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If you have asked God to forgive you of your sin, have accepted his Son's sacrifice for you on the cross, and have turned aware from your sinful ways, then you're a Christian. And, as a Christian, you've chosen to walk away from doing evil and to walk God's way. Pornography—a lewd portrayal and abuse of the human body—is not of God. It is, to quote Paul, a work "of the flesh," and he boldly states that people "who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." In other words, it's impossible for you to be following the way of Christ and looking at pornography. One way is light and truth; the other way is darkness and evil lust.

So don't let yourself be trapped by pornography's lure. You're called to live a pure life, which also means keeping your mind pure. If you're a parent, you have an additional responsibility: to keep your kids' minds pure, to the best of your ability. Due to the Internet, pornography now has an open door into your home and their heads. That means you may need to do some frequent strolling past the computer or TV screens to see what images are being put into their minds—particularly into the minds of those of adolescents and teens, who are naturally curious about sex and the human body. (See also Song of Solomon 2:8-17; 2 Timothy 2:22.)

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Galatians 5:22, 23

Do you see pornography for what it really is—or do you sugarcoat it by subtly agreeing with statements others make, such as, "Well, it's an art form," "The U.S. Constitution gives adults freedom," or the age-old lie: "It's not really hurting anything. It's just looking"?

Copyright 2001 by the author or Christianity Today International/Christian Bible Studies.

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