Why Am I So Tempted?, Am finding it hard to live up to my parents expectactions. Options

[Hooper]

Hello, I'm new here but I badly need a place to discus some of the issues that have been destroying me inside and, I fear, my soul too.

My parents have raised me to be a great Christian. I study hard, I play a lot of sports, I try to follow every teaching from God I can as my Mother and Father have taught me. I am nice to everyone and have even managed to convince some of my friends to get more into Christianity when our friend, Ger died.

However... I have a massive problem. I lust after girls. Constantly. I don't know what to do, the other day I say a pornographic magazine at my friends house. I convinced him to get rid of the thing in case his parents found it (I felt that would be more effective than saying it wasn't right by god). Obviously I saw some of the women inside. My problem is, I cannot stop fantasising about those women and their bodies. I'm scared, I find myself looking at teachers at school, girls in my class and random women in the street. I can't help myself.

My problem is, that not only is this distracting, and not only do I feel guilty about it, and fear from judgement, both from my father, but also by Our Father, my studies and teachings never explain WHY this is so wrong. Why must I resist this temptation? Why has Christianity made this such a bad thing?

If I understand why, I'm sure I can find the right way to pray and cure myself, I just need to understand why this sin... is such a sin? I've looked at all the aspects and relevant verses, but I can't understand why.

Someone, please. Help.

- Hooper

[everett]

Mat 5:28 - But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Job 31:1 - I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

Gal 5:16 - This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

And besides that, It corrups your mind and the way you look at women. You will begin to judge their worth by their looks. Believe me, I know from experiene. The more you give yourself to it the more of a slave you become to it. And it will only cause future difficulties for your future marraige relationship. The more you indulge yourself in, the more you will need to be satisfied and it will take over you. It is just like a drug addiction. Run from it before it gets that strong, and find someone to keep you accountable. I hope I could be of help.

[Anne05]

In the Old Testament, people caught in adultery were punished.

However, after Jesus Christ came, he lived a life on this earth, as an example for us to follow. And He set a new standard for us.
As mentioned above, Matt : 5 : 28 says, "But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eyes has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

So now it was not just the act that was wrong, even the thought in a wrong manner was considered equivalent to adultery.

After His death and resurrection, Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit permanently, so that we could live a higher standard of Christian life.

That is what is expected out of us today.

I would encourage you to read, Mark : 7 : 1 - 23, where Jesus teaches about inner purity.

Why do you think the Pharisees were not saved whereas the sinner on the cross ended up in paradise? It is EASY for anybody to show a clean outer cover, as if obeying and walking in God's light. Their inner selves might be decaying with sins. Jesus called such people as hypocrites.

Mark : 7 : 20:, And then He added, " It is the thought life that defiles you."

Verse 21 - 23, For from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride and foolishness.
And all these vile things come from within;they are what defile you and make you unacceptable to God."

So, if not anything else, do you want to hear Jesus saying on the judgement day, that you are unacceptable to Him?? That is going to be heart breaking and there is no point in regretting that day.

So, child of God, why do you want to remain in bondage to some earthly lustful pleasures that are only for a very short while and thereby loose your place with Jesus Christ for eternity............

think about it........

You have too much to loose, if you keep giving in to these lustful pleasures that satan is trying to entangle you with. But, take courage. Confess, repent and run to your Heavenly Father who is waiting for His child to come back to Him.

No matter what we do, He hates our sins, but loves us unconditionally. So, don't try to justify your sin, instead, trust in Him, depend on the Holy Spirit, and God will help you through.

God bless you..

Anne.

[Felix67]

What a total load. You are a young man and this is normal. Because you have been raised in an oppressive faith you feel guilt!!! I am glad that it has lead you to this point where you find it necessary to question doctrine, perhaps you will begin to question some of the other bizarre features of the guilt factory you are steeped in.

[Frostbite]

Why is it a sin? Do those thoughts you entertain lead you closer to God or away from God? That alone should settle it. If you're lusting after the attractive mother of a friend, would you tell her the details of your fantasies? No? No, because you know it's shameful and disrespectful.

What you're doing is squandering the glue that is to bond you to a wife, leading to a less satisfying marriage. You're also conditioning yourself to hook up with a less virtuous woman/women, also leading to a less satisfying life of failed relationships.

You might eventually convince yourself that you're doing nothing to feel guilty about. When you follow that path, you leave repentance behind and leave the faith, dooming yourself. The day will come when you convince yourself that your eternal destiny is to decay in the dirt. And, that will also become your hope, that you will decay in the dirt and not face divine judgement. That's the price you pay if you listen to those who tell you that your faith is oppressive.

We live in a tough age for Christians. Temptation to sin is thrown in our faces every day and even many Christians have succumbed and no longer seek holy lives by God's standards, as is the nature of a follower of Christ. They decide to live by the world's standards, and become self-righteous.

Before modern times, it was typical for people to be married as teenagers. That's no longer Politically Correct, but for the temptation we face, it's a very good idea.