Drastic Measures
Today's Three-minute Bible Study
Print, Study and Apply
Title: Drastic Measures------------------------------ Date: 11/24/2002
Keywords:
"beat" "body"
Welcome
to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual
temptation.
Passage: 1 Corinthians 9:27*
... I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Questions
1. What does the apostle Paul mean in this verse?
2. Could you apply his point to your struggle against pornography?
3. Would you want to?
Practical help
Does Paul's anti-sin strategy sound over the top? Not to a Catholic movement called Opus Dei. These Christians often place sharp objects underneath their clothes to pierce their skin when they sit down. They believe they can overcome sin by mortifying the flesh. Could the same approach help you steer clear of pornography?
Maybe so, maybe not. On the pro side, Paul's example seems logical; if your physical desires overwhelm your will, then self-flagellation could stop the cycle of sexual addiction. On the con side, beating your body sounds downright ... medieval.
Perhaps all Christians can agree to read Paul's account as a challenge. He took sin so seriously that he didn't spare his own body. Though we may not adopt his methods, Paul should inspire us to combat pornography with our own drastic measures.
What will you do?
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*Scriptures are from The Holy Bible: New International Version © Copyright 1973,
1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. All rights reserved.