Bible Verses to Help Men Addicted to Pornography

Sex is a wonderful gift from God. As something created by God, sex was meant to be enjoyed within the bond of marriage, without shame. The Bible tells us that in the beginning, “the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed” (Genesis 2:25). Shame was the result of the rebellion that separated us from God, one another and created discord within ourselves.

With an increase in connectivity to the internet has come an ease in accessing pornographic content and growth in various kinds of sexual addictions. While these addictions indiscriminately ensnare men and women, men are disproportionately addicted to pornography, for instance. The shame that such addictions bring, especially for Christians, can drive one further into secrecy and being more deeply entangled by porn addiction. Jesus came to set us free from the burden of sin and shame – “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” – he says in John 8:36. Here are a few verses to strengthen and support men as they work through to freedom from addiction to pornography.

Understand the roots

Our hearts can deceive one about why they are addicted to porn. Jeremiah 17:9 says of all our hearts – “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”. Sexual addictions such as addiction to pornography are rarely about the sex itself, but about meeting some deeper need and using sex to mask pain or anxiety. Some people use porn to gain a sense of control when they’re feeling anxious, for stress relief when they’re tense, or to fill a void because of difficulty in forming intimate relationships. It is worthwhile talking with a Christian counsellor to help uncover the roots of why you may be turning to pornography.

You are loved and known

Anxiety is often triggered by a sense that things are not under control. Jesus reminds his followers to not be anxious for several reasons. One of them is that anxiety does not help – “…which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matthew 6:27). Another reason is that our concerns never end and trying to address all of them is like damming a river with our bare hands – “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34).

Jesus also encourages us to not be anxious because God cares for us – “…your heavenly Father knows that you need them all [food, clothes, shelter]” (Matthew 6:32). God loves us with a deep and abiding love. In the throes of addiction to porn, one of the pernicious recurring thoughts may be thoughts that you are unworthy, unloved and abandoned by God. The secrecy and isolation of porn addiction can drive one further into the shadows and into a sense of being forsaken. But God loves us. He decided to save us while we were in our sin; he didn’t wait for us to clean up our act first. “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person – though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die – but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”, writes Paul in Romans 5:6-8.

Not only are we loved by God, but God knows us intimately, he knows our deepest hurts, our deepest joys; he knows our sins, even the deeply secret ones, and he still loves us. It’s not as though God loves people but doesn’t know some of their struggles and sins. No; he knows all of it, yet he chooses to continue loving us despite ourselves. David writes in Psalm 139 – “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar… Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether… If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you”. God is not surprised by us; thus, when he says he loves us we can be sure of the depth and steadfastness of that love.

You are not alone

The struggle for purity and healing from porn addiction can be a lonely road. But it doesn’t have to be. Firstly, we are not abandoned in our struggle and forced to go it alone. God promises us “’I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5-6). On the journey to recovery, we have been given and are empowered by God’s spirit – “…for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7).

The journey toward freedom from addiction to porn and addressing the underlying issues fueling that addiction is one with ups and downs. However, you can undertake it with the assurance that “…neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

Secondly, not only is God with us, but God’s people are with us as well. There are others who have run this race toward recovery and persevered, and there are those who will walk with us on our own journey. “Therefore,” the writer of the letter to the Hebrews says, “since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12: 1-2). The road to recovery from addiction to pornography is one that requires endurance, accountability and support. Many churches have support groups for porn addiction, and there are many trained Christian counsellors who are equipped to walk with you on your journey toward freedom and healthy habits.

Conclusion

There is nothing we’ve done that is so heinous that it cannot be forgiven and cleansed. God invites us to be cleansed – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Our sin is not a stain on us and our souls that cannot be removed. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases… as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us,” writes David in Psalm 103.

God invites us all to walk in the light as he is in the light. Porn addiction thrives in secrecy and when one feels isolated. One of the first steps towards freedom is acknowledging the problem and seeking help. “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” Galatians 5:1.  A Christian counsellor can help you to begin walking in the freedom that Christ bought for you, to heal wounds, maintain accountability on your journey, as well as build healthy habits.