What Can I Do To Stop Being Tempted Sexually?
January/15/2012 05:36 PM Filed in: Marriage, Sex and Dating
Hebrews 4:15 tells us Jesus was tempted in every way as we are, yet he did not sin. Because Jesus was a fully human virgin male, we can safely assume that some of the temptations he faced were sexual in nature. Jesus never gave in to those temptations. He is our sinless and perfect God.
This means it is not a sin to be tempted, but it is a sin to give in to temptation. In a fallen world, we will continually face various kinds of temptation. We must learn to run from them.
A great example in Scripture is the time Joseph literally ran from the sexual advances of a married woman in Genesis 39. The Scriptures repeatedly tell us to run from sexual temptation. Trying to stand your ground and resist is foolhardy.
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 1 Corinthians 6:18 (ESV)
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22 (ESV)
It is worth noting that the wisest man in the world (Solomon) and the strongest man in the world (Samson) were both tripped up by sexual temptation. It doesn’t matter how smart or how strong you are, everyone is vulnerable to sexual temptation. The wisest approach is to flee from it, not assume you are impervious to it.
This means avoiding situations that inflame your sexual passions. It may mean getting rid of cable television. It may mean avoiding particular individuals that you know are expressing an interest in you. Cultivating the relationship would be sinful.
It means being willing to take radical actions to avoid tempting situations.
In Matthew 5, Jesus discusses adultery of the heart and follows it up with a discussion on being radical in dealing with issues of sin.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. Matthew 5:27–30 (ESV)
Jesus is not telling us to literally gouge out our eye or cut off our hand. He is telling us to be willing to get radical when dealing with things that cause us to sin.
This means it is not a sin to be tempted, but it is a sin to give in to temptation. In a fallen world, we will continually face various kinds of temptation. We must learn to run from them.
A great example in Scripture is the time Joseph literally ran from the sexual advances of a married woman in Genesis 39. The Scriptures repeatedly tell us to run from sexual temptation. Trying to stand your ground and resist is foolhardy.
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 1 Corinthians 6:18 (ESV)
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22 (ESV)
It is worth noting that the wisest man in the world (Solomon) and the strongest man in the world (Samson) were both tripped up by sexual temptation. It doesn’t matter how smart or how strong you are, everyone is vulnerable to sexual temptation. The wisest approach is to flee from it, not assume you are impervious to it.
This means avoiding situations that inflame your sexual passions. It may mean getting rid of cable television. It may mean avoiding particular individuals that you know are expressing an interest in you. Cultivating the relationship would be sinful.
It means being willing to take radical actions to avoid tempting situations.
In Matthew 5, Jesus discusses adultery of the heart and follows it up with a discussion on being radical in dealing with issues of sin.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. Matthew 5:27–30 (ESV)
Jesus is not telling us to literally gouge out our eye or cut off our hand. He is telling us to be willing to get radical when dealing with things that cause us to sin.