10 Lies You Tell Yourself (and Believe) When You View Porn

I sinned sexually, repeatedly, because I lied to myself. I lied so often that I eventually believed my lies.

illustration of a wooden marionette with long nose; liar concept

I viewed porn for the first time when I was 11 years old and for the last time when I was 61. That’s 50 years of sinning against God, 30 of them as a Christian. I sinned repeatedly because I lied to myself. I lied so often that I eventually believed my lies. But that all changed on November 4, 2021, when I purposed before God to never look at anything wicked ever again, and to never masturbate ever again. Here I am, 366 days later, living what I purposed back then. I have a year of victory under my belt (excuse the metaphor) partly because I no longer believe those lies I told myself. Here they are. See if you tell any of them to yourself.

Lie #1: God Doesn’t See
When I view pornographic images and videos, I tell myself that God doesn’t see. I sin in secret. But God does see.

Lie #2: It’s Not Adultery
Jesus says that I commit adultery when I look at a woman to lust after her. But I lie to myself. “I don’t commit adultery unless I do the physical act,” I assure myself. But I am deluded.

Lie #3: I’m Not Hurting Anyone
When I convince myself that viewing a porn actress is harmless, I deceive myself. My sin hurts her, because my sin makes the entire sex trafficking industry profitable. I provide the demand for the degrading acts that she is forced to perform for my wicked pleasure.

Lie #4: I Won’t Be Punished
When I masturbate to porn week in, week out, year after year, and pay no consequences, I deceive myself into believing that this activity doesn’t incur God’s wrath. I lie to myself that my actions are not so bad as to send me to hell. I am deluded. Because they will (Galatians 5:19-21).

Lie #5: My Salvation Is Secure
I am either saved or I am sexually immoral. I can’t be both. Paul warned the church at Corinth about this very deception. I cannot commit sexual immorality repeatedly, habitually, with no change in my manner of living, and inherit the kingdom of God. If I think I can, I am lying to myself.

Lie #6: I Am Addicted
“I watch porn because I am addicted,” I tell myself. But no one forces me to sin. I have moral agency. I must admit that I don’t have to sin. I would stop sinning if the incentive was great enough (a reward of $50 million, for example).

Lie #7: I am Powerless
When I recite the first step of Celebrate Recovery, I affirm that I am “powerless over my addictions and compulsive behaviors.” I believe a lie, because I have power. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

Lie #8: My Problem Is Porn
If I think my problem is external (porn sites, apps on my phone, movies), I lie to myself. I am tempted by porn because I desire it (James 1:14). I desire it because my heart is wicked (Matthew 15:19-20). My porn problem is me.

Lie #9: Some Temptations Are Too Strong
When I believe there is no way of escape when I am tempted sexually, I believe a lie, because with every sexual temptation I face, God always provides a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Lie #10: I Don’t Have to Pluck Out My Right Eye
When I think I am strong enough to resist sexual temptation from my smartphone, even though I have discovered that I cannot, I lie to myself. If my right eye causes me to sin, I must pluck it out and throw it away (Matthew 5:27-29). If my smartphone causes me to sin, I must throw it away.


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