This chapter of Heath Lambert’s book Finally Free is a great place to start if you’re struggling with pornography. The big idea is that the foundation for successfully fighting against pornography is the grace of God offered to sinners through Jesus Christ. This grace brings both forgiveness and transformation to those who receive it. It cleans us up and makes us new.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of the God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
– Romans 3:23-24, ESV
Lambert’s key point in this chapter is that Christians must not only mentally assent to the notion of God’s grace, but also act on it by repenting of their sin. “The only way to break the vicious cycle is to get outside of yourself to Jesus. You need to stop talking to yourself in categories of condemnation and begin talking to God in categories of confession” (p. 26).
As mentioned in pages 24 and 25, there are three basic steps to begin this process of repentance:
- “Talk to God and tell him about your sin.”
- “Affirm God’s forgiveness of your sin.”
- “Request God’s grace to change.”
Here are some other great quotes to consider:
- “I have breathtakingly good news to offer: Jesus Christ died to set you free from every sin that can be committed” (p. 18).
- “You can be forgiven and free when you trust in Christ and what he has done for you, no matter how many times you have looked at pornography and how hopeless the struggle can feel” (p. 19).
- “Grace is not only ‘unmerited favor’ – that God has a pleasing disposition toward us; grace is also power” (p. 20).
- “If you want to use Jesus’ transforming grace, you have to do something so easy that many people find it impossible. You have to believe it” (pp. 21-22).
I’m praying for you in your fight against pornography. Please don’t go it alone. Get in touch with a trustworthy, mature Christian for help. If I can be of help, contact me any time: matthewbroadway@gmail.com or 704-545-5893.
Next week’s post will cover Chapter 2: Using Sorrow to Fight Pornography.
“Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
– Romans 5:20-21
