APPLICATION
- How would you articulate your sexual story? When did sexual sin start for you? What has your pattern of sexual sin looked like?
- Where have you seen evidence of sexual brokenness leading to spiritual powerlessness? Where has it impacted your ability to be a source of love and strength to others?
- What would it look like to develop momentum towards freedom from sexual sin? How can you proactively fight for freedom in this area of your life?
- Scofield shared the question he was asked by his pastor: Do you want to be a good, remorseful guy who continues to live under this pattern or do you want to be a part of the things God has for you? Looking at your own life, how would you answer this question?
KEY POINTS
- Chris and Scofield begin the episode by sharing some statistics and discussing three key ideas related to the concept of sexual brokenness:
- The greatest threat to men is a desire to move towards independence and isolation.
- Avoiding sexual immorality helps us depend on God and sharpens our ability to care for others.
- Sexual brokenness is a result of independent thinking.
- The overwhelming idea surrounding sexual brokenness is that, due to our sinful nature, we default towards what we want and not what God wants. We think we know what we need more than God does. We take one of the most powerful things God has made, something that should be a source of blessing in our lives, and we take it out of the context of what God designed it for. Now, through influences like social media and pornography, our beliefs have been shaped and we have developed a bent toward our desires for sex rather than God’s plan.
- How do we fight this temptation? We must first address the heart issue. This involves believing in the goodness of God, recognizing his plans are better than ours, and remembering he knows how to fully satisfy us. As believers, we are equipped by God and the Spirit with all we need for a life of godliness. Next, we must seek to change our behavior. Practical ideas such as setting up restrictions on your phone/computer, establishing a system of accountability, deciding to “fight the battle before the battle,” or simply making proactive plans to deploy our energy on good things are all ways we can flee from sexual temptation. This will look different for everyone, but, as we take these steps, we will begin to develop momentum towards freedom in our lives.
- What is at stake when it comes to our sexual brokenness? As men, we must recognize the weight of our choices. Sexual sin and the choice to indulge in it sidelines our power and prevents us from being a blessing to the people and situations God has placed in front of us. It makes us weak and it represents a shell of what powerful masculinity can look like.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor- not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning and they disobey their parents. Romans 1:28-30
So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. Matthew 18:8-9
RESOURCES
Authentic Manhood - Sexuality Wound Notes
Authentic Manhood - Sexuality Wound Teaching
RELATED STATISTICS
- Teen intercourse has dropped from 54% to 40%. Many suggest this is the result of online consumption of pornography. Reference
- Barna Group's study reveals that 2/3 of US men consume pornography monthly. 79% of those men were between the ages of 18 and 30. Reference
- 56% of divorce cases involved one party having an obsessive interest in pornographic websites. Reference
- 46% of those who use porn replied that images of “sexual acts that may be forced or painful” are not “wrong.” Reference
- A 2019 nationally representative survey found that 53% of kids have their own smartphone by age 11. This is also the average age kids first see porn. Reference
If you know a man who would benefit from hearing this episode, share it with him. Having intentional conversations around these principles is a great way to disciple and help others move towards Christ.
Have questions or want us to discuss a topic? Email us at: menatgrace@gracechurchsc.org.