Between Urge and Act Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: Between Urge and Act--------------------------------------- Date: 10/23/2002 Keywords: "act" "study" "thought" "urge" "worship" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passage: Romans 13:13-14* 13. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature Questions 1. What do these verses mean?   2. How can them help you resist pornography?   Practical help The crack of a rifle can start an avalanche. And a crack in character can bring down a person. Small things lead to large things. Small sins beget larger ones. This is one of Paul's messages in Romans 13:13-14 — and one that can help us resist pornography. Note the surprising statement that believers should "not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature." It's surprising because we often focus on actions more than thoughts. But Paul sees the link between the urge and the act — and rules out both. So if Christians are not supposed to think pornographic thoughts, what should occupy our minds? The answer is the Lord Jesus Christ (verse 14), but the execution of that idea may look different from believer to believer. A more emotional Christian might get more mileage out of singing hymns and choruses than in studying the Bible — and vice versa for a more stolid saint. Of course, all believers should worship and meditate on Scripture. Yet different ways to reorient our thoughts toward Christ can help clear our minds of the thoughts that would bring us down. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2002 by eXXit *Scriptures are from The Holy Bible: New International Version, © Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. All rights reserved. ----