If a Christian is hooked on pornography and died, would he or she still go to heaven? How should a Christian approach pornography?
Many people find themselves caught up in various kinds of sexual sin. However, we are all commanded to repent and flee from all sexual immorality.
1 Cor. 6:18-20 – “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."
God warns heavily against sexual sin throughout scripture and we see the consequences of this sin in many stories including Lot and his two daughters, Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham and Hagar, fallen angels sleeping with women in Gen. 6, and many more. There were and are severe consequences for sexual sin.
We learn throughout the Bible that we all have sinned and our sin separates us from God.
Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”
Isaiah 69:2 – “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.”
When we put our faith in Christ Jesus and become His follower, we die to sin and do not live captive to it any longer.
Rom. 6:1- 4 “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
It is only through Christ’s death and resurrection that our sins are washed away and we can be united with God. This is not by any work we can do.
Eph. 2:8-9 – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
While our salvation does not depend on how many times we sin or how many times we “get it right”, we are called to be obedient to what God commands and follow in the footsteps of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.
It sounds like pornography has become an addiction in your life and is taking over your mind and body. Sexual sin is like cancer to the soul. While professional Biblical counseling may be the best treatment for this addiction, there are also some personal steps a Christian can take to help guard against temptation:
- Remove yourself from situations and environments that have any involvement in pornography or where pornography is encouraged and/or available.
- Be selective on what shows and movies you watch. It is almost impossible to turn on the television and not see sexual images and messages. Choose shows that do not have this content in them. Kids in Mind is a great website that lists all the movies and what their sexual content and rating is.
- Remove all access to pornography on your computer and smartphone. Get rid of everything that has to do with pornography…don’t leave any of it. Empty and delete your search history and any bookmarks you may have. Download Internet browsers that filter this content out. There are many difference kinds. Make sure pornography is not accessible to you on any electronic device, especially when you’re alone.
- Have a friend hold you accountable. They can keep an Internet search password to your computer and other electronic devices. You can also set up a system such as Covenant Eyes that emails a selected friend your Internet searches. Find a trusted friend and system that works for you both.
We cannot emphasize enough the severity of this sin and the consequences it has in your everyday life, relationships, and more importantly, your walk with the Lord. Please seek professional counseling and take steps to guard your heart, mind and body from pornography and all other sexual sin.
You can learn more about what the Bible says regarding pornography by reading Why is Watching Pornography Sinful?
