Today's episode is titled Silent Crisis Christians Living in Secret Sin . Guys , we have a title . We've actually , as usual , we don't talk about what we're going to talk about . When you see Christians living in secret sin , what sin comes to mind ? Mark Easy , ray , the sin of easy and Ray .
Speaker 2Well , I think of an oxymoron as soon as I see that secret sin . There's no such thing . The etymology of oxymoron , the Greek , is oxus , which is very interesting .
Speaker 2An ox with oxygen , which just means sharp , and moros , which means foolish . So it's very pointed foolishness to think you can have a secret sin . No such thing , that's good . It's coming through the door , idolatry , if you really believe that . Because the eye of the Lord is in every place , beholding the evil and the good . And the secret sin I think of is usually lust . That's the secret sin that sits in the human heart .
Speaker 4Yeah , and Adrian Rogers said every secret sin is an open spectacle in heaven .
Speaker 3Wow , that he sees it all .
Speaker 4Yeah , so I agree with Ray right . I think what plagues men more than women typically is lust , sexual sin to some degree . And the thing is and I hope we get into it in a little bit is that men feel like they're all alone and there's an embarrassment that's attached to that .
Speaker 1Yeah , they feel like they're one of a kind . What's interesting ? I pulled up some data on just pornographic websites . So 44% of men between the ages of 18 and 29 reported this is self-reported consuming porn in the last month . 60% of men between the ages of 30 and 49 reported consuming porn in the last month . Women account for 20% of users on a pornographic website . That's crazy .
Speaker 1In 2006 , the porn industry was a $100 billion industry . We actually don't have more data past 2006 , significant data . We can only assume , though , that that $100 billion industry has only grown , and so , to put that into perspective , the NFL is a $20 billion a year industry . Nba , $12 billion a year industry . Soccer , which is the biggest sport in the entire world , $60 billion a year . That means the NFL , nba and soccer combined are a smaller industry than the porn industry at $100 billion In 2023 , porn sites received more visits than Amazon , netflix and TikTok Combined . I don't think combined , no , but more visits . So , with these numbers , what that tells us is that two in 10 women and seven in 10 men maybe even in churches are struggling with this , at least in the last month . Mark , do you think that's true ? Do you think those numbers ?
Speaker 4are different in the church . No , I think that there's some legitimacy . Luke 8 , verse 17, . It says For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest , nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to the light . Listen to this quote from Ravi Zacharias Sin will take you further than you want to go , it'll keep you longer than you want to stay and it will cost you more than you are willing to pay . And you consider the source of that right .
Speaker 2For those who don't know .
Speaker 4Yeah , ravi Zacharias was a very well-esteemed Christian apologist . He has since passed . God knows his fate , but after he had passed a lot has come out . How much of it is true , I don't know . I know he's got family members that believe that he was a very devious individual with a very secret life . Apparently I didn't go too deep into it , but completely heartbroken . John MacArthur made an interesting observation about Ravi one time . He said Ravi always had a story , but he never had a verse . Oh wow , he was always willing to share an experience , but he was never willing to share a scripture . Consider that right Scripture . How can a young man take heed according to God's Word ? Right ? How can young men keep himself pure by taking heed according to His Word ? You want to walk that straight and narrow path . Get the Word of God in you , delight yourself in the Word and there will be ample opportunities for you to preach the Word to yourself .
Speaker 1I hide your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you , that's right yeah .
Speaker 1That's right . I think oftentimes it's positioned as though God is trying to hold joy back from you , as though , like these laws , the God's laws that he gives us , they're just these arbitrary rules , that they're just kind of bummers , kind of like having to go to a school where they make you wear a uniform . You know where you're like . Come on , man , I like can't . I just enjoy myself and express myself . And I think one of the things that we should remember . I love the way CS Lewis put it . He compares God's law to a holiday at the sea . He says something like you know , often we think he's trying to rob us of joy , when actually he's trying to invite us into a more joy-filled life . And settling for sin is like settling for making mud pies in the dump , when God is offering you a holiday at the sea .
Speaker 1And we talked about how , in some parts of culture , watching porn is now just like a pastime .
Speaker 1But what's interesting is now , of course , the science and the data is confirming what the scriptures have always said , which is that looking and lust , pornography , that all of it , is setting you up for failure , because what ends up happening is comparison kills joy .
Speaker 1And when you're looking at every girl that passes you by . When you have such a familiarity with websites of pornography . When you go into the wedding bed , you cannot help but compare your spouse to those things . And no spouse , no human being will ever be able to satisfy the make-believe fantasies of being able to look at whatever woman doing whatever thing at whatever time that you possibly want . Those are fantasies that are not real , and yet our minds gravitate towards that fantasy becoming a reality . What ends up happening is that people who watch pornography , people who tend to look they , tend to have a less satisfied sexual life in marriage , because comparison kills . And so to the young man or woman that's out there , not married yet wondering like how harmful could it be ? You are setting yourself up for a harder time in marriage . God is not holding you back from joy . He's trying to invite you into a more joy filled life .
Speaker 2I think it's interesting . People . We talk about struggling with lust , we use those words together . Right , and it's almost condoning it . You're struggling with lust ? No , how about ? You're struggling with adultery ? You would never say that to someone . You don't struggle with it , you just don't do it . And so I love Tozer's . I think it's probably his most famous quote .
Speaker 2What comes to mind , into our mind , when we think about God is the most important thing about us , and that's why it's so important , as Christians sharing the gospel , that we do what Jesus did and go through the divine law and show that God requires truth in the inward parts , that the law is spiritual , that God sees lust as adultery . He sees hatred as murder , and lying lips are an abomination to the Lord . So when someone comes through that door into the Christian walk , they can sanctify themselves because they have that knowledge that God sees everything . And someone who makes a profession of faith and doesn't understand that is going to think he can have secret sins . He doesn't realize the eye of the Lord is in every place , beholding the evil and the good . And the analogy I like to use and whatever you do , don't do this . Let's say you fly to the sun and land on its surface and you drill a hole right down to the middle of the sun and pull up the middle atom of the sun and you split the atom . I don't know what that would do atomic-wise , but you split the atom , open it up , and God knows exactly what's in the middle of it . That's so good Because and God knows exactly what's in the middle of it , that's so good Because he made it . Yeah , so when you realize that you have that understanding that helps you live a life of holiness , walking in the fear of the Lord , and when you don't have that knowledge , then there's no fear of God before your eyes . And the Bible says through the fear of the Lord , men depart from evil . You'll not depart from evil unless you have that fear of the Lord .
Speaker 2I love 1 Corinthians 7 , verse 9 , because it's just so picturesque . It's better to marry than to burn Burn . I love the way Scripture puts it , because that's what's going to happen . Lust is like a fuel . Sexual desire is like a fuel . It'll eat you up and it needs material . That's what it needs . So good Fire needs material . So you've got to stop there . And so , if you're not married , use the water of the Word to put that fire out . Feed yourself on the word , renew your mind . This book will keep me from sin , and sin will keep me from this book . It's a wonderful thing that someone said to write in the front of your Bible this book will keep me from sin , and sin and death are synonymous , and sin will keep me from this book . So the first time the second you get into pornography , you won't want to open God's Word , because the entrance of God's Word brings light and you don't want light to come to your soul .
Speaker 4So Ray break down the practicality of this right . So young man , he's left to himself the temptation comes . He's worn back and forth . What does he do at ?
Speaker 2that moment , open Scripture and start quoting the Bible out loud and let it soak into your soul and think of the greatness of God , think of the cross , the cost of redemption , and then run from sexual sin , if there's any .
Speaker 4Physically run , yeah , physically run .
Speaker 2Leave the room . If you can't get rid of your computer , just get out of there . Go for a run . Burn that energy off . Run a mile in three minutes .
Speaker 4Don't die . World record has done . Listen , call someone . Call someone . Don't go through this alone because you're not alone . There is that thought that I am all alone . Nobody knows what I am going through . Matthew Henry said God is more willing to forgive us than we are willing to repent . The idea of you repenting does not originate with you , right , god grants repentance that leads to the truth . Start with accountability . You know , let me read you a few accountability questions that you can give somebody these questions and you say , hey , I want you to ask me these questions .
Speaker 4Some very thought-provoking questions . What images or videos did you view ? Or what movies ? What TV ? What have you been visiting ? Sound of music ? What websites did you visit ? The Hills ? Would you be able to tell fellow Christians in your church what you viewed without being embarrassed ? Have you exposed yourself to any sexually explicit material this week ? That's good . Did you fantasize about being with another woman besides your wife ? Have you been with a woman anywhere ? That might be seen as compromising ? Did you take matters into your own hands that your wife is responsible for ? What challenges or struggles are weighing on your mind ? Have you looked at a person longer than necessary , inciting lustful emotions ? What precautions have you taken to deter lustful actions and prevent them from continuing ? And then , finally , did you just lie to me concerning any of your answers to these questions that's so strong .
Speaker 4It just puts things into perspective , but we've been designed to go through life with people . Do it ?
Speaker 2So we've been heading this direction to get with people , do it . So we've been heading this direction to get to the pinnacle of what we want to say , and that is get easy's book .
Speaker 1I was about to make a joke about that . Fight like a man Fight like a man . Bold biblical battle plan for personal purity .
Speaker 2Yeah , it's doing very , very well .
Speaker 1People are really appreciating it .
Speaker 2It's a wonderful book . Yeah , it's doing very , very well it is . People are really appreciating it . It's a wonderful book .
Speaker 1Yeah , you can buy it at livingwaterscom or at Amazon . We highly suggest going out and buying it . Easy would fire us all , except for you , ray , because you can't if we didn't mention that . So , yes , it is a great book , very practical , and it applies the gospel in areas that you desperately need in your life . If this is something you're struggling with Get the audio version . Let's do it on the way to work , but then they have to hear easy . Okay , yeah , just stick with the book , guys .
Speaker 3Thank you for tuning in to this week's highlights from the Living Waters podcast . Friends , we value your time , so we've created a bite-sized version of our podcast for listeners who want to get equipped . Without the jokes and fellowship . Be sure to check out the full episode every Thursday where we dive deeper into the topic . Until then , you can watch the full podcast episode available now on livingwaterstv .