Over the last several weeks we have looked at how God through Christ sets men free from sexual sin. Sexual sin is a serious threat to the local church. Men are being consumed by this sin on a daily basis. Many of these men feel out of control and helpless.
Pornography and sexual sin devour men’s souls each and every day. God has given us a tremendous opportunity to administer the gospel for His glory and the love of our neighbor. It is of the utmost importance to find these brothers and make sure they understand the saving power of the gospel.
Jesus Christ is stronger than the strongest bondage of sin. Jesus, the second Adam, broke this bondage of sin because of his perfect obedience and God the Father distributes his righteousness to those who repent of sin and believer in Christ as Savior. There is real help and hope. It is not found in a 12-step program. It is found only in the God-Man who absorbed the wrath of God for believers. Men can only be set free by the precious gospel of Jesus Christ. From there, they need to daily be reminded of this important truth in Romans 8:31-39:
“What shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died- more that that, who was raised- who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword… No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
This passage of Scripture is a motivator for the sexually broken to perpetually fast from sin and trust in the person and work of Christ alone for strength. Furthermore, it is a comfort understanding that in Christ, salvation is a sure thing.
Christ died for his child that is enslaved to pornography and sexual sin. These men need to hear this and be reminded of it. They also need to understand that the same Holy Spirit that raised their Savior from the dead is the same Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of the eternal inheritance (Eph. 1). Men enslaved to pornography and sexual sin can change and God through Jesus offers this change to believers from every tribe, tongue, and nation.
Joey Tomlinson (DMin, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is a husband, father, and pastor at a local church in Newport News, Virginia. He blogs regularly on broadoakpiety.org and hosts a weekly podcast called The Broad Oak Piety Podcast with another local pastor in the community.
