Eric Simmons
Pornography is a problem.
Porn is like a narcotic, it hijacks the brain, it redefines human sexuality, and in the meantime ruins lives, destroys families, and destabilizes ministries. And honestly it’s a problem that makes me tired — tired of the devastation Satan is causing to children, women, families, pastors, churches, and the world with this tragic evil.
Porn became a problem for me when I was only six, and by the grace of God that problem ended when Jesus saved me at age seventeen. But I know it rarely happens so cleanly. It is still a temptation, yes; temptation abounds living in the city I do, and with the heart I have, but grace abounds all the more in Jesus Christ.
Friends, I hate porn. And here’s why.
I hate porn because it is a perversion of what God created in man and woman.
I hate porn because it exploits women made in the image of God into an image made for a man’s lust.
I hate porn because it objectifies women into a consumable product instead of a glorious image-bearing creature of God.
I hate porn because I love women — in particular my wife and three daughters.
I hate porn because it takes the soul-satisfying experience of sex with a covenantally committed spouse and turns it into a twisted soul-shrinking experience of self-sex.
I hate porn because it turns sons and daughters of God into slaves of sex.
I hate porn because it turns potential missionaries into impotent Christians.
I hate porn because it destroys marriage, many before they even begin.
I hate porn because it extends adolescence and keeps men boys.
I hate porn because it lies to men about beauty and leads men to look for a porn star instead of a woman who fears the Lord.
I hate porn because it robs men and women of the full joy of obedience.
I hate porn because it fractures trust between a husband and wife.
I hate porn because it is a diabolical, satanic activity that is subtly leading thousands upon thousands to hell.
I hate porn because it leads to disqualified pastors and impotent churches. (Pastors, if you are addicted to porn, you are disqualified, and you are killing your church!)
I hate porn because I suspect it’s the most significant reason we are not planting more churches and sending more missionaries.
I hate porn because it disqualifies gospel preachers who could fill the empty church buildings in my city and so many others.
I hate porn because of the disappointment children have to go through when their dad tells them why they lost their job or opportunity to lead in the church.
I hate porn because it teaches a distorted view of sex to children before it can be explained by loving parents.
I hate porn because I am tired of sitting in my living room with sobbing, confused, devastated wives and broken, embarrassed, condemned men who got caught.
I hate porn because it leads to rape, molestation, and perversion that can devastate people for the rest of their lives.
I hate porn because it turns men inward and suffocates a man’s ambition to make God’s name hallowed.
I hate porn because it says sin, Satan, and the world are more satisfying than our triune God and his grace.
I hate porn because I hate ungodly guilt and condemnation.
I hate porn for the fear it induces in the hearts of parents everywhere that their child could stumble upon a sight and get addicted.
But I love Jesus.
I love Jesus because he loves people with porn problems.
I love Jesus because he is powerful to free porn-enslaved hearts.
He who knew no porn addiction became porn addiction so the porn addict might become the righteousness of God in him.
He who had no sin became sin for you so that you may become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).
In that one brilliant sentence, Paul puts an end to the porn problem.
“I love Jesus because he is powerful to free porn-enslaved hearts.”TweetShare on Facebook
Friend, you are no longer in Adam but in Jesus. Jesus became a substitute. It was as if he became the porn addict, by receiving the just penalty due for our perversion, and you became the righteous son or daughter of God with all its benefits.
Friend, in one act of love and justice, in the cross-work of Jesus, through faith in him, you are now clean, holy, accepted, forgiven, and free. Let me say it again . . . free!
I love Jesus.
Eric Simmons is the lead pastor of Redeemer Arlington, a church just outside Washington, D.C.