The Perils of Pornography

By: M. S. Shiflett 

Job 31:1  "I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?"

Proverbs 6:25  Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

Matthew 5:28  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

2 Timothy 2:22  Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Proverbs 23:26-28  My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.  For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit. She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.

Proverbs 5:20-22  And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.

Psalms 101:3  I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

1 Corinthians 10:6  Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

James 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

John 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.

Romans 6:12  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Romans 13:14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Titus 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Ephesians 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Ephesians 4:22  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

1 Peter 1:14  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

1 Peter 2:11  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

Philippians 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Pornography is a $57 billion a year industry. Millions of people are secretly involved in the sin of pornography.  It is estimated that there are over 372 million pornographic web pages on the internet. Note these unbelievable statistics. These statistics have been derived from a number of different reputable sources including Google, WordTracker, PBS, MSNBC, NRC, and Alexa research.

• Porn revenue is larger than all combined revenues of all professional football, baseball and basketball franchises.
• US porn revenue exceeds the combined revenues of ABC, CBS, and NBC (6.2 billion)
• Child pornography generates $3 billion annually
• Men admitting to accessing pornography at work 20%
• US adults who regularly visit Internet pornography websites 40 million
• Promise Keeper men who viewed pornography in last week 53%
• Christians who said pornography is a major problem in the home 47%
• Adults admitting to Internet sexual addiction 10%
• Breakdown of male/female visitors to pornography sites 72% male - 28% female
• 13% of Women admit to accessing pornography at work.
• 17% of all women struggle with pornography addiction.
• 1 of 3 visitors to all adult web sites are women.
• 9.4 million women access adult web sites each month.
• Average age of first Internet exposure to pornography 11 years old
• Largest consumer of Internet pornography 12-17 age group
• 15-17 year olds having multiple hard-core exposures 80%
• 8-16 year olds having viewed porn online 90% (most while doing homework)

If you are involved in the sin of pornography, God can deliver you from that.  If you have never been saved, then what you need to do is to be born again. Until you get saved, you will never be free from the bondage of pornography. The Word of God teaches that when a person is saved, God makes them a new creature.  2 Corinthians 5:17  "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."  Only God is able to change your wicked heart and mind and transform you into a child of God. Fall on your knees and ask God to forgive you of your sins and place your trust in him as the only way to Heaven.  Ask Him to come into your heart and save you and make you a child of God.  Believe on Him and he will save you from your sins. 

If you are saved, but you are fighting with the sin of pornography, there is hope for you also.  1 John 1:9  "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  The Bible also says in Proverbs 28:13  "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."

The first step towards being delivered from this sin is to acknowledge it to God and ask His forgiveness.  The second step is to forsake and repent of that sin and replace it with something wholesome and holy.  Psalms 119:9 "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word."

The next step is remove the temptation by not going places where pornography is sold or available.  Don't hang around friends that are involved in it.  If you use a computer, create an accountability with a trusted friend and have them check on you and check your computer occasionally.  If you have a computer at home with internet access, there are many good, Christian internet filters that you can download that will prevent any pornography from being accessed from your computer.  These are safeguards that you can incorporate to help you keep a clean heart and a clean mind.  If you are serious about getting help with this, God will help you. 

1 John 4:4  "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."

If you have never been saved, please contact me and I'd be delighted to send you more information about what Jesus did for you and His free gift of salvation.