Wow. People’s lives are being changed! Honestly, I have heard more and more stories lately of both men and women overcoming temptation! I have heard awesome stories of accountability, and the more I hear these stories, the more my belief is changing in how I approach accountability!
I have found nothing brings freedom like the revelation of knowing who we are in the Lord. If we learn who we are in Christ, the life-changing power becomes real and we find freedom!
It’s important we confess our sins. It’s important we have someone check in on us. It’s important we are practicing honesty and vulnerability. But, we must never forget the MAJOR reason we are staying pure. I can think of TONS of reasons that porn and masturbation is harmful. From guilt, shame, ruined relationships, rewired brains, to future struggles in real relationships, there isn’t any positive in porn. That’s not even considering the harm and pain the people in the porn industry feel.
Yet, none of these is even remotely as important as the following reason:
We are God’s temple.
In the Old Testament, God rested in what was called the Tabernacle. This place was extremely holy. In fact, anyone who came near would walk in fear and reverence of the Lord. It was so holy, that anyone who even touched it was put to death instantly!
After this, the Presence of God was moved to the temple, where again, anyone unclean who touched the Ark of the Covenant was put to death. We must remember that God’s holiness cannot be combined with sin! There was a large veil separating anyone outside from the “Holy of Holies” which is where God’s presence resided!
Then, when Christ died and rose again, God left the temple and now Christ lives in those who believe in him! So, as sexual sin is a sin against one’s own body, we must not forget that the Person of God now lives within us.
Just think about this for one more moment. If you believe in God, have you ever considered that God lives inside of you? He’s not just watching from above, but lives in us and through us! So when we are tempted, we must remember that this body is no longer just “my body”, but is a resting place for the Lord! When we take on the mission to keep God’s temple sacred, it gives us purpose and passion to live a holy life.