Pastors and Pornography

# 77 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:2 A bishop (pastor) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, (1 Tim 3:2) We have just begun addressing the matter of adultery and those who would seek to serve as pastors. A line has been drawn in the sand, and those who have converted to Christianity and therefore have left the culture of sexual promiscuity must leave that lifestyle behind! NO MORE ADULTERY OR UNCHASTE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR FOR FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST! The one who would serve as pastor must not give cause to anyone to charge them with improper sexual behavior, and in our culture today, this is where pornography also becomes an issue. Jesus said in Mt 5:28, "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Purposeful and persistent viewing of pornography is adultery, and according to most statistics is a huge problem in the church today, even among pastors. To the pastor I ask, “If someone were to look at your history of viewing on the internet, what would they see? If someone were to examine all items you have discarded in the trash, what would they see? Would there be evidence that someone could use to blackmail you? Would you be found blameless in the matter of sexual promiscuity or not?” If such evidence exists, you have a problem and you need to deal with it! There is plenty of help out there for those who struggle with pornography. Seek it! Find it! Use it! And above all fight it! Don't give in to it! The first step is to admit your problem, and the second step is to admit it to your church board, admit it to those who have called you to serve their flock! They need to know! Then you and the board and the congregation need to prayerfully consider a course of action with the ultimate goal of restoring to the “line” that has been drawn in the sand. NO MORE ADULTERY OR UNCHASTE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR FOR FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST! I know it's not easy to admit moral failure, but take heart from this verse in James: Jas 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.