E-Book - Chapter 3

In today’s chapter (3), Pastor Mark Driscoll gives us a compelling theology of lust—is that covered in Theo. V? As we men continue this study of the book, Porn-Again Christian, this is a very important chapter. Driscoll gives us some excellent thoughts about the theological problems this temptation presents; something we need to think seriously about.

To give you a glimpse, besides the opening paragraph, today I have included a few others: the second one below is an excellent point about the “harems” in our minds that pornography can produce, and then I have the conclusion—which again emphasizes that in the end, this is really a heart issue.

Chapter 3
A Theology of Pornographic Lust

As a new Christian in college, I remember having a conversation with another young Christian who frequently viewed pornography and told me that it was okay because he had examined the Bible thoroughly and never saw the word “pornography.” But, he conveniently missed the mountain of verses that speak about lust. This is typical among men who, as Paul says, want to suppress the truth so they can keep on sinning sexually (Rom. 1:18–24).

Concerning modern day harems . . .

However, throughout history men have been prone to obey the letter of the law on these matters, while violating the spirit. The spirit of these Scriptures forbidding sinful sexual practices includes the sins of the mind where men amass a harem rivaling Solomon’s but only in their imaginations.

His conclusion . . .

In Scripture, however, Jesus is normal and the rest of us are abnormal sinners with indwelling sin. Our individual lives and the corresponding collective lives we call culture are simply the outward reflection of the inner condition of our hearts. The heart is the seat and center of our identities, the essence of our total inner selves that expresses itself outwardly in word and deed. This concept is central to the teachings of Scripture and “heart” and its various forms (e.g., “hearts,” “hard-hearted”) occur over nine hundred times. Practically, this all means that only you and God truly know your heart and, rather than trying to obey legalistic rules, you must be honest about the lusts in your heart and reduce those triggers that stimulate you.

Read the rest of the chapter here.

Application: Find someone you trust to discuss this chapter with. Together, identify those places and times when you are particularly vulnerable to this temptation of lust. And then, help each other begin to develop a strategy to avoid it first, and it resist when necessary.

Blessings
Bill H