One of the easy deceptions of pornography is that viewing it is just an activity. Watching an X-rated video on your own, you may be deluded into thinking that your activity is just a harmless way to pass the time and release some stress. But the Bible doesn’t look upon pornography, or masturbating to pornography, or sexual immorality, as innocent activities.
Just consider the life of Joseph. After being sold into slavery and taken down to Egypt, Joseph becomes the overseer in the house of Potiphar, captain of the guard. Joseph is given responsibility for running Potiphar’s household. One day, Potiphar’s wife notices that Joseph is “handsome in form and appearance” (Gen 39:6). She lusts after him, and invites him to go to bed with her. Joseph refuses. This is how he replies:
“There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”
Genesis 39:9
This act that Potiphar’s wife proposes is sin. But Joseph doesn’t call it that. He calls her invitation a “great wickedness.” Not just wickedness. A great wickedness. For Joseph, having sex outside of marriage with the wife of his employer is not an innocent act, a pleasurable diversion or a workplace perk. Joseph views this proposal as wicked because it means committing a compounded sin. In this one act, he will turn himself into a fornicator, turn Potiphar’s wife into an adulteress, and he will betray the trust of his employer. Sex outside of marriage is bad, that sin combined with adultery is worse, those two sins committed in the workplace and involving the betrayal of an employer is worse still, and sinning against God into the bargain makes the act a great wickedness altogether.
Next time you are tempted to view porn or act out sexually, remember Joseph. See what you are about to do for what it really is: sexual immorality, adultery, betrayal, and an offense against God.
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