The Pervasive Disease

Sam Rainer

Our society is imbued with sex. This addiction is certainly an unbiblical one. And it has been around since the fall of man. Most major cultures, from the Greeks to the Romans to us, have struggled with this disease of addiction in some form. But now it is proliferating exponentially.

The fiber-optic boom transformed society. It brought upon us an electronic flood of information. Much of the transformation towards an electronic society was good. But the information flood also brought an incredible means of communicating and spreading filth. What we are left with is a cesspool that has spawned a disease of the heart with a penchant for destroying the family.

The following statistics are dismaying.

• The adult film industry is $13 billion large in the United States – bigger than mainstream Hollywood.
• Nielson Net Ratings states that up to 45 million “unique” visitors come to adult websites each month.
• The National Council on Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity reports that 2 million Internet users are addicted to pornography.
• Christianity Today uncovered through a survey that 33% of pastors have viewed Internet pornography at least once a year.

Scripture calls us to flee from this immorality. But fleeing is not enough. An equal call is one towards the cross and down the path of righteousness. We must flee immorality and pursue righteousness. Run fast from sin; earnestly seek a pure heart.

Pornography is a pervasive disease, plaguing the people of our country and our church. Christians are not immune. Our local congregations aren’t free and clear from the ravaging effects of the disease. The church cannot ignore the issue. Pastors cannot neglect addressing the issue honestly and openly. And the church has a responsibility to help redeem those lost in the world of pornography one person at a time.

Sexual sins carry more weight and are viewed with more repugnance than other sins by the church. At our church, I have yet to hear someone ask the church to pray for thier sexual addiction. But that doesn’t mean we shun repentant souls seeking a way out of the death spiral of sexual sin. We are to embrace them and help them heal.

And the church must do more than just aid in the healing process. We must teach a biblical view of sex to replace the world’s perspective that is spewed upon us every day through mass media. If the church refuses to teach godly sexual relations, then the porn industry will quickly fill in the gap. I recommend Dr. Daniel Akin’s book God on Sex as a great starting point.

Where can one find help? Several resources are available. Below are a couple of recommendations.

Pure Online is a relatively new resource for Christians wanting to take a first step toward recovering from sexual addictions and pornography.

Internet filters are available. One recommended by the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission is BSafe Online.

Of course, as with any addiction, many times professional help is needed. Those with a major sexual addiction should seek the help of professional Christian counselors coupled with the guidance of their pastors and churches.

God promised never again to destroy the earth through a flood. We, however, have begun the process of destroying our families with the flood of pornography. Only the work of the Holy Spirit can turn our nation from this pervasive disease. Only a revival of hearts can crush the sex industry. It begins with you and your local church.