Or perhaps I should say a final word on the deliberate action of lust.
Up till now, I have discussed how to deal with nudity and related issues that are environmental or accidental in nature. The accidental flashing or the covers of magazines, issues of modesty, etc. There is a far cry from this and an action of seeking out nudity for sexual release and gratification. Just because you can re-conceive nudity in your mind as a Christian does not mean you should go looking for trouble. It is one thing to see a racy magazine cover in a store but entirely something else when a person and gets online and looks up nude pictures. The first could lead to lust, but the second is the fruit of lust already conceived. This distinction needs to be kept in mind as your deal with the challenges of these issues.
Lust grieves God's heart. It is not what he had in mind at all when he created man and woman. Lust is a sin that relates to idolatry in a great way. It must be avoided at great cost and repented of with tears and grief when conceived and brought to fruit.
I say this because some may think I am giving licence to go look at nudity an just deal with it. I am not saying this at all. What I am saying that this temptation can be dealt with in our present world, because there is a way of escape, not a license to sin.
A word on our Christian culture. Most of Christian culture is not going to think in terms of nudity and modesty in the way I have outlined. The teaching over the years has been avoid and isolate. When these thing happen in the context of the church remember you are not going to win over everyone in a second. Reeducation is needed. I offer this series as an alternative way to deal with the problem of lust in a world where nudity is becoming more common place and the standards of modesty are being altered at a rapid rate. Culture is changing everything and we Christians, male and female, need to adapt to stay strong in the Lord.
Blessings. Finis.
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Alright just to clarify I am Ed Raby JR. I am the son of Ed Raby just for those of you who might be confused.
ReplyDeleteDad I thought this was a great series. I will say ecspecially as a college kid lust is a huge issue. I think many Christian men on campus struggle with this. This may be a good topic for a book Dad. Thank you for this series and I hope you have another series planned for the near future.
Love You and God Bless
Yeah, I thought of the book thing too. My views on nudity would cause some Christian publishers in the market to tell me to go away though. I would probably have to use a 'religious' publisher or self publish it.
ReplyDeleteMy son, age does not matter, in fact lust becomes a problem that grows the more you experience in dealing with it. My guess in a co-ed dorm thought the accidental is going to happen more often as well as the young ladies that do not care if they show themsleves to you. Your genreation is going to have to make changes in how you deal with temptations of all types as the Western world becomes more and more secular.
Blesings Son,
Ed, SR