Re: Eye Candy, romantic stories and pornography

Hi Forgiven - It's been a while since I have posted here but I just felt like stopping by this evening. I have certainly debated this topic myself. In Ephesians 5:3 Paul says, "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people." I think that this scripture pretty much rules out any sexual thoughts as being acceptable by God's standard. I was thinking about this today in church as I was sitting amongst 5 beautiful eleven year old boys, helping them following along the scripture that was being taught. I actually felt myself getting a bit aroused, yet in my mind and heart the only feelings were affection for these boys, love and caring. The point that we have to rememeber is that it is not our sinful nature that is a problem but how we respond to it. When we truly believe that we have a responsibility to deny our flesh, and put our trust in Jesus we are delivered from our desires. But none of us succeeds every time (myself certainly included) because none of us is perfect; only Jesus was. It is at this point that we realize how desperately we need God's forgiveness which was offered to us freely by the blood of Jesus. I truly do believe that if our heart is to help and ministry to boys, that God will use us to this end, despite our imperfections. Indeed, most ministers will be tempted to be attracted to women and may even fall into lustful thoughts or even sexual fantasy. This doesn't make them bad ministers, it makes them human. As for lust being defined by sexual fantasy, I am not always sure of this. When I do dream about boys it is rarely about them in any kind of sexual situation. I have always been aroused simply by beautiful boys alone. I have to believe that masterbating even to non-sexual images is also lustful. If not, it is selfish anyway. Your are not alone. Ben