is watching porn a sin? Here is what the bible says

Is watching porn a sin? How can you determine the difference between pornography and erotica? What does the Bible say about porn, and what does it say about masturbation?

Is Watching Porn A Sin

Watching porn may be one of the most popular pastimes in the world, but it’s also one of the most controversial, not just because you might get caught red-handed watching some illicit X-rated content at work.

Many religious people believe watching pornography is a sin and should be avoided at all costs, while others think it’s perfectly fine to watch porn within certain parameters. This article will explore both sides of the issue and give you the Biblical answers you want.

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The Problem With Porn

You’ve seen it, perhaps even enjoyed it. At least, according to statistics, about half of all men and a quarter of women use porn at least once per month (45% and 16%, respectively). But what do we know about what it does to us if anything?

People who watch porn are more likely to hold sexist attitudes than those who don’t and treat women like objects with limited human value. (Surely, we can all agree that none of us want to be seen as objects.) And while you may think that watching porn is your own private business (and many Christians would agree), some studies show links between watching pornography and sexual violence against women.

The research isn’t conclusive, but it certainly makes for an interesting thought experiment: If someone hurts one woman because they watched too much porn, have they sinned? The answer is not black-and-white.

While many Christian theologians say yes, others argue that there are no biblical grounds for such a claim. Either way, here’s what we know: The effects of watching porn on your life depend largely on how you choose to view it.

If you look at porn as an outlet for harmless fun or a way to explore sexuality without consequence (like masturbation), then there might be no negative effects on your life. But if you see porn as objectifying women and ultimately harmful to relationships, then viewing pornography could lead to feelings of guilt or shame.

It’s also important to note that viewing pornography doesn’t automatically make you a bad person; it just means you’ve chosen a different path than most Christians follow.

However, if your behaviour continues over time and affects other areas of your life (your career performance, for example), then maybe now is a good time to ask yourself why you’re still doing it.

Remember, Jesus calls us to live holy lives, and although He understands our struggles with temptation, He never wants us to give into them. So if you need help overcoming your addiction, talk to a friend or family member who will support you through prayer.

Or consider talking to a professional counsellor. Remember that God loves you unconditionally and has given His only Son so that we can experience eternal life with Him after death, if you believe in Him (John 3:16). Don’t let porn stand in the way of something so beautiful!

Related: 25 Encouraging Bible Verses For A Broken Heart

Is watching porn a sin?

To understand this question, let’s look at porn and sin and how the two are related.

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What is sin?

In its most basic form, sin deviates from God’s intention for humanity.

The Catholic Church has a more specific definition of sin: Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is a failure in genuine love for God and neighbour caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods (CCC 1852).

This means that while all sins are sins against God, not all are equal—some hurt one person while others injure large groups of people.

Some sins are also considered mortal, meaning they cut us off from God completely until we repent. Sins can be forgiven if you repent and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

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What is pornography?

When people ask if pornography is wrong, they usually ask if it is considered a sin to watch porn. While I cannot tell you if watching porn is morally wrong for you, I can point you toward God’s Word and let it be your guide on how to think about porn in general and whether or not you should watch it.

God’s Word never changes, so what He says about pornography thousands of years ago still applies today and will continue to apply forever.

Therefore, we should always consider His Word when we have questions about what’s morally right or wrong in our lives.

Though the Bible doesn’t mention the word pornography, it does mention the root word: Greek. pornéia’. This word points to prostitution, adultery, sexual immorality, and other dirty habits.

The Greek root of this word, ‘graphe’, refers to various mediums, including writing and drawing. To ascertain the biblical stance on pornography, we must look at what ‘porneia’ has to say about it. Let’s start with prostitution.

Prostitution is an exchange of sex for money or goods. It is one person using their body to gain something from another person. It objectifies people into nothing more than mere objects that can be used and thrown away when they are no longer needed.

We see how sinful prostitution is in God’s Word in 1 Corinthians 6:15-20: Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!

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What if I’m watching porn, not committing sexual immorality?

First, I hope you know that God loves you and wants to give you every good thing! But watching porn is a sin.

The Bible calls sexually immoral people adulterers and adulteresses (1 Corinthians 6:9–10). One way we can be adulterers or adulteresses is by looking with lustful intent at someone who isn’t our spouse (Matthew 5:28).

In other words, sometimes we sin by thinking lustful thoughts, which means our hearts are focused on sex rather than God—which is wrong. So if you have watched porn recently, confess it as a sin and turn away from it in obedience to Christ.

And then ask Him for help so you won’t do it again. God loves you and has given us His Spirit to help us obey Him (Romans 8:14;).

Which problems are caused by watching porn?

If you’re struggling with addiction to pornography, you might have many questions about it. Will my wife divorce me because I watch porn? Will I get fired from my job for watching porn at work? Is watching porn that bad for my family and me?

You may not be able to answer these questions alone, but God can help you see what’s happening in your life and draw closer to Him through prayer and counseling.

If you watch pornography, you will inevitably encounter the following consequences:

1. There is no doubt that pornography will damage your marriage

I guarantee that viewing pornography will damage your marriage. It leads to inappropriate and overestimated expectations, which decrease satisfaction with your partner’s sexual performance, affection, and physical appearance.

Moreover, given that marriage is intended to be an exclusive bond between husband and wife, there is no room for any other sexual desires – not even when you are just watching. Doing so will harm your spouse, make them feel inferior, and undermine your marriage.

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2. Watching porn will change how you view people in real life.

Instead of looking at men and women as people to be respected and loved, pornography places the subject of your lustful thoughts.

The result of watching porn is increased lust and decreased ability to be physically intimate with your spouse. In addition, pornography will cause you to make comments about people in your social circle, which could negatively affect their image of themselves and their view of you as a friend and coworker.

Ultimately, it leads to greater personal isolation and loneliness because people see you as weird or creepy rather than interesting or kind (which was probably not your intention).

3. Watching porn encourages self-gratification immediately.

When we give in to the urge, we have difficulty delaying gratification, a skill that is useful in the long term. Many researchers believe there is a strong relationship between often watching porn and underachieving in other areas of life.

4. Watching porn is highly addictive.

The first exposure causes a burst of dopamine in the brain, but your tolerance level will soon increase. Soon, you’ll need to use drugs more often to feel the same sensation. This means you’ll need to watch more porn or more extreme porn. Your brain operates under the same process in all types of addiction.

Furthermore, addiction destroys your relationships and prevents you from living a full life, which should be your top priority. A porn addiction not only overtakes your life but it destroys your relationships and stops you from living your fullest life.

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Is Watching Porn a Sin? How can I stop watching porn?

Is watching porn a sin? Watch porn and lust, and you’re directly disobeying two of God’s commandments: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods (including your neighbor’s spouse), and thou shalt not commit adultery.

You could be sinning just by watching it, meaning there are consequences for sin (Romans 6:23). But God is willing to forgive you no matter how many times you have stumbled in life, and He is ready to welcome you home with open arms.

All you have to do is ask Him; He promises that He will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). We only need to repent and turn away from our sinful ways (Acts 3:19-20).

A lot of people watch porn, but few have the determination to stop. I have some advice to share that might help you curb your addiction to pornography.

1. Quit completely

Pornography is sinful, and you need to quit. It makes no sense to be slightly less exposed to porn. The original idea won’t work and won’t solve the problem. It would be best if you thought outside the box.

2. Ask for help

If you find yourself dealing with porn, lust, temptation, or addiction: open up to someone you know and trust, someone from church or your church, for example. If you’re going through difficulties, ask for help and guidance. Keep up with yourself by asking for prayer, and be truthful about your life’s difficulties. Change your routine

3. Ask God for strength

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:13, ‘No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.’

4. Don’t let porn drive a wedge between you and the Lord

If you want to break a pornography addiction, tell God. If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Satan’s foremost intention is to alienate believers from God. Do not succumb to the temptation to hide from the Lord in guilt and shame, but spill your soul before Him.

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The Last Word

While pornography isn’t specifically named in Scripture, its place as an addictive evil is quite clear. The apostle Paul wrote to Titus: But as for you, speak what you know, and as for others, judge what they do know; but we will all come before God’s judgment seat (Titus 2:15).

When it comes to watching porn, everyone should ask themself: Do I want my last thought to be about the pleasure that was gotten from a sinful deed committed in my past?

Or would I rather have my last thoughts reflect on how much God loves me and how he has forgiven me of any sins? It doesn’t take much time to watch porn, but your conscience may never forgive you if you do.

Don’t succumb to temptation by putting yourself in situations where sin can easily overcome you. We are all sinners, but we don’t have to make sin our choice. Choose Christ today!

Conclusion

Let’s say you found yourself in Jesus’ time, and he asked you: Are you guilty of lusting after women as I read about in Matthew 5:28-30? Would you answer honestly and directly, or would your heart condemn you on sight?

It might be hard to say yes out loud, but what if he gave some suggestions for overcoming these temptations that were even harder to confess to someone, let alone yourself? If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away (Matthew 5:29). If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away (Matthew 5:30).

These are pretty drastic measures. But maybe they speak more truth than we realize. Maybe our eyes can cause us as much trouble as our hands or feet can when we look at things that aren’t meant for us. Maybe we should treat them equally when they cause us to sin against God.

After all, God doesn’t want any part of us to cause harm to his people! And remember, confession is good for the soul. So let’s stop hiding from ourselves and start tearing down anything that stands between us and a healthy relationship with God through Christ.

We hope that this article on “is watching porn a sin?” has been of great help to you, if after reading this, you still have a little bit of trouble, you can contact us via the comment section or simply send a mail to us.

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