So, what do you do with it? One side of our world says to do whatever you want. It doesn't really matter. Then, for some of us who are Christ-followers, we have another community around us that has opinions about how to deal with our sexual desires. In my experiences, that community often strives to give us lots of "NO's", but doesn't often speak to the reality of the intensity of our urges.One author that, I believe, writes with more clarity than almost any other I have found is Brad Watson, a pastor, and an author of the book Is It Lust or Legalism. He wrote an article in Charisma Magazine that gives a taste of what God taught him on this subject. Check it out here: Is It Lust or Legalism?
I'd like to get some dialogue running about Brad's article.
After reading Brad's article, here are some questions I think that are worth exploring:
Is this practical?
Is Watson giving too much freedom to our thoughts?
Is Watson's advice similar or different to what you've been taught elsewhere?
Do you think he's right?
Should we even care about this stuff?
I think this is practical because it is different from what I've learned and yet I can still apply this to my life. Watson is not giving to much freedom to our thoughts because he said that your thoughts should go through your heart too. Watson's advice is different from what I've learned and I think that both perspectives are correct. I think that we should care about this stuff so we keep our relationships pure and holy with the Lord.
ReplyDeleteI like the balance you're talking about. We should care, yet getting too obsessed with the thoughts that come through our heads sometimes just makes our relationship with the Lord more complicated than necessary.
DeleteNo it is not anything similar to what i have learned in the past. I think we should care about this stuff because you want to have a strong relationship with God. You don't just want to shut God out of your life
ReplyDeleteID:1201910
I think Watson has a point on the thoughts issue because people are going to experience "impure" thoughts no matter what. I wouldn't really know because I've never actually seeked advice on the topic.
ReplyDeleteThat's partly why I like this article. Too many times we have thoughts about a lot of stuff and figure we're just weird or God or other people don't care about this stuff. Yet, God does care and that's a great thing.
DeleteI think that Watson has a firm grasp on the fact that, yes God can see and know everything we do and think of but even if those thoughts are impure, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is a direct sin. I've never really thought about that type of thing though so I'm not sure.
ReplyDeleteGrayton Lowenfeld ^^^
ReplyDeleteI think it was easier for guys to relate to Watson's article than girls. I was able to relate very well because I struggle with those same problems. I definitely think we should care about this stuff if we truly are working to be the best Christian people we can possibly be. This was probably the best advise I have ever received on the subject. I think one of his most helpful points was that your heart and mind are separate, and what your mind tells you isn't necessarily what your heart believes.
ReplyDelete- Thomas Wetzel
You and me, man. I totally share the same perspective.
DeleteI think that this is practical because there may be times in my life where I can relate to this. Watson brought up a good point that we should live by. He said that not everything we think corresponds with our heart. So if we think about someone but don't feel it then it isn't lust.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to Watson because I too struggle with the same problems, however I think that as a Christian I should ignore these images and try to get them out of my mind whenever they happen. I think that we should care about these things because they can influence our goals and actions towards others.
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Watson's way of teaching this was quite similar to other times I've learned about this subject. Mostly because he shows that it's natural to have these feelings and we have to look in the Lord for what we should do and what the right thing to do is.
ReplyDeleteI definitely know what Watson is talking about but I feel like for every human being these thoughts are instinctual. These thoughts Watson talks about are not the thoughts that you can build a relationship off of, its the thoughts God made us to have that allow us to build strong and loving relationships
ReplyDelete-Doc Januzzi
We all as humans have the natural attraction thing going for the opposite sex. Turn to God when you think you have done something wrong.
ReplyDeleteWe all have attractions in whatever way with the opposite sex. God is bigger than sex and we have to follow God's word and do what God wants us to do and not do what God wants. He wants us to be in a loving relationship and be unified like marriage before creating a family.
ReplyDelete-Eric Bender
No it is not anything similar to what i have learned in the past. I think we should care about this stuff because you want to have a strong relationship with God. You don't just want to shut God out of your life
ReplyDeleteIt is natural for humans the feel sexually attracted to those of the opposite sex, but as Christians we a told to keep away from sexually immoral acts.
ReplyDelete-Alex ellett
This information is new to me. This is saying that lust is in the mind and not the heart. Love is long term and lust is short term. -Kurt Herrin
ReplyDeleteI think that what he is saying is different then what I have always been taught and believed. He says that the heart and the mind are, in a way, different. I agree that just because you are attracted to someone does not mean that you are committing a sin. It is natural, as a human, to be attracted to someone. but when you start to think lustful, I think that it is a sin. in the bible is says that if you look at a man lustfully you have pretty much already commited adultery. I don't agree when he says that you have to "act out" a sin for it to be a sin. If you are thinking lustfully it is a sin. a sin is sin, whether you are thinking or saying it. Although, I do agree that you must be "dragged away" or "enticed" in order for your temptation to actually mean something.
ReplyDelete-Savannah Boll
Good points. I think Watson is saying that there certainly can be sin before the action is committed, but it lies in a heart the thinks as well as plans on sinning sexually with someone. So, Jesus is saying, "Hey, just because you didn't succeed, doesn't mean you aren't already sinning." That's different from thoughts without any intention of acting on them.
DeleteI think Watson is giving to much freedom to our thoughts because if we don't focus our thoughts on God and we say that it in a way its okay to look at someone lustfully then we are slowly gonna go down the wrong path. you should atleast try to focus your thoughts on if God would agree with it or not.
ReplyDelete-Anna Maxwell