Bev, you bring up excellent points and I agree with you. The one sin that is unforgivable is blaspheme of the Holy Spirit. When one attributes His work to the devil, that is what one is guilty of. This has given me pause many times.
You ask the question how is struggling with porn any different than practicing homosexuality? I don't see a difference in the Bible, it all falls under the heading of sexual immorality. As it says in Acts 15:28-29 "For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality..." If you go to an on-line Bible and search sexual immorality, it comes up a lot, and it is no be avoided in no uncertain terms. The church as followed the world on the slippery slope of immorality, and it is justified under the umbrella of grace! Heaven forbid!
At the end of the day, the only view that matters on sin, is God's view. He has given us His word, the Holy Bible, and the Holy Spirit dwelling in us to help us read it with understanding and wisdom. I believe we need nothing else. it is indeed a spiritual issue.
2 Cor 10:3-6."For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete."
James 3:1 "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness."
1 Cor 10:13: "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."
I need to keep my nose in the Bible, reading it for understanding and application. Ps 119:11 "I have hidden Your Word in my heart" Why? "so that I might NOT sin against You".
Ah yes, I am very familiar with the twisting of Scripture. One has to take in the whole counsel of God to have a hope of understanding it. Twisting was used liberally at the case I have alluded to, and often is, in such situations. But you know that, as a counselor or advocate, am I correct?
Hebrews 10:24-25 "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
Concerned, I am concerned about your response. You are coming across almost hostile, and you jumped to a conclusion that is rather accusatory. Am I reading you wrong?
Romans 12:4-9 "For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good."
2 Tim 3:16-17: "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."
Taking a verse out of the context of the whole Bible can lead one to justify just about anything. That's why one has to read all of it, over and over again, reading it for understanding and application. When one does that, with the help of the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of Truth that leads us into all truth, then we are much less likely to twist Scripture.
Bev - you are a kindred spirit, a true sister in Christ. You are right on when you speak of the quenching of the Holy Spirit. The case I alluded to came out because of a prophetic word, I got involved because of prophetic dreams, and we both got thrown under the bus, labeled false prophets and such. The gifts of the Spirit are still alive and well today. If a church isn't experiencing it, then I think repentance is needed. Read The Book is what I tell people. Read the Bible for what it says, not what others tell you it says.
I sense that we are arguing in circles here. We have different views on who God is, what sin is, what healing is, etc. etc. etc. Without defining the rules of engagement, as it were, we can talk, discuss and argue until He returns.
Allow me to share part of my testimony, and perhaps it will give a different perspective on my "intolerance" of sin. I grew up knowing about God and Jesus through a mom that hated the Catholic church yet adhered to their teachings. to make a soap opera story short, after two marriages, two children, one of out wedlock and a string of boyfriends and yes, appetite for pornography, I cried out to the Lord in September of 1999, asking Him how long would I have to suffer for my sins, I was tired of my bad decisions from my past affecting new relationships in the present. After crying it out for three weeks - repentance was very healing for me - while walking along the river where I lived, I stopped and suddenly "got it". I finally understood, through the help of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was Lord, not Rachel, that if He was my all in all, my Rock, my Savior then I could start over. I understood that He took the punishment for my sins when He hung on the cross, the very embodiment of sin. I was free!
I remember the day I got baptized - Sunday October 31, 1999, I felt like I was a bride preparing to get married to Jesus. My demeanor changed. I was indeed a new creation. A few weeks later I took a personality test to see what my gifts were for ministry, and I literally did not know how to answer the questions. I could answer how I used to be, but had no idea who I was. I asked the pastor leading the class, and he said to give it time, I was a new creation. A happy day!
A few months later, I met a very charismatic woman who delivered me from various demonic stuff, and the pull of sexual immorality was all but completely removed. I felt cleansed. She taught me a lot and I was equipped to fight should the temptation come up. And the temptations have, but less and less, and it's been easier and easier to resist. The greatest tool for me is believing God is omniscient - there is nothing I can see or think that He doesn't know. Thus, I capture every thought to the obedience of Christ, and when my mind wanders, I recite Scripture, I praise Him, I do whatever it takes to get sinful thoughts out of my mind.
Am I perfect? Far from it. Do I tolerate sin? No. Do I have compassion for those who sin and seek repentance? Absolutely. I am right there to walk a sister through a sexual addiction if she wants my help. Would I be judgmental of her? Not if she is humble and repentant. If she takes on the attitude that she is under grace and thus God "has" to forgive her, then she would get Scripture as a rebuttal. Gentle but firm. But if a brother or sister is hard hearted, refusing to repent, or thinking it's ok because of grace, then 1Cor 5 teaches that we need to remove the person from fellowship until they repent. Later (my husband reminded me) that the man who was thrown out was forgiven and restored eventually.
Even though I am no longer a CRC member, I am a member of the Body of Christ and am willing to do my part in helping the Bride learn who she is in Christ, and how to have victory over all sin, not just this one.
Thank you Bev for your inspired and eloquent answer to Shawn's questions. Indeed, the answer to any situation lies with the Lord. And we access the answer through the Holy Spirit, our Counselor.
My experience with the gift of prophecy in the CRC church was not a good one. I think, ok I know, there are misunderstandings about prophecy. One can have a prophetic word, and not be a prophet. One can have the prophetic gift and not carry the office of the Prophet. If the Lord gives one a word, and that person speaks the word out loud, they've had a prophetic utterance. At least the way I understand Scripture. We can use the same example with evangelism. We are all called to be ready to share our faith, or evangelize, but we don't all carry the office of the Evangelist like Dr. Billy Graham.
I believe, at a basic level, we all "operate" in the five fold ministries - Apostle, Prohet, Teacher, Pastor and Evangelist inasmuch as we carry the Spirit of Jesus in us, and inasmuch as we are being conformed into His likeness. In these, the Body cares for the Body, as we are the hands and feet of our Lord to each other.
The more we ALL read Scripture for understanding, bathing our spirits in His healing words, pray, pray, pray, and have repentant and humble hearts, the more we will be merciful, compassionate and loving when a brother or sister confesses a sin. The more we as individuals prayerfully read Scripture for understanding and application, the more He can use us to help those caught in the enemy's web of deceit, lies, addictions and so on.
Simple solution for the sin in the Body of Christ? Yes. Difficult to carry out? Yes. Possible? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely.
Let me add one more thing. If the internet the main source of the temptation, then get rid of it. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away, better to lose the hand than the whole body. We lived without the internet just fine for millenia. We can do it agan.
I agree more with Concerned than with the email that was sent to you. I too was involved in a church cover-up over pornography and sexual immorality. The person was caught, tried to weasel his way out of it, then proceeded to tell facts in such a way that it deceived the congregation when the elders asked him to make public confession, which he did. Council got involved in the cover up too. Maybe this is a much larger issue than CRC thinks it is. What I want to know is, where is righteousness in all this? Are we not called to righteousness? Eph 5:3 - "But sexual immorality and all impurity or coveteousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints." This is for all saints, not just leadership. 2 Cor 5 opens with "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you..." I could go on, but my point is, we have the Bible as our standard and we need to live up to it. The Holy Spirit in us is how we can live righteously and in holiness. When will CRC hold pastors and council and members of the church to the standard outlined in the Bible? We are to seek after righteousness, not grace. We are to live righteous and holy lives.
During the debacle at my previous church (my husband and I have since left and gone to another denomination), I kept hearing "we are not under law, we are under grace" over and over again. I wished I had responded with Hebrews 10 starting at v 26: For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses [read we are not under law] dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of Grace? [read we are under grace]
The other thing I kept hearing was, what about forgiveness? Of course he is forgiven. For if we don't forgive, we aren't forgiven according to the Lord's Prayer. But does the offender still get to be in leadership? What about the qualification for elder - which would include everyone on council and all pastors - Titus 1:6 - the husband of but one wife (when a man lusts after a woman with his eyes, he has committed adultery with her) v 8: ... be self-controlled - habitual viewing of pornography is not an example of exercising self control. What about teachers, which a pastor is, being held to a higher standard? Again, I could go on and on.
In the email, I assume it was a pastor that wrote it, he wanted privacy to deal with the issue, and what about job protection? At the risk of sounding harsh, he should have thought about those things before the pornography entered his life. And if the pornography viewing stemmed from childhood or from his teenage years, then how in the heck did he make it into a pastoralship?? This is not about employment, folks, this is about having holy and righteous pastors leading and caring and teaching the Bride of Christ! How can a porn addict present a spotless Bride to our Lord Jesus Christ?
I have no problem using my name in this forum, I have nothing to hide, nothing to be ashamed of. That which is done in the dark will be exposed to the light. Your sins will find you out.
Harsh? Merciless? Lacking in grace towards a fellow brother? I can see where you may think that. But when I read the Word of God, sure seems to me HE doesn't have tolerance for sexual immorality either. Not even a little.
I agree that Jesus died for all sins, Shawn - however, I was referring to a pastor who is actively in the addiction. I'm referring to people who have a habitual sin issue, whatever it may be, and think they are getting away with it, until they are caught, then expect forgiveness and love. That's not what I read in the Bible. When we sin, the Holy Spirit convicts us of that sin immediately. Upon that conviction, we confess and repent, receive His forgiveness and move on. It's when the cycle of sin, repent, receive forgiveness happens over and over and over again (for the same sin) that it looks like a habit of sinning. The Bible teaches that we are to not make a practice of sinning - 1 John 2 addresses this. What I see in churches today are human reasonings not biblical obedience to how we are supposed to handle sin amongst us. We need to raise the standard to where God set it. Not make allowances or excuses for those who continue a practice of sinning. We are to practice righteousness and holiness according to what I read in the Bible. And yes, forgiveness and grace also.
If a congregation responds in disdain and unforgiveness, then there are other issues going on also, I would say.
It's one thing to to have porn show up in your inbox, you open it up not paying attention, get sucked into it for a moment, then shut it down in disgust, and confess it to the congregation and/or to God in repentanc,e, and know better next time. It's a whole other thing when the pastor has been struggling and fighting the porn addiction since childhood, and gets caught, and tries to negotiate so it doesn't go to the elders or congregation and is basically forced to either confess or step down. THAT'S what I'm talking about.
When I read the email that was quoted above, apparently from a pastor that has struggled with porn since he was a teen, and I have to ask myself, was he ignoring the conviction of the Holy Spirit? Why? For the healing side of it, I don't see him suggesting to others that one must submit to God, resist the devil, and the devil will flee. God is a God of deliverance, yet I don't hear about that as a strategy. A little leaven spoils the whole lump. We need to have zero tolerance from immorality. We women need to dress modestly so we don't provoke the men. Cable subscriptions need to be canceled, maybe internet connections at home too. We need to guard our hearts and minds! Every person who bears the mark of Jesus in his spirit out to stand out amongst the heathen. We are to be in and not of the world.
Grace has become defined so broadly that righteousness and holiness are being call legalism.
Posted in: A Support Group for Ministers Dealing With Pornography
Bev, you bring up excellent points and I agree with you. The one sin that is unforgivable is blaspheme of the Holy Spirit. When one attributes His work to the devil, that is what one is guilty of. This has given me pause many times.
You ask the question how is struggling with porn any different than practicing homosexuality? I don't see a difference in the Bible, it all falls under the heading of sexual immorality. As it says in Acts 15:28-29 "For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality..." If you go to an on-line Bible and search sexual immorality, it comes up a lot, and it is no be avoided in no uncertain terms. The church as followed the world on the slippery slope of immorality, and it is justified under the umbrella of grace! Heaven forbid!
Posted in: A Support Group for Ministers Dealing With Pornography
At the end of the day, the only view that matters on sin, is God's view. He has given us His word, the Holy Bible, and the Holy Spirit dwelling in us to help us read it with understanding and wisdom. I believe we need nothing else. it is indeed a spiritual issue.
2 Cor 10:3-6."For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete."
James 3:1 "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness."
1 Cor 10:13: "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."
I need to keep my nose in the Bible, reading it for understanding and application. Ps 119:11 "I have hidden Your Word in my heart" Why? "so that I might NOT sin against You".
Posted in: A Support Group for Ministers Dealing With Pornography
Ah yes, I am very familiar with the twisting of Scripture. One has to take in the whole counsel of God to have a hope of understanding it. Twisting was used liberally at the case I have alluded to, and often is, in such situations. But you know that, as a counselor or advocate, am I correct?
Hebrews 10:24-25 "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
Concerned, I am concerned about your response. You are coming across almost hostile, and you jumped to a conclusion that is rather accusatory. Am I reading you wrong?
Romans 12:4-9 "For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good."
2 Tim 3:16-17: "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."
Taking a verse out of the context of the whole Bible can lead one to justify just about anything. That's why one has to read all of it, over and over again, reading it for understanding and application. When one does that, with the help of the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of Truth that leads us into all truth, then we are much less likely to twist Scripture.
No lone ranger Christians in my home.
Posted in: A Support Group for Ministers Dealing With Pornography
Bev - you are a kindred spirit, a true sister in Christ. You are right on when you speak of the quenching of the Holy Spirit. The case I alluded to came out because of a prophetic word, I got involved because of prophetic dreams, and we both got thrown under the bus, labeled false prophets and such. The gifts of the Spirit are still alive and well today. If a church isn't experiencing it, then I think repentance is needed. Read The Book is what I tell people. Read the Bible for what it says, not what others tell you it says.
I sense that we are arguing in circles here. We have different views on who God is, what sin is, what healing is, etc. etc. etc. Without defining the rules of engagement, as it were, we can talk, discuss and argue until He returns.
Allow me to share part of my testimony, and perhaps it will give a different perspective on my "intolerance" of sin. I grew up knowing about God and Jesus through a mom that hated the Catholic church yet adhered to their teachings. to make a soap opera story short, after two marriages, two children, one of out wedlock and a string of boyfriends and yes, appetite for pornography, I cried out to the Lord in September of 1999, asking Him how long would I have to suffer for my sins, I was tired of my bad decisions from my past affecting new relationships in the present. After crying it out for three weeks - repentance was very healing for me - while walking along the river where I lived, I stopped and suddenly "got it". I finally understood, through the help of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was Lord, not Rachel, that if He was my all in all, my Rock, my Savior then I could start over. I understood that He took the punishment for my sins when He hung on the cross, the very embodiment of sin. I was free!
I remember the day I got baptized - Sunday October 31, 1999, I felt like I was a bride preparing to get married to Jesus. My demeanor changed. I was indeed a new creation. A few weeks later I took a personality test to see what my gifts were for ministry, and I literally did not know how to answer the questions. I could answer how I used to be, but had no idea who I was. I asked the pastor leading the class, and he said to give it time, I was a new creation. A happy day!
A few months later, I met a very charismatic woman who delivered me from various demonic stuff, and the pull of sexual immorality was all but completely removed. I felt cleansed. She taught me a lot and I was equipped to fight should the temptation come up. And the temptations have, but less and less, and it's been easier and easier to resist. The greatest tool for me is believing God is omniscient - there is nothing I can see or think that He doesn't know. Thus, I capture every thought to the obedience of Christ, and when my mind wanders, I recite Scripture, I praise Him, I do whatever it takes to get sinful thoughts out of my mind.
Am I perfect? Far from it. Do I tolerate sin? No. Do I have compassion for those who sin and seek repentance? Absolutely. I am right there to walk a sister through a sexual addiction if she wants my help. Would I be judgmental of her? Not if she is humble and repentant. If she takes on the attitude that she is under grace and thus God "has" to forgive her, then she would get Scripture as a rebuttal. Gentle but firm. But if a brother or sister is hard hearted, refusing to repent, or thinking it's ok because of grace, then 1Cor 5 teaches that we need to remove the person from fellowship until they repent. Later (my husband reminded me) that the man who was thrown out was forgiven and restored eventually.
Even though I am no longer a CRC member, I am a member of the Body of Christ and am willing to do my part in helping the Bride learn who she is in Christ, and how to have victory over all sin, not just this one.
His will be done.
Posted in: A Support Group for Ministers Dealing With Pornography
Thank you Bev for your inspired and eloquent answer to Shawn's questions. Indeed, the answer to any situation lies with the Lord. And we access the answer through the Holy Spirit, our Counselor.
My experience with the gift of prophecy in the CRC church was not a good one. I think, ok I know, there are misunderstandings about prophecy. One can have a prophetic word, and not be a prophet. One can have the prophetic gift and not carry the office of the Prophet. If the Lord gives one a word, and that person speaks the word out loud, they've had a prophetic utterance. At least the way I understand Scripture. We can use the same example with evangelism. We are all called to be ready to share our faith, or evangelize, but we don't all carry the office of the Evangelist like Dr. Billy Graham.
I believe, at a basic level, we all "operate" in the five fold ministries - Apostle, Prohet, Teacher, Pastor and Evangelist inasmuch as we carry the Spirit of Jesus in us, and inasmuch as we are being conformed into His likeness. In these, the Body cares for the Body, as we are the hands and feet of our Lord to each other.
The more we ALL read Scripture for understanding, bathing our spirits in His healing words, pray, pray, pray, and have repentant and humble hearts, the more we will be merciful, compassionate and loving when a brother or sister confesses a sin. The more we as individuals prayerfully read Scripture for understanding and application, the more He can use us to help those caught in the enemy's web of deceit, lies, addictions and so on.
Simple solution for the sin in the Body of Christ? Yes. Difficult to carry out? Yes. Possible? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely.
Posted in: A Support Group for Ministers Dealing With Pornography
Let me add one more thing. If the internet the main source of the temptation, then get rid of it. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away, better to lose the hand than the whole body. We lived without the internet just fine for millenia. We can do it agan.
Posted in: A Support Group for Ministers Dealing With Pornography
I agree more with Concerned than with the email that was sent to you. I too was involved in a church cover-up over pornography and sexual immorality. The person was caught, tried to weasel his way out of it, then proceeded to tell facts in such a way that it deceived the congregation when the elders asked him to make public confession, which he did. Council got involved in the cover up too. Maybe this is a much larger issue than CRC thinks it is. What I want to know is, where is righteousness in all this? Are we not called to righteousness? Eph 5:3 - "But sexual immorality and all impurity or coveteousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints." This is for all saints, not just leadership. 2 Cor 5 opens with "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you..." I could go on, but my point is, we have the Bible as our standard and we need to live up to it. The Holy Spirit in us is how we can live righteously and in holiness. When will CRC hold pastors and council and members of the church to the standard outlined in the Bible? We are to seek after righteousness, not grace. We are to live righteous and holy lives.
During the debacle at my previous church (my husband and I have since left and gone to another denomination), I kept hearing "we are not under law, we are under grace" over and over again. I wished I had responded with Hebrews 10 starting at v 26: For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses [read we are not under law] dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of Grace? [read we are under grace]
The other thing I kept hearing was, what about forgiveness? Of course he is forgiven. For if we don't forgive, we aren't forgiven according to the Lord's Prayer. But does the offender still get to be in leadership? What about the qualification for elder - which would include everyone on council and all pastors - Titus 1:6 - the husband of but one wife (when a man lusts after a woman with his eyes, he has committed adultery with her) v 8: ... be self-controlled - habitual viewing of pornography is not an example of exercising self control. What about teachers, which a pastor is, being held to a higher standard? Again, I could go on and on.
In the email, I assume it was a pastor that wrote it, he wanted privacy to deal with the issue, and what about job protection? At the risk of sounding harsh, he should have thought about those things before the pornography entered his life. And if the pornography viewing stemmed from childhood or from his teenage years, then how in the heck did he make it into a pastoralship?? This is not about employment, folks, this is about having holy and righteous pastors leading and caring and teaching the Bride of Christ! How can a porn addict present a spotless Bride to our Lord Jesus Christ?
I have no problem using my name in this forum, I have nothing to hide, nothing to be ashamed of. That which is done in the dark will be exposed to the light. Your sins will find you out.
Harsh? Merciless? Lacking in grace towards a fellow brother? I can see where you may think that. But when I read the Word of God, sure seems to me HE doesn't have tolerance for sexual immorality either. Not even a little.
Posted in: A Support Group for Ministers Dealing With Pornography
I agree that Jesus died for all sins, Shawn - however, I was referring to a pastor who is actively in the addiction. I'm referring to people who have a habitual sin issue, whatever it may be, and think they are getting away with it, until they are caught, then expect forgiveness and love. That's not what I read in the Bible. When we sin, the Holy Spirit convicts us of that sin immediately. Upon that conviction, we confess and repent, receive His forgiveness and move on. It's when the cycle of sin, repent, receive forgiveness happens over and over and over again (for the same sin) that it looks like a habit of sinning. The Bible teaches that we are to not make a practice of sinning - 1 John 2 addresses this. What I see in churches today are human reasonings not biblical obedience to how we are supposed to handle sin amongst us. We need to raise the standard to where God set it. Not make allowances or excuses for those who continue a practice of sinning. We are to practice righteousness and holiness according to what I read in the Bible. And yes, forgiveness and grace also.
If a congregation responds in disdain and unforgiveness, then there are other issues going on also, I would say.
It's one thing to to have porn show up in your inbox, you open it up not paying attention, get sucked into it for a moment, then shut it down in disgust, and confess it to the congregation and/or to God in repentanc,e, and know better next time. It's a whole other thing when the pastor has been struggling and fighting the porn addiction since childhood, and gets caught, and tries to negotiate so it doesn't go to the elders or congregation and is basically forced to either confess or step down. THAT'S what I'm talking about.
When I read the email that was quoted above, apparently from a pastor that has struggled with porn since he was a teen, and I have to ask myself, was he ignoring the conviction of the Holy Spirit? Why? For the healing side of it, I don't see him suggesting to others that one must submit to God, resist the devil, and the devil will flee. God is a God of deliverance, yet I don't hear about that as a strategy. A little leaven spoils the whole lump. We need to have zero tolerance from immorality. We women need to dress modestly so we don't provoke the men. Cable subscriptions need to be canceled, maybe internet connections at home too. We need to guard our hearts and minds! Every person who bears the mark of Jesus in his spirit out to stand out amongst the heathen. We are to be in and not of the world.
Grace has become defined so broadly that righteousness and holiness are being call legalism.