In the wake of the Ashley Madison hacking incident, 400 hundred US clergy promptly resigned their positions when hundreds of thousands of e-mail addresses, sexual fantasies and other material was exposed. (Ashley Madison is a Canada-based online dating service and social networking service marketed to people who are married or in a committed relationship. Its slogan is “Life is short. Have an affair.”)
Millions of men and women had their sins exposed when the hackers made lists of their subscribers public. Sexual sin is rampant these days. I looked at some statistics this morning and found that 70% of men from 18 to 34 and 30% of women visit a pornographic site in a typical month. 64% of Christian men and 15% of Christian women say they watch porn at least once a month, (self-identified “fundamentalists” are 91% more likely to look at porn). Sadly 51% of pastors watch porn. Nearly 20% of the calls received on Focus on the Family’s Pastoral Care Line are for help with issues such as pornography and compulsive sexual behavior.
Pastors are human beings too and subject to the same temptations as laymen. The interesting stat that I saw is that over 70% of pastors do not submit to any accountability such as a third party monitoring of their Internet use.
Why aren’t they seeking help?
It is one thing to sin, the Bible is clear that everyone sins; however when we do so, we should ask for forgiveness and make an effort to repent, or turn away, from that sin. Instead we too often see compromise and acceptance.
It seems that the modern church is filled with carnality, lust, and sexual immorality. It is no small wonder to me that so many have turned to preaching humanism, universalism, and compromise where certain SIN, (not the sinner), is condoned rather than condemned.
I had an interesting talk with someone who objected to the brief 5 second showing of a gay flag and Scripture denouncing this behavior in the recently released Jesus Alliance video. They indicated it looked like condemnation of gays and lesbians to them and some of their friends. Actually the clip mentioned a variety of sins including adultery and all of these sins were condemned BY God THROUGH SCRIPTURE; not by mere mortals.
The difference I see with the gay movement is that they don’t want to turn away from their sins and in fact they don’t consider it sin; instead they want society to condone what is called wicked sinful behavior in the Bible. They are even suing Bible publishers like Tyndale for $80 million dollars in an effort to have them remove the verses they don’t like from the Bible.
My view is that I don’t condemn or judge any person; it is far above my pay grade to do so. I do believe the Bible and its definition of sin and I speak out against sin and will continue to do so.
And before you call me a hypocrite, I admit that I’ve committed more sin in my life than anyone I know. I believe that qualifies me to speak to its devastating effects on someone’s life. I hate sin and what it did to me and others. Sin is the single cause of ALL of the pain and suffering in this world.
When we commit sin we will without question endure consequences. Those pastors who suffered the humiliation of having their sexual sins exposed with the Ashely Madison debacle are experiencing it now. Homosexuals experience it with shorter life spans, more disease, and the highest levels of suicide, stress, and domestic abuse than any other people group. Adulterers face divorce, condemnation of family and friends, unwanted pregnancies, and even death if caught cheating by a jealous spouse.
The Bible teaches we are to love the sinner and hate the sin. I try to follow Jesus in observing that law, but admittedly when I visit a prison special unit filled with pedophiles, some of whom that ravaged children including infants, I have to pray for special anointing from the Holy Spirit before I ever enter the prison yard.
It is difficult.
Interestingly most of the inmates that I’ve talked to in those units said they started out watching porn every now and then, and then it became an obsession, and it just kept progressing with more and more vile perversion until they began acting it out. They needed God in their lives then, and they need it now.
There are great churches and great pastors out there that love the Lord, hate sin, and love the sinners. I urge you to find one. The one little tidbit of encouraging information I found when researching porn was that those who regularly attend church are 26% less likely to view it than those who don’t. I’m sure other sins are similar.
Have a great weekend and go to Honey Lake Church or somewhere this Sunday.
Isaiah 3:9
The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves.
September 4, 2015 – Click here to listen