“For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.”
2 Peter 2:18 NKJV
There’s only one thing worse than feeling shame for your sexual sin. Feeling no shame. If you are trying to conquer pornography or masturbation, be careful where you go for advice. If you post a question on Reddit or Quora, for example, watch out for the un-biblical answers you quickly receive from some professing Christians on these and other online forums and discussion boards. Because one of the goals of false teachers is to lure you back to the very sexual sins you are trying to escape.
This is the warning that the apostle Peter has for you when he tells you that false teachers allure through lewdness. Lewdness is a word you don’t hear folks using much these days. It means promiscuous and unprincipled sexual behavior, or inordinate sexual desire. False teachers use promiscuous and unprincipled sexual behavior to lure you back to your old, sinful way of life. Some do this knowingly, others unknowingly, but their method is always the same.
False teachers operate under the radar. They don’t flat out invite you to watch a porn movie with them. They don’t teach from the pulpit that premarital sex is God’s design for your life. False teachers are wolves in sheep’s clothing, looking like sheep and acting like sheep. But what they teach is off, usually by degrees. Their advice sounds practical and helpful, maybe even spiritual, but is harmful. Your job is to spot these false teachers before they snatch away your sexual purity and wreck your testimony—and life.
One way to spot a false teacher? They tell you not to feel shame when you sin sexually. “Shame is from the devil,” they teach. “Don’t allow yourself to feel any shame. Shame just keeps you defeated.” This is bad advice because shame is one of the best feelings you can have when you sin against God. Why? Because Godly sorrow leads to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10). And repentance leads you back into fellowship with God. If you feel shame after sinning sexually, thank God. Because there’s only one thing worse than feeling shame for your sexual sin. Feeling no shame.
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