Pornography
Marriage is the oldest institution known to man. It is within the beauty of this relationship that a husband and wife are able to partake of the sexual side of life. An arrangement other than God's intended purpose for sex becomes a sinful situation. Perverts abound who have destroyed the beauty and holiness of the sexual side of marriage. Jesus spoke of one such perversion in Matthew 5:31-32, "It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery."
Many there are who disregard what the Bible says and gratify their own lusts. James says, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lusts and enticed" (James 1:13-15). Any sexual activity which dishonors marriage is morally wrong. This includes: fornication, adultery, homosexuality, prostitution, incest, bestiality or any activity which promotes and excites lustful desires and thoughts in another. Immodest clothing, mixed swimming and dirty pictures would certainly come within this realm.
Pornography is the word which would sum up this lustful looking. Pornography in any age and every society has done irreparable harm. It is defined by Webster as: "Writing of harlots, the depiction of exotic behavior (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement." Actually, pornography comes from two Greek words, "porne" which means "a prostitute, a harlot, a woman who sells her body;" and "graphe" which is "a writing, thing written." Thus, written descriptions or prostitution, pictures intended to arouse sexual desires. Pornography is to be found in books, novels, magazines, and movies.
The scope of this evil is beyond the imagination of the average Christian today. One just cannot believe the things that are being exposed to the minds of adults and even our children. Who is it that can deny that such bombardment of filth into the minds of people does not affect them? "Be not deceived: evil communications (companionships) corrupt good morals" (1 Cor. 15:33).
Dangers of Pornography
1. It exploits
and brutalizes both sexes as objects to be used simply to gratify lusts and/or
gain money. It does not care anything about true beauty and holiness. It is a
violation of the 2nd greatest commandment. "Thou shalt
love thy neighbor as thyself" (Mt. 22:39).
2. It attacks the institution of marriage and the home. It
perverts the God-given drive for sex and destroys that which the Lord said was
good. "Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed
undefiled..." (Heb. 13:4).
3. It defiles the mind of man by polluting it with impure and unholy thoughts. Many are concerned with water pollution and air pollution, but what about mind pollution? The Bible exhorts us to think on the things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and that which is of good report (Phil. 4:8).
4. It leads to the defilement of the body. God's command is to avoid fornication (1 Cor. 7:1-2). "Flee fornication" (1 Cor. 6:18).
5. It is a major factor in the moral decay and decline of nations. It is one of the biggest problems facing America today. "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people" (Prov. 14:34).
6. It is addictive. The Bible commands to exercise restraint and self control (2 Peter 1:6).
7. It leads to sexual deviancy such as homosexual, child molestation, bestiality, rape, incest and other crimes against God and man.
What Does The Bible Say?
The Bible says we are to have pure minds. "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtility, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity (purity) that is in Christ" (2 Cor. 11:3). "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is crated in righteousness and true holiness" (Eph. 4:22-24). In 1 Timothy 6:5, Paul talks of men who have "corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth..."
Some suggest that if you do not agree with pornography, then don't buy the material or go see the movies. That is not what the Bible says, it reads: "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them" (Eph. 5:11).
Mothers, would you want your daughter to date a boy who fills his mind with such filth? Fathers, would you want to live next door to a place that sells porno material and have those that frequent such places around your home? The point is obvious!
Conclusion
God's people are the salt of the earth (Mt. 5:13). It is our job to influence society for that which is good. If God's people do not fight evil, then who will? We cannot become a hermit and avoid any confrontation with evil. We must inform ourselves of what is happening and search out ways to stomp out this evil. The way for evil and unrighteousness to reign supreme is for good people to idly sit by and do nothing. That's exactly what the porno-pushers what us to do. That is what Satan would have us do. That's what God's people must not do!
From Our Archives, 1986
by: Garland Robinson