Playboy’s Death

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God;

Hugh Hefner died, the world celebrated his life, and yet as Dr. Michael Brown wrote, “I hope he found grace and repentance before leaving this world. I also hope that his death will signify the end of the sexual revolution. It has failed miserably on every front. May it never rise again.” Amen. I was introduced to porn in my early teens; I remember ordering my Playboy subscription as soon as I moved out on my own, a seemingly right of passage. I remember throwing away a collection of over 10 years of porn when God opened my eyes to my sin. I realize the life I lead down the immorality road, a life I now hold my head in shame for. I have told my oldest son I know not what was the worst thing I ever tried, porn or drugs, but porn was the worst drug. It’s addition lingers through life, and now with it’s availability in my hands every day, it still can rear it’s head, and yes, I still have failed just like we all do sometimes. That temptation is one of Satan’s greatest weapons, for as Paul writes in his epistles, it is a sin against God. 1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. Paul was strong on sexual purity throughout his epistles in the New Testament for he saw the power Satan has over us in our lustful sexual desires.

You are not alone in this battle. Men and women battle the lust of the flesh every day. We are enticed by attractive people around us, our minds wander, and sadly some may turn to porn to deepen that fantasy. We always want what we don’t or can’t have; even look back to the origin of sin in the garden, when Eve wanted to be like God. That desire is the battle of good and evil that lies within us. I can attest to though, the feeling of a spiritual victory anytime through God’s power alone, we gain victory’s in the pursuit of purity. The saying, “no” to those temptations of any sort, bring an intimacy with our Lord. Why, because of the intimacy of Him living within us. 1 Corinthians 6:15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. You are grieving the Holy Spirit of God that is living inside of you when you go down that road of sin. We begin to ask really big questions of our salvation when we continue in sin after proclaiming Christ. We must ask ourselves how we can mock God, while continuing down these roads Paul writes about. 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. My prayer is that your sexual revolution died with Playboy this week also. My prayer is that you pursue purity and intimacy with God through the denial of the sin lust within. My prayer is that you be open with others of your testimony, to bring others to the saving knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.