Tag: Repentance

the parable of the narrow door

WHY MUST THE DOOR be narrow? Certainly, there will be more than ample room in heaven for everyone. Its vastness is beyond anything we can imagine. Scripture tells us that God desires everyone to be saved. Paul urged Timothy to make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for all people, for God our Savior desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (see 1 Tim. 2:1-4). So, why this “narrow door” image of the way to salvation? What is this urgency that we stay on the narrow way? Let’s take a look.

“He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, ‘Lord, will those who are saved be few?’ And he said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able'” (Luke 13:22-24).

It is not about the mathematics of who gets into heaven and who does not; neither the number nor the percentage of earth’s population are what matter here. It requires a humble and repentant heart to respond properly to the gospel. When Jesus says, “Strive to enter through the narrow door,” He is urging people to respond properly to Him before it is too late and the Father (“the owner of the house”) closes the door. This is why Jesus contrasts the narrow gate to the “broad road.” The broad road (the “freeway of this world”) will always be crowded with people on a highway to hell.

Our citizenship in heaven comes when we enter into a relationship with Christ.

Only Certain People

When Jesus was asked whether only a few will be saved, He did not directly answer with “yes” or “no.” The point is not how many individuals make it into heaven. Rather it is about a proper response to the gospel, for it is only through believing in Christ that we can take the next exit off the broad road and head toward the narrow gate. Citizenship in heaven, if you will, is made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but our entrance is not guaranteed. Although Jesus died for our sins, we have the responsibility of believing that we were crucified and raised up with Him to new life. We must believe that His death removes our sin and guilt.

The way to destruction is easy, but the way that leads to life is narrow and hard (see Matt. 7:13-14).

Concluding Thoughts

Jesus is the narrow way. He is the only way to the Father (see John 14:6). He is the only way of salvation (see Rom. 10:9-11). He lived and ministered on earth to provide detailed instructions for us to follow Him. We are to walk as He walked. Following in His footsteps, living as He lived, is the way to progressive sanctification. He is the gate of the sheep (see John 10:7); the bread of life (John 6:35); and the resurrection (John 11:25). L. Thompson writes, “The Gateway to Life is small. It is filled with many trials designed to refine and reveal our faith…It is not a selective process but a daily slaying of our flesh to allow God’s Spirit to resonate through us.” He added, “… I find that the more I seek to know the Lord, serve Him, and live for Him that the road has become less crowded.”1

God desires for all men to be saved. The parable of the narrow door reminds us of the harsh truth that not everyone will make it into heaven. Jesus tells us to strive, yearn for, pursue, chase after the narrow gate. The gate is “narrow” because the opportunity for entrance into heaven is meant only for those who call upon the Name of Jesus and be saved.

Steven Barto, BS PSY, ThM

Unless otherwise specified, all Scripture references contained herein are from the English Standard Version (ESV).

References
1 L. Thompson, The Narrow Road, July 8, 2020, retrieved Dec. 10, 2023, https://lthomason.wordpress.com/2020/07/08/the-narrow-road/

God, Take My Brokenness and Make Something New!

THE STORY OF DAVID and his adulterous affair with Bathsheba teaches us the importance of brokenness and repentance. This story is one of the most dramatic accounts in the Old Testament. David had stayed behind while his army was out to war. Not surprisingly, the shirking of his kingly duties led to restlessness. One evening, as he was walking on his rooftop, David saw a gorgeous young woman bathing (2 Samuel 11). Rather than divert his eyes, David lusted after her. He asked his servants about the woman, and they told him she was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s mighty men (2 Samuel 23:39). David sent one of his messengers to summon Bathsheba to the palace, and they slept together.

Some time later, Bathsheba send a message to David: “I am pregnant.” Immediately, David began to scheme. He sent word to have Uriah return from battle. He instructed Uriah to go home and spend the evening with his wife. Obviously, David wanted the couple to have intimate relations so it would appear the child was his rather than David’s. However, Uriah remained outside the palace until morning, eager to return to the battlefield in service of the king. So, David penned a private message to Joab, sealed it, and gave it to Uriah, sending him back into battle. The note told Joab, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die” (2 Sam. 11:15). We can only imagine the scandal all of this would have caused for David as King of Israel.

These events caused David great sorrow. His offenses, however, extended beyond adultery. While David did commit adultery and murder, his primary sin was abuse of the office and position entrusted to him by God. During a time of war when a king would normally accompany his troops into battle, David chose to neglect his duties and stay home. During this time of leisurely self-indulgence, he fell into temptation that otherwise would not have presented itself. David then abuses his kingly authority to summon Bathsheba. He takes advantage of a young woman who had trusted him all her life. He then uses his authority as commander-in-chief to use a faithful officer in his army to sin by setting up the death of Uriah on the front lines and cover it up.

David wrote seven penitent psalms, including the 6th, 32nd, 38th, 51st, 102nd, 130th, and the 143rd. These writings represent expressing deep sorrow over sin and spiritual failure.

Psalm 51

The 51st Psalm tells of David’s blackest moment of self-examination, and how he went from having a crushed to a pure heart. He gained a new perspective on sin itself. Rather than sink into morbid despair, David asked God, “Create in me a clean heart” (51:10). There is a progression from pleading to assurance in this psalm that is fitting for us all. David cries out to God, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin” (Psa. 51:1-2). His remark, have mercy, is the expression of a man who is aware he has no right to expect the favor he seeks from God. But there is a covenantal meaning to the words steadfast love. David knows that he “still belongs” to God. However, he also knows the accusing record of his sin remains. It is for this reason he begs God, “blot out my transgressions.” Of course, we know David had a forward-looking-faith in the coming of the Messiah who would shed His blood on the cross for the washing away of sin.

Restoration

There is also an amazing correlation with David’s lament in the 51st Psalm and the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). David cries out, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight” (51:4). Cast me not away from your presence, he pleads. Restore me. The prodigal son showed humility and regret when he said, “I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants'” (Luke 15:18-19). The returning son showed true repentance—confession of sin, genuine sorrow, and humility. The Greek word for repentance is metanoeo, meaning “to change one’s mind for the better” (see Luke 13:3). This goes beyond merely forsaking sin; it involves a complete change in one’s attitude and orientation toward all sinful behavior.

David shows this same penitent heart in the 51st Psalm. As such, this psalm provides a perfect exemplar for anyone with a broken and contrite heart in search of forgiveness and reconciliation. Both David and the prodigal son became aware that their sins had cut them off from fellowship with God, and they longed for restoration. Some biblical scholars believe that the reason the prodigal son returned to his father was hunger. I would ask your indulgence for a moment concerning this suggestion. The parable of the prodigal is about self-examination, humility, remorse, and repentance. The father’s reaction to his son’s return (even while he was still a long way off) is the effect of the son’s contrite heart. It is the story of God’s rejoicing over the return of even one lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7).

God said to Israel, “Yet even now, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments” (Joel 2:12) [italics added]. The phrase with all your heart refers to the need for complete repentance. It is as if God is saying that when we return we must be all in. Repentance has to be genuine or it is mere lip service. God wants a relationship with us. He desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:3). Christ died for us while we were still mired in our sin; weak and in need of redemption (Rom. 5:6,8). With fasting suggests seeking fulfillment from Christ alone, which typically includes removing all comfort, desire, and distraction. Food is a powerful source of comfort for many individuals. Many Americans turn to addictive behaviors during a crisis1, with 13% over the age of 50 likely addicted to food.2 With weeping and with all mourning is a further indicator of genuine repentance. In biblical times, people would often rend or tear their garments in sorrow or outrage. But God says rend your hearts in the passage from Joel—show your grief and sorrow to God inwardly.

Personal Applications For Us Today

Psalms help us express virtually any emotion we may have as believers living in a broken world. They provide us with a mirror of the day-to-day affirmations of Jesus during His earthly ministry. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Psalms are a timeless collection of hymns and poems meant for encouragement and comfort; for sorrow and lament; for wisdom and thanksgiving; for pilgrimage, enthronement, and Messianic reflection. There are Psalms appropriate for times of imprecatory anger. Through each of these types of psalms, we are given the chance to express ourselves to God; to see ourselves as God sees us; to see others as God sees them. The Psalms help us remember who God is through examples of His faithfulness. Yet, they vividly express the results of living outside the will of God.

Paul said we are to put on (as God’s chosen ones) compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one other. He then wrote, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col. 3:12-13, 16).

You might ask, “If God has forgiven my sin, past, present and future, why ask Him to create in me a clean heart?” Pertinent parts of the Bible consider the heart to be the seat of life and strength. We are admonished to practice righteous living; not to be faint of heart. But the problem lies in the fact that the human heart is sinful (Gen. 6:5; Jer. 17:9; Mt. 15:19). Proverbs refers to the heart as the command center of the soul—mind, will, and emotions. We read, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life” (Pro. 4:23). Hebrews 4:12 says we should be aware of the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Mt. 5:8).

The 51st Psalm is both a prayer of lament and a guide for restoration following a period of sinful rebellion. David recognizes his fallen position and immediately appeals for mercy. God’s covenant of steadfast love provides the basis for assurance. It is more accurate to say that we seek restoration to God than God seeks restoration to us. God does not come to David and say, “You are no longer worthy to be called my son.” It is David who recognizes his own unworthiness. David sees the need to be washed thoroughly, using a Hebrew verb normally related to the laundering of garments. Also, David longs for the Spirit of God to once again spring forth from his own heart and spirit. The restoration David longs for is about resource and relationship. Restore and return are parts of the same action. Derek Kidner believes verses 18 and 19 were added as a “people’s prayer” during the generations between captivity and the rebuilding, making David’s penitence their own. If so, these last two verses interpret verse 16.3

Meditating on and Praying the 51st Psalm helps us grasp the full horror of our sin. David said, “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me” (51:3). Continually, his sin looms before him. Like David, we realize our sins are symptomatic of a deeper problem. We learn from the story of David and Bathsheba that the danger of sin lurks in our flesh (51:5). We must long for “a new heart.” As believers in Jesus Christ, we are well-aware that this degree of restoration is available to us through redemption and regeneration. Like David, we need to recognize the same power that created the universe creates in us a clean heart and a renewed (right) spirit (51:10). Our new heart sets the stage for the fellowship we long for with God. Then, having been recreated as a new creature, we are able to testify boldly of our redemption. We come away from the integral lesson of the 51st Psalm knowing that the sacrifices of God (those with which God is most pleased) are a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart.

References
1 Brooke Steinburg, “Most Americans Turn to Addictive Behaviors During Crisis: Survey,” The New York Post (Apr. 29, 2023), https://nypost.com/2023/04/19/most-americans-turn-to-addictive-behaviors-during-crisis-survey/
2 News Medical Life Sciences, “Poll: 13% of Americans Aged 50 to 80 Show Signs of Food Addiction” (Jan. 30, 2023), https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230130/Poll-1325-of-Americans-aged-50-to-80-show-signs-of-food-addiction.aspx
3 Derek Kidner, Kidner Classic Commentaries: Psalms 1-72 (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008), 210.

The Prodigal: On Being Lost

BEING LOST IS ONE of the worst experiences we go through as human beings. I remember getting confused about which street to take while on business in Pittsburgh. I pulled to the side of the road and stared at a map of the area (this was before GPS and smart phones), and said, “This is no good. I don’t even know where I am on this map!” I was disconnected from everything around me. Sadly, this was how I always felt whenever I went somewhere new. I had developed something I had no idea could be real—mazophobia, or the fear of getting lost. The term doesn’t appear in any medical dictionary or scientific literature searches, and it’s not mentioned in any of the psychological textbooks. Fear of getting lost may not yet be listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR), but the uncomfortable position of being lost can make your heart race, palms sweat, hands shake, and breathing quicken.

If we have no idea where we are heading, we can end up literally anywhere.

Now, imagine feeling lost spiritually. I mean truly confused, bogged down, questioning where you are and whether God wants you there. Perhaps you have hastily departed for “a distant land” unsure of your calling, your direction, or your purpose. This is, in a real sense, the experience of being restless. When I found myself in this position recently, my first reaction was to lash out, blaming those in my immediate surroundings for confusing me. I felt distracted by the emotion of being unsure, and I began to doubt my calling. Surely, church should not be this confounding! I threw my hands up in surrender to God and the word recalculating came to mind. I needed to be reoriented as to my current location and restored to proper direction in order to reach the destination God intends for me.

A Restless, Misguided Adventure

The parable of the prodigal son is about restlessness, misguided adventure, selfish desire, and riotous living. It is a story about being lost, then found. The word prodigal is not found in Scripture. As an adjective, it means “spending money or resources freely and recklessly,” or, “being wastefully extravagant.” It is a late Middle English word originating from late Latin prodigalis, meaning “wasteful,” derived from the Latin root prodigus, or “lavish.” Looking closely at the parable of the prodigal son, I see a young man who was restless and in a hurry to grow up and strike out on his own. When his father agreed to divide the estate and give one-third to the younger son, the extent of the father’s wealth became known to his sons and to others. Almost immediately after receiving his share, the younger son “set off for a distant land” where he sinfully squandered all that he was given. He was so determined to go it his own way and live as he pleased, that he wasted no time leaving home.

In Jewish law, an estate was never settled until the father’s death. A deal could be struck, but property could not change hands before the father died (m. Baba Bathra 8:7).1 Jewish law did this to protect parents in their old age. The younger son was able to liquidate his share of the estate by selling his rights for cash, but the actual property would not change hands before the father died. After the deal was done, it could not be undone. Not long after leaving home, the son became lost to a vile, hedonistic, slavish state of being. We often hear this called “walking according to fleshly desires.” The Bible says, “…and there he squandered his property in reckless living” (Luke 15:13b). He recklessly and wastefully spent everything he had, leaving him with no cash, no assets, and no inheritance.

Even More Shocking!

As astounding as it was that the young son demanded his portion of his father’s estates before his father died, it was more shocking that the father was willing to restore his wayward son’s position of honor in the family. Imagine what the father’s friends and neighbors thought when word got out that the son came crawling back and the father let him in! But as a daddy, the father was overjoyed to see his son coming up the road to the house. The son showed humility and regret when he said, “I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants'” (Luke 15:18-19). My experience was different. I had finally hurt some key members of my family enough times that (at least for now) they have withdrawn and refuse to speak to me.

The prodigal son is often cited as an example of a lost sinner who has returned to the family and to the faith after an absence.

Scripture says, “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20). This is a key verse. The returning son showed true repentance—confession of sin, genuine sorrow, and humility. The Greek word for repentance is metanoeo, meaning “to change one’s mind for the better” (see Luke 13:3). This goes beyond merely forsaking sin; it involves a complete change in one’s attitude and orientation toward all sinful behavior. In fact, it is this degree of repentance God expects from us as a condition for receiving His forgiveness and grace. We have witnessed the prodigal son demonstrating complete humility. He said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called your son” (15:21). 

The immediate compassion and unconditional love offered to the son by his father upon his return is exceptional, and it reinforces the theme of joyful celebration when something lost has been found. Although the son expected no less than to be treated as a slave, his father’s forgiveness and restoration far extends beyond the son’s expectations. Some scholars argue that the son was motivated by hunger to return to his father rather than by sincere remorse or repentance. I believe the son’s physical pangs of hunger led him to experience a spiritual emptiness and guilt so great that led to regret and remorse. After all, he could have become a vagabond, stealing food and money to survive. Instead, he chose to “return” to the father.

Closing Thoughts

Being destitute is a tough spot in which to find yourself. Worse, however, is being lost and broken with nowhere to go. During much of my riotous living and active addiction, I often had to crash at my brother’s apartment, and at times I was limited to “surfing couches” at friends’ houses. At the bottom of persisting in sin and autonomy lies the foolish and ruinous ambition of independence from the Father. Now that I can relate to! I never set out to abuse God’s grace. I longed for wholeness and reintegration, but I knew it depended on my sincere and complete surrender.I could see my place-setting at the Father’s table, but couldn’t pull my chair out and sit down. This place, my place, which the Father saved for me. Amazingly, He would not allow anyone to clear it away. Instead, He would say, “He’s coming back. Leave it for him.”

Steven Barto, BS Psy, ThM

Unless otherwise specified, all Scripture contained herein is from the English Standard Version (ESV).

References
1 Brad H. Young, The Parables: Jewish Tradition and Christian Interpretation (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2002), 130-157.

Sixty-Eight Percent!

IF I WERE TO TELL you there is a malady affecting sixty-eight percent of Christian men, would you not want to hear about it? Further, would you be concerned that this issue prevents Christians from being filled with the Holy Spirit? Without a Spirit-filled life, a Christian cannot flow in the peace and power of God; only the Holy Spirit can produce the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). Essentially, the Holy Spirit is a flowing spring of pure, satisfying, and refreshing spiritual water. Impure thoughts and images cause this vital living water to be contaminated. Our thought life largely determines the kind of spiritual water flowing within our soul at any given moment.

68% of men and 30% of women who consider themselves Christian view pornography on a consistent basis!

Terry Cu-unjieng of Conquer Series says a national survey among churches conducted over the past five years revealed that 68 percent of Christian men and 50 percent of pastors view pornography regularly. Worse, boys age 11 to 17 were found to be its greatest users. (1) Morgan Lee of Christianity Today(2) says most pastors have had a porn habit at some time with pornography. A study which included 432 pastors and 338 youth pastors commissioned by Josh McDowell’s Ministry and by Campus Crusade for Christ at the April 2016 Set Free summit reported that pastors (57%) and youth pastors (64%) admit they have struggled with porn, either currently or in the past. Overall, 21 percent of youth pastors and 14 percent of pastors admit they currently struggle with porn. More than 1 in 10 youth pastors (12%) and 1 in 20 pastors (5%) said they’re addicted to pornography (Barna report.).

Steve Arterburn(3) believes porn is the greatest threat facing Christians today. He lists the following four reasons:

  • Porn always gets worse. When a person gets involved in pornography, they are more likely to move into a genre they used to think was detestable or perverse.
  • Porn prevents sanctification. When a person is addicted to pornography, they have lost the desire to be sanctified.
  • Porn kills intimacy. Pornography destroys intimacy with God and between couples.
  • Porn causes impotency. ED drugs are flourishing because of porn.

What’s Going On?

David Kinnaman spoke recently regarding pornography among teens. When they talk about porn with friends, 89 percent of teens, and 95 percent of young adults say they do so in a neutral, accepting, or encouraging way. Accordingly, only 1 in 20 young adults and 1 in 10 teens say their friends think viewing pornography is a bad thing. Seventy-one percent of adults and 85 percent of teens and young adults who have viewed pornography did so using the internet. Magazines, graphic novels, on-demand videos and cable or rented or purchased DVDs are a very small part of the “market.” More than half of women age 25 and younger seek out porn (56% versus 27% among women 25-plus) and one-third seek it out at least monthly (33% versus just 12% among older men).(4)

The Christian church is in the sexual battle of its life. More than half of youth pastors have had at least one teen come to them for help in dealing with porn. Ninety-three percent of pastors and 94 percent of youth pastors say it is a much bigger or somewhat bigger problem than it was in the past. At this rate, as young Christians become adults, the Church will be flooded with porn addicts. Pastor James Reeves of City On A Hill Church DFW has successfully tackled porn addiction in his church. He warns, “This problem is going to sweep through the Church like a tsunami wave of destruction and we’re not prepared for it.”

Satan’s attacks regarding sexuality have become so outright and blatant that even the Christian church has become desensitized to it. Pastors are failing to address the matter from the pulpit. These acts are being condoned in nearly every church in America.

Donna Rice Hughes says, “The continuous invasion of graphic, hard–core online pornography into cultures worldwide has been called the largest unregulated social experiment in human history and represents a hidden public health hazard we should not ignore.”(5) Witherspoon Institute, in its release of “The Social Costs of Pornography: A Statement of Findings and Recommendations,” (a multifaceted, multidisciplinary, scholarly review) said pornography, especially via the Internet, harms men, women, and children, and fuels pornography addiction. Chronic viewing of pornography causes the breakdown of marriage and exacerbates sex trafficking.”(6) Other peer–reviewed studies have reached similar conclusions.

Here are some key facts about online pornography presented by Witherspoon:

  • Teenage girls are significantly more likely to actively seek out porn than women 25 years old and above.
  • A study of 14- to 19-year-olds found that females who consumed pornographic videos were at a significantly greater likelihood of being victims of sexual harassment or sexual assault.
  • A 2015 meta-analysis of 22 studies from seven countries found that internationally the consumption of pornography was significantly associated with increases in verbal and physical aggression, among males and females alike.
  • A recent UK survey found that 44 percent of males age 11 to 16 who consumed pornography reported that online pornography gave them ideas about the type of sex they wanted to try.
  • Porn sites receive more regular traffic than Netflix, Amazon, & Twitter combined each month. 
  • 35 percent of all internet downloads are porn-related.
  • 34 percent of internet users have been exposed to unwanted porn from ads, pop-ups. etc.
  • The teen porn category has topped porn site searches for the last six years.
  • At least 30 percent of all data transferred across the Internet is porn-related.
  • The most common female role stated in porn titles is that of women in their 20’s portraying teenagers.
  • Recorded child sexual exploitation (known as “child porn”) is one of the fastest-growing online businesses.
  • More than 624,000 child porn traders have been discovered online in the U.S.
  • Porn is estimated to be a $97 billion global industry, with about $12 billion of that coming from the U.S.
  • In 2018 alone, more than 5 billion 500 million hours of porn were consumed on the world’s largest porn site.
  • Eleven pornography sites are among the world’s top 300 most popular Internet sites. The most popular porn site outranks the likes of eBay, MSN, and Netflix.
  • “Lesbian” was the most-searched-for Internet porn in 2018.
  • The world’s largest free porn site received over 33 billion site visits during 2018.

Overcoming Sexual Strongholds

David, a man after God’s heart, fell to lust and adultery. Some Bible translations refer to this section of Scripture as “Bathsheba, David’s Greatest Sin” (2 Sam. 11). After viewing Bathsheba sunbathing on an adjacent rooftop, David was unable to cool his desire. Lust and sexual sin invariably lead to destruction. In David’s situation, he slept with Bathsheba, who was married to Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s foot soldiers. She conceived a child out of this adulterous affair. Uriah returned from battle. David was quite obsessed with Bathsheba, and she was carrying his child. He sent Uriah back to the front lines, instructing Joab to take Uriah to the forefront of the fighting and abandon him that he might die in battle. A messenger returned to David saying, “Then the archers shot arrows at your servants from the wall, and some of the king’s men died. Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead” (2 Sam. 11:24).

Ruth Moore writes, “Satan has done a masterful job of shaming those who are caught in sexual strongholds into a continuous cycle of defeat.”(7) The devil cannot take our salvation from us, but he does everything he can to steal, kill, and destroy our character, testimony, and effectiveness. One of the more egregious results of habitual sin is internal guilt and shame. Whenever a believer is tethered to immorality, he or she begins to doubt their salvation—their standing as a believer, clothed in the righteousness of Christ. The resulting downward spiral leads to establishment of a stronghold. Paul describes strongholds in 2 Corinthians 10:5: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

Moore says, “A stronghold is anything that exalts itself in our minds, ‘pretending’ to be bigger or more powerful than our God. It steals much of our focus and causes us to feel overpowered. Controlled. Mastered.”(8) Whether the stronghold is addiction, unforgiveness, fear, chronic lying, or deep despair over a tragic loss, it is something that consumes so much of our emotions and mental activity that we are cut off from the abundant life we’ve been promised through Jesus Christ. Indeed, pornography is one of the greatest strongholds experienced by Christians today.

An Addiction Like Every Other

Addiction to pornography is real. I know because I’ve been there. Repeated consumption of pornography causes the brain to literally rewire itself. It triggers the brain to pump out chemicals (serotonin, dopamine, endorphins, oxytocin), forming new nerve pathways, and leading to profound and lasting changes in the brain. Pornography triggers brain activity in people with compulsive sexual behavior—known commonly as sex addiction—similar to that triggered by drugs in the brains of drug addicts. Studies have shown that porn stimulates the same areas of the brain as addictive drugs, making the brain release the same chemicals. Like drugs, porn triggers pathways in the brain that cause craving, leading users back for more and more extreme “hits” to get high.

There is something deep inside the brain called our reward center. Even the family dog has one. For mammals, it comes as “standard equipment.” The reward center releases pleasure chemicals into our brains whenever we do something positive or healthy, like eating tasty food, doing a hard workout, or enjoying a kiss. The spike of euphoria resulting from this activity feels like a high (a chemical rush) that makes us want to repeat the behavior over and over. Our reward center aids in hard wiring our brains, motivating us to do things that will improve our physical and mental health, leading to an increased chance of survival. Addiction hijacks our reward center and creates neuropathways that scream out for more of any drug that lights up our prefrontal lobe.

According to Dr. Victor Cline, a nationally renowned clinical psychologist who specializes in sexual addiction, pornography addiction is a process that undergoes four phases. First, addiction, resulting from early and repeated exposure accompanied by masturbation. Second, escalation, during which the addict requires more frequent porn exposure to achieve the same “highs” and may learn to prefer porn to sexual intercourse. Third, desensitization, during which the addict views as normal what was once considered repulsive or immoral. And finally, the acting-out phase, during which the addict runs an increased risk of making the leap from screen to real life.

The True Nature of Repentance

As Christians, we already understand that faith and repentance are twin doctrines that cannot be separated. We must believe in Christ’s penitent death on the cross. If we repent of habitual sin, we must have an intent to do a 180 and change our behavior. We cannot accept the saving grace of God through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and continue in our old, sinful lifestyle. John Calvin defines repentance as, “The true turning of our life to God, a turning that arises from a pure and earnest fear of Him; and it consists in the mortification of our flesh and of the old man, and in the revivification of the Spirit.”(9)

Repentance operates within the realm of several key elements. We must have a sense of shame, which leads to a genuine desire to give up habitual, sinful behavior. It is imperative that we not try to break free from sin under our own power, or think we’re “getting it” better than others. Sorrow and regret should fill our hearts. We must grieve and mourn over our offense, regretting all it has cost us and others. Repentance should lead to a distaste of sin. Cry out as David did: “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, and thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight, so that thou art justified in thy sentence and blameless in thy judgment” (Psa. 51:3-4).

Prayer for Overcoming Sexual Strongholds

“LORD Jesus, I have realized that I am hopelessly enslaved to the sexual stronghold of pornography, and that I am powerless to save myself. I acknowledge that You are the Son of God and have already paid the debt for my sin. All I need to do is claim it personally. I realize that You died for me. You bore every single one of my sins—past, present, and future. I cannot be good enough to work my way to heaven, nor can I stand against the wiles of the devil under my own power. Come dwell in me through Your Holy Spirit. Set me free from this sexual stronghold and allow me to live through Your resurrection to a new life. Thank you God that you will never leave me, nor forsake me. You are able to deliver me from any temptation. In the Name of Jesus, amen!”

Concluding Remarks

As an industry, pornography has surpassed the bottled water business. Much of what we see today mirrors the out-of-control lifestyle and Hedonism of Rome. Nearly 70 percent of active pastors in the Christian church admit to watching pornography on a regular basis. It is very difficult to get pastoral help to curb this troublesome trend when the shepherds of the flock are similarly distracted. Viewing pornographic images of women or men for sexual gratification is a sin. As Christ said, merely looking upon another with such prurient interest is the same as having sex with them. In addition, regular viewing of pornographic images prevents Christians from being filled with or guided by the Holy Spirit. Worse, as I’ve learned, it causes the user of porn to believe a false reality, and leads to objectification of people as sex objects. When a Christian becomes embroiled in pornography, he or she is weighed down with guilt and regret. Habitual sin becomes a stronghold.

If you or a loved one is having difficulty staying away from pornography, it’s likely a stronghold has developed. It can be just as hard to quit pornography as it is stopping the abuse of drugs or alcohol. The chemical “rewards” are far too great. It is possible to make a conscious decision early on to stay away, but once the habit has become an addiction it can often require professional or spiritual guidance to quit. Please consider talking to your pastor or a trusted member of your congregation. If you are having trouble trusting yourself to stop visiting untoward websites, there are several apps or services that can help. I highly recommend Covenant Eyes. In any event, the first step (as with any addiction) is to admit powerlessness over the habit. There is power in the Name of Jesus to break any chain of addiction.

References
(1) Terry Cu–Unjieng, “Why 68% of Men in Church Watch Porn,” Conquer Series, May 6, 2014, https://conquerseries.com/why-68-percent-of-christian-men-watch-porn/.
(2) Morgan Lee, “Here’s How 770 Pastors Describe Their Struggle With Porn,” Christianity Today (Jan. 26, 2016), URL: https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2016/january/how-pastors-struggle-porn-phenomenon-josh-mcdowell-barna.html
(3) Steve Arterburn is the founder and chairman of New Life Ministries and host of the #1 nationally syndicated Christian counseling talk show New Life Live!
(4) David Kinnaman, “The Porn Phenomenon,” Barna Research (Fe. 5, 2016), URL: https://www.barna.com/the-porn-phenomenon/#.VqZoN_krIdU
(5) Donna Rice Hughes is a practicing Christian, author, speaker, and Executive Producer and host of the Emmy award–winning three-part TV series Internet Safety 101 on PBS.
(6) Donna Rice Hughes, “The Internet Pornography Pandemic,” in Christian Apologetics Journal, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Charlotte, NC: Southern Evangelical Seminary, 2014), 14.
(7) Ruth Moore, Praying God’s Word: Breaking Free from Spiritual Strongholds (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 273.
(8) Moore, 3.
(9) John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, ed. J.T. McNeill, trans. F.L Battles (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1960), III.iii.5.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references contained herein are taken from the English Standard Verson (ESV).

I Am Redeemed!

WHAT DOES IT MEAN to be “redeemed?” Sure, I could list theological, psychological, and sociological definitions, and there is nothing wrong with that approach. Definitions help define us. They allow us to compare, analyze, ruminate, consider, relate. We quantify and qualify through definitions. Relative to theology, definitions establish parameters; they provide the comfort of knowing what is. Christian theology unequivocally defines us in a way that leaves no doubt. We can sit and read through a list of criteria and benefits, or we can dive deep with the Holy Spirit and determine the amazing scope of redemption through the blood of Christ. Salvation, the very catalyst of redemption, so broadly impacts our lives that we do well to pick up the Bible and read about who we are in Christ—and what “in Christ” means.

Eugene Peterson, author of The Message, wrote the following in his introduction to Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians:

“What we know about God and what we do for God have a way of getting broken apart in our lives. The moment the organic unity of belief and behavior is damaged in any way, we are incapable of living out the full humanity for which we were created.”(1)

I have learned a lot from the theology of Augustine of Hippo. It is especially interesting to compare his life of debauchery before conversion to his undying commitment in striving to be like Christ after becoming a Christian. Augustine’s lifestyle before accepting Christ was fraught with “sexual adventures—real or imagined… capers that he would one day rue as the sign of his own sinfulness.”(2) Augustine is famously quoted as saying, “Grant me chastity and self-control, but please not yet.” He started on a path of repentance from a life of sin after reading Paul’s words in Romans 13:13-14: “Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires” (Rom. 13:13-14).

I had a difficult time thinking everything was going to be alright. Certainly, my debauchery was unforgivable, right? Are not some things without pardon? This conversation ran through my brain for decades. What I thought about me came from a number of factors, each one building on the previous one, making me sicker and more lost than ever. Today, I know it was Satan, accusing me in my mind, blocking God’s love and forgiveness, causing me to retreat further into darkness. Isolated, I threw my hands up in disgust. I am so grateful to several mature Christian men in my life who kept saying, “Nail it all to the cross and leave it with Christ.” I should tell you it is only very recently that I was able to do this. Salvation begins with and through an undeserved rescue, and continually builds in our hearts as we recognize our need for redemption and restoration. This is what Christ has accomplished. Indeed, He said before taking His last breath, “It is finished” (see John 19:30).

“Redeemed” by Big Daddy Weave

What is This Thing Called Redemption?

Augustine defines redemption as a process: a slave to sin; rescued from sin; a slave to God. His reference suggests there are two distinct masters, God and Satan, and we must choose to which one we will be bound. Paul said, “…we are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:24-26). Peterson’s translation says, “…out of sheer generosity [God] put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift.”(3) This is what Paul meant when he wrote, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith'” (Rom. 1:16-17).

I was pleased to learn that Augustine and I “saw eye to eye” on something. This is a tongue-in-cheek way to note that I came to a conclusion recently that he considered centuries ago. After Adam and Eve ate the fruit forbidden by God, they felt naked and ashamed, and they hid. The LORD cried out, “Adam, where are you?” I came to understand that God knew where Adam and Eve were, and why they were there. His question was meant to say, “Now look where you are!” God wanted Adam and Eve to see the existential and spiritual result of their sin. Edward Smither said of Augustine’s remark, “Although concurring with Novatian and Chrysostom that the Lord’s question (‘where are you?’) was not asked in ignorance, Augustine argues that these words were actually ‘words of reproof’ (Gn. litt. 11.34.45). For Augustine, God’s questions were intended to fully expose Adam’s pride and sin; so they are more about pronouncing judgement and pointing to the death of Adam’s soul than alluding to redemption (cf. Gn. litt. 11.34.47; Civ. Dei 13.23).(4)

Augustine believed sin warps man’s judgment and impels the mind toward external things. Sinful man is hamstrung by selfishness from the earliest moments of infancy; the prisoner of habits which are second nature. Only God’s grace can restore authentic freedom and allow God to clothe us in the righteousness of Christ.(5) To “put on” the righteousness of Christ is critical to our redemption and restoration, but it is not us who puts it on; God imputed our sins to Christ who knew no sin and He puts His righteousness on us who had no righteousness of our own. Isaiah wrote, “Behold, you were angry, and we sinned; in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved? We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away” (Isa. 64:5b-6). Some translations say God sees our “righteousness” (the very best we can possibly do on our own) as filthy rags!

The God-setting-things-right that we read about in the Old Testament has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us in the New Testament.

Paul describes the profound significance of our redemption: “[God] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13-14). Consider the distinct terms listed in his remark to the Colossians: redemption; deliverance; transformation; forgiveness. Redemption is made available because we were buried with Christ by baptism into death so that we might walk in newness of life (see also Rom. 6:4). Just as one trespass (Adam’s disobedience) led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness (the atoning death of Christ) leads to justification and life for all men. We are no longer dead in our sins. God has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing, even as He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before God. In love, God predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His immutable will. Sēlah!

References
(1) Eugene Peterson, The Message//Remix (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2006), 1715.
(2) Gonzalez, 242
(3) Peterson, Ibid., 1647.
(4) Edward L. Smither, “Augustine on Redemption,” VERBUM et Ecclesia, vol. 35 (Jan 2014). Accessed May 17, 2022. http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2074-77052014000100026
(5) Henry Chadwick, Augustine: A Very Short Introduction (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2001), 115.