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KR: How Can I remain pure in this erotic culture? |
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Written by Editor
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Dr. Eric - Isn’t it amazing how more and more sexually saturated we
are becoming in this culture? Some argue that we are actually becoming
more and more sexually free. Through the wonder of multi-media we are
bombarded with images, sounds, and stories of sexuality. No longer are
we living in the repressed puritanical days where “chasity belts” were
common household devices....
Of course, one could also argue that we are becoming more and more
sexually enslaved. That it is becoming increasing difficult to see
other human beings as anything more than sex objects. We are more and
more easily turning affection and fondness towards another into
eroticism and lust. I meet more and more people today who have almost
lost the ability to interact with the opposite gender without having
sexual thoughts towards them, even if it is just “evaluating” there
bodies.
I know God wants me to be life giving in my thoughts and interactions
with his creation, but I just can’t seem to get my eyes and thoughts to
agree with my Spirit. What a broken person I am? Hmmm…. Wait a second,
this dialogue is starting to sound strangely familiar. It seems Paul
said something about that in Romans 7:14. Something about how he knows
the things he ought to do, but he just can’t do them. And then all the
things he know he shouldn’t do, that he keeps on doing.
Perhaps Romans 7 and 8 are good places to start my friend. Meditate
there. Begin to understand that remaining pure in this erotic culture
is not an instantaneous event, but a journey towards the renewing of
our minds, our bodies, and our spirits. After you’ve done that… give
up.
Yep, give up. Give up trying to be pure. Give up trying to be whole.
Give up trying to be something you are not. Instead learn to live in
dependence. Wake up everyday and submit your mind and will to God. Tell
him that you are not capable to staying pure in this culture. Tell him
that you have a terrible tendendancy towards lusting after women’s
breasts… or men’s eyes… or whatever your doorway towards impurity is.
Tell him that today, just as yesterday, you will give your thoughts
over to him.
Your goal isn’t to not try to not think about impure things, instead
you will work to think about pure things. Read that sentence again till
it makes sense. We spend so much time thinking about what we don’t want
to be, that it actually becomes the thing that consumes our minds.
Instead focus on that which you want to become. If compassion is a
quality you have desired to receive from God, set you mind and heart on
looking for compassion throughout the day. If mercy, or goodness, or
creativity are gifts you need, think on those things.
There is no magic formula to remaining pure. If it came in a pill I’d
be rich. Nope, purity comes from discipline. And discipline is fueled
by desire. Along this topic I recommend Stephen Arterburn’s book Every
Man’s Battle and Shannon Ethridge’s Every Woman’s Battle.
Click HERE to discuss Dr. Eric's response in the KR: FORUM
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Dr. Eric Sandras |
Having received his PH.D. in Human Development and Family Relations from
Oregon State University , Eric Sandras is part of the next generation of
leaders whom God is using to "raise the bar" in the relationships, faith,
and life decisions of a postmodern generation. He is passionate about
family, emergent church issues, and having extra butter on his popcorn at
the movie theater.
Check out Eric's outstanding first book: Buck Naked Faith
Take off your designer, postmodern phoniness. Strip off your pretty sounding words. Get your faith naked.
Honest
and gritty, Eric Sandras encourages a generation of believers to drop
the layers of make-believe nonsense that stunts our spiritual growth.
What emerges is a positive alternative to life-crushing counterfeit
faiths many of us are trying our best to work through.
To do
this, there's no secret handshake or magic formula, but there is vision
and encouragement to take the risk and get dangerously real with God.
He exposes the naked truth: We need to dress our lives with a real
friendship with God and nothing else.
Buy 'Buck Naked Faith'
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Sex and Christianity? 
