To ministers and Christian teachers of the Word

[CharismaticLady]

Over the past several years, certain ministries have published surveys stating that around 68% percent of men and over 50% of pastors in evangelical churches admit to consuming pornography on a regular basis. If these surveys are even close to being accurate, the biggest shock is that only 68% percent of those men partake of pornography, because if their pastors are unclean, those men are drinking from a fountain of uncleanness. An unclean minister is a fountain of uncleanness flowing into those who drink of their ministry.

 

[Windmillcharge]

Over the past several years, certain ministries have published surveys stating that around 68% percent of men and over 50% of pastors in evangelical churches admit to consuming pornography on a regular basis. If these surveys are even close to being accurate, the biggest shock is that only 68% percent of those men partake of pornography, because if their pastors are unclean, those men are drinking from a fountain of uncleanness. An unclean minister is a fountain of uncleanness flowing into those who drink of their ministry.

If 50% of pastors view porn then only 50% of men are listening to a pastor with that sinful habit.
18% are sinning and have a minister who is not sinning in that particular way.

Yes it is a shame and a discrace that pastor and men view porn. They like any addict need help to break that habit.

Question, does committing a sin ruin anyone from Christian service or only unrepented sin?

 

[Timtofly]

Sin only ruins if each individual allows it to ruin them. One cannot confess an addiction. An addiction is the modern concept of casting out demons. An addiction can only be cast out. And only then confession can remove sin.

The problem with living in sin is the hypocrisy of it. One cannot declare God's Word with any effectiveness, while in sin. Not that God does not use His Word even given by an athiest. At least the athiest is not being hypocritical about God, just their own belief system.

 

[marks]

Over the past several years, certain ministries have published surveys stating that around 68% percent of men and over 50% of pastors in evangelical churches admit to consuming pornography on a regular basis. If these surveys are even close to being accurate, the biggest shock is that only 68% percent of those men partake of pornography, because if their pastors are unclean, those men are drinking from a fountain of uncleanness. An unclean minister is a fountain of uncleanness flowing into those who drink of their ministry.

I've heard numbers as high as 85% of men in church using porn.

How does one teach the faith to stand in grace when they don't know it themselves?

Much love!

 

[marks]

Question, does committing a sin ruin anyone from Christian service or only unrepented sin?

You sure can't be focused on serving God in those moments or hours or days or months when you are under the deception of your flesh.

Much love!

 

[CharismaticLady]

I've heard numbers as high as 85% of men in church using porn.

How does one teach the faith to stand in grace when they don't know it themselves?

Much love!

I just posted this so Christian ministers and Christian teachers will realize the problem.

What I can't understand is, if someone is so without character that they use porn, how can they find the character to tell the truth on a survey?

 

[marks]

What I can't understand is, if someone is so without character that they use porn, how can they find the character to tell the truth on a survey?

Differing degrees of corruptions within the flesh.

Someone can be in an addiction, and can be aware of that addiction, and can admit to that addiction, while not understanding that addiction, nor finding the power to overcome that addiction.

Somethings can require a greater strength of character to oversome.

But there's a better way.

We can walk away from anything by faith in Christ.

It's like the REBT that @Willie T has been sharing with us.

Temptation comes, and those old messages replay in the mind . . . you've been doing this for years, what makes you think you can stop now . . . feel the power in the flesh, you can't stand against this . . . you're going to give in eventually, might as well be now . . . I'm going out of my mind, I need to just get it out of the way . . . or whatever it is we think about ourselves.

The correct belief is that no matter what it seems like, if we walk in the Spirit, we . . . will . . . not . . . fulfill the lusts of the flesh. We are free.

The trick is to hold onto that faith while the corruption of our flesh attempts anything it can to get it's lusts fulfilled.

Enduring through trials, without sin. By trusting Jesus, moment by moment, to produce life in me.

We can be such a mixed bag, but God gives more grace.

Much love!

 

[CharismaticLady]

Differing degrees of corruptions within the flesh.

Someone can be in an addiction, and can be aware of that addiction, and can admit to that addiction, while not understanding that addiction, nor finding the power to overcome that addiction.

Somethings can require a greater strength of character to oversome.

But there's a better way.

We can walk away from anything by faith in Christ.

It's like the REBT that @Willie T has been sharing with us.

Temptation comes, and those old messages replay in the mind . . . you've been doing this for years, what makes you think you can stop now . . . feel the power in the flesh, you can't stand against this . . . you're going to give in eventually, might as well be now . . . I'm going out of my mind, I need to just get it out of the way . . . or whatever it is we think about ourselves.

The correct belief is that no matter what it seems like, if we walk in the Spirit, we . . . will . . . not . . . fulfill the lusts of the flesh. We are free.

The trick is to hold onto that faith while the corruption of our flesh attempts anything it can to get it's lusts fulfilled.

Enduring through trials, without sin. By trusting Jesus, moment by moment, to produce life in me.

We can be such a mixed bag, but God gives more grace.

Much love!

More grace? You still haven't answered my question to you to interpret what you mean by Grace. I know I had to edit that post, so you probably skipped it as it was at first confusing.

 

[marks]

More grace? You still haven't answered my question to you to interpret what you mean by Grace. I know I had to edit that post, so you probably skipped it as it was at first confusing.

Of course I've answered that question of grace to you many times.

James 4
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Isaiah 57
15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

Why would the spirit, the souls that God made, fail before Him?

I would say it is because the spirit lusts against the flesh, and the flesh against the spirit, so you cannot do the things you want.

Why do we need to be humble? What is it about humilty that invites more grace?

And what does it mean that the Spirit in us lusts to envy? Against what?

Because we live in fallen flesh. And that flesh is extremely deceptive. And we have to learn how to walk in faith, which is belief and reliance on God's truth, and not the lies of the flesh.

Much love!

 

[CharismaticLady]

Why do we need to be humble? What is it about humilty that invites more grace?

And what does it mean that the Spirit in us lusts to envy? Against what?

Because we live in fallen flesh. And that flesh is extremely deceptive. And we have to learn how to walk in faith, which is belief and reliance on God's truth, and not the lies of the flesh.

When I ask for your definition, you quote scripture, but don't elaborate on what YOU interpret it to mean. And I keep asking, and you keep answering with scripture. I believe the scripture, but our interpretation seems to be opposed to one another. So are you going to give me you own definition of grace like I continue to ask, or are we going to continue this dosey doe dance around and around again.

You may want to believe you live in fallen flesh, but we are not in the flesh but in the Spirit. It is up to us to stay there and not quench the Spirit. My body will die, but that has nothing to do with who I am that lives in the Spirit, and acts in the Spirit.

 

[Enoch111]

An unclean minister is a fountain of uncleanness flowing into those who drink of their ministry.

The remedy was rather simple. A prospective minister would need to be asked point blank if he had any addictions, particularly pornography. If he said "Yes" then the response would be "Goodbye".

 

[CharismaticLady]

The remedy was rather simple. A prospective minister would need to be asked point blank if he had any addictions, particularly pornography. If he said "Yes" then the response would be "Goodbye".

I'm surprised that so many admitted it!

 

[Enoch111]

I'm surprised that so many admitted it!

I'm thoroughly shocked. I trust this was a genuine survey, not something cooked up. One would think that people would simply resign if that was the case.

 

[Nancy]

I just posted this so Christian ministers and Christian teachers will realize the problem.

What I can't understand is, if someone is so without character that they use porn, how can they find the character to tell the truth on a survey?

Ha, I know right?!!

 

[CharismaticLady]

I'm thoroughly shocked. I trust this was a genuine survey, not something cooked up. One would think that people would simply resign if that was the case.

Some people are so sick, they boast about their sins. Kinda reminds me of my ex. Long before we met, he pastored a home church, and one woman was a virgin, and he raped her. And long after we were married he TOLD me about it!!! Then he seduced the wife of his best friend by preaching Jesus to her, left me, caused her to leave her husband, and they got married.

 

[Bobby Jo]

... An unclean minister is a fountain of uncleanness flowing into those who drink of their ministry.

Really? You're just now discovering that our "pastors" are HIRELINGS, and that they're in the "ministry" for their own personal esteem/pride/greed/power/"worship"?

It's not called a cemetery (sometimes spelled seminary) for nothing.
Bobby Jo

 

[quietthinker]

Sin only ruins if each individual allows it to ruin them. One cannot confess an addiction. An addiction is the modern concept of casting out demons. An addiction can only be cast out. And only then confession can remove sin.

The problem with living in sin is the hypocrisy of it. One cannot declare God's Word with any effectiveness, while in sin. Not that God does not use His Word even given by an athiest. At least the athiest is not being hypocritical about God, just their own belief system.

Could it be that 'One cannot declare God's Word with any effectiveness, while in sin.' is the reason for so much useless yada yada on this site?

 

[quietthinker]

Over the past several years, certain ministries have published surveys stating that around 68% percent of men and over 50% of pastors in evangelical churches admit to consuming pornography on a regular basis. If these surveys are even close to being accurate, the biggest shock is that only 68% percent of those men partake of pornography, because if their pastors are unclean, those men are drinking from a fountain of uncleanness. An unclean minister is a fountain of uncleanness flowing into those who drink of their ministry.

Make void God's Commandments and what do you expect?....power over sin? Sin indulged in its many forms makes the branch wither on the vine only to be gathered and burned.

 

[Timtofly]

Could it be that 'One cannot declare God's Word with any effectiveness, while in sin.' is the reason for so much useless yada yada on this site?

Only the Holy Spirit knows that. I mean that is the reason. To whom the point applies is the mystery.

 

[Windmillcharge]

You sure can't be focused on serving God in those moments or hours or days or months when you are under the deception of your flesh.

Much love!

That does not answer my question. If you sin, are you still a a Christian?
If a minister sins is he still a minister?

If ministers etc are viewing porn is there preaching, service etc still valid?

Or put it another way, what are ordinary Christians to do, where should they go for teaching, fellowship etc?