based around three steps: "1. Select your group; 2. Join your group; 3. Start your healing."

This is a challenge, no doubt, for the Church. And, believers should be empowered to use spiritual resources in order to gain victory.  But, when well over half of Christians indicate they are comfortable with their porn use, that shows there is a discipleship deficiency. People are willingly participating in sinful behavior - that is contrary to the marching orders of a Christian.  

We each have a responsibility, I believe, to look into our own hearts and see where we are accommodating sin - this may not be a problem area for some Christians, but what about greed, what about lying?  Do we willingly violate the commandment to love our neighbor by spreading rumors or false information about other people?   There may be those behaviors in which a believer takes part in and actually enjoys.  We have to make sure that we are exposed to the Word, so we can hear the Lord speak to us by His Holy Spirit and identify the areas of sin and take the steps to freedom and forgiveness.  We must not accommodate sin, but we should accept righteousness.