Christians are sometimes accused of being old-fashioned when we talk about sexual impurity, yet even non-Christians struggle with where to draw the line in sexual issues such as pornography. Rapidly changing technologies have brought many advantages, but also many new temptations. Christians don’t have to work out where to draw the line, the Bible is clear ‘But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality’ (Ephesians 5:3). God wants us to be free from slavery to lust. Sex is a great gift from God to be enjoyed within marriage, but sexual immorality, lust and pornography only lead to frustration and pain. Christians have great spiritual resources in the battle for sexual purity. We have God’s word, his Spirit, his powerful gospel of grace, and brothers and sisters in Christ to support us in the struggle. In a famous sermon, Thomas Chalmers says: the only way to dispossess [the heart] of an old affection is by the expulsive power of a new one.[1] The way to make progress in putting off lust, is for a love to take hold of our heart that is so powerful it takes over every other desire. We find that love in the cross of Jesus, which offers both forgiveness and the power to change. Making progress in your battle against lust, doesn’t mean you’ll stop it forever overnight, yet by God’s grace, real progress, real change is possible.
R. Albert Mohler Jr., “The Seduction of Pornography and the Integrity of Christian Marriage” (talk to college students: PDF, MP3) David Powlison, “Breaking Pornography Addiction” (article: part 1, part 2) David Powlison, Making All Things New: Restoring Pure Joy to the Sexually Broken (conference talk: audio, video, and chapter) Donald L. Hilton, Jr Slave Master: How Pornography Drugs and Changes Your Brain John Piper, Battling the Unbelief of Lust (sermon manuscript, audio) John Piper, A.N.T.H.E.M: Strategies for Fighting Sexual Lust (article) John Piper, Sex and the Supremacy of Christ (talk manuscript, audio, video) Mark Driscoll, Porn-Again Christian (free eBook) Rick Holland, A Biblical Strategy for Fighting Lust (talk; related manuscript) Thabiti Anyabwile, Women and Pornography (includes a short video testimony of Anne Jackson and her fight against pornography) Brad Bigney, So what about masturbation? (article: part 1) Brad Bigney, Masturbation so what’s the way out? (article: part 2) I looked for love in your eyes (poem by a wife whose husband was addicted to pornography). Accountability software:Covenant Eyes , X3watch and Safe Eyes are three possibilities, each designed to assist you in encouraging, open and honest conversations. A log of your internet browsing is sent to your nominated accountability partners. Available for PC, Mac and mobile devices. Review: Steve Kryger, Avoid porn on the iPhone with Covenant Eyes Books on lust and pornography Joshua Harris, Not Even a hint: How the gospel rescues us from lust (Previously published as: Sex is not the Problem (Lust is)) Linda Marshall, Pure: Sex and relationships God’s way Tim Chester, Closing the Window: Steps to Living Porn Free Tim Challies, Sexual Detox: A Guide for Guys who are Sick of Porn Brian Croft, Help! He’s Struggling with Pornography (for wives whose husbands are battling pornography). Books on sin, temptation and change in general: Kris Lundgaard, The Enemy within: Straight talk about the power and defeat of sin (built on John Owen’s work) Tim Chester, You Can Change: God’s transforming power for our sinful behaviour and negative emotions (Above resources adapted from: Justin Taylor, Porndemic )
[1]
The Expulsive Power of a New Affection A Sermon by Thomas Chalmers, 8.
