The spiritual life is warfare. It is not a sentimental experience or a hobby of the pious. It is the daily crucifixion of the flesh, the relentless struggle against the passions that seek to drag the soul into damnation. Among the most destructive of these passions in our age is lust—fed, glorified, and weaponised through pornography.
The Apostle does not speak lightly on this subject. He declares war on it. “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” (Col. 3:5) Fornication—πορνεία in the Greek—is not a weakness to be coddled. It is to be put to death. That is the language of the Apostle. Not excused. Not rationalised. Killed. Pornography is not simply a private indulgence. It is spiritual suicide. It enslaves the eyes, poisons the mind, corrupts the imagination, and hardens the heart. It is not only a sin against the body; it is a sin against the very image of God in man. “Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matt. 5:28)
Christ does not leave room for ambiguity. The eye that lusts is the seedbed of adultery. And He does not tell us to manage this sin. He commands us to tear it out. “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you… for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” (Matt. 5:29)
The pornography plague is a sign of spiritual collapse. It reduces human persons to objects. It robs the soul of grace. It blinds the nous. It invites demons into the home, into the mind, and into the bed. Men who indulge in this filth become double-minded and spiritually impotent. They lose the capacity for prayer. They become cold to the sacraments. They lose zeal, discipline, and integrity. The heart becomes numb, the conscience dull, the memory corrupted. Confession becomes rare, and communion becomes a lie.
The Fathers did not speak gently about such sins. St. John Climacus said: “He who has vanquished the three main passions—vainglory, love of money and gluttony—will be able to conquer the remaining five: lust, anger, sorrow, despondency and pride. But he, who does not attempt to vanquish the former, will conquer not even one.” This means actual warfare, not symbolic effort. The passions do not disappear by time or good intention. They are cast out by tears, fasting, prayer, confession, and vigil. The Orthodox life is designed for this struggle. But one must engage it. There is no automatic victory. Do not say, “I will stop tomorrow.” Tomorrow is the devil’s favourite word. The flesh is never satisfied. If you give it an inch, it will devour your soul. Pornography is not a habit to “cut down on.” It is a chain that must be broken immediately and decisively.
“Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.” (1 Cor. 6:18) You do not fight lust by reasoning with it. You flee it. You avoid the internet alone. You cast away the smartphone if it is your occasion of sin. You cut off access to temptation without pity. That is the Orthodox way. And let no one say, “But I fall again and again.” Yes—then rise again and again, but rise with hatred for the sin, not affection. Rise with purpose. Go to confession regularly. Fast with seriousness. Pray with focus. Do not live a life of excuse. God is merciful to the repentant, not to the unrepentant addict who makes peace with his sin.
“The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment.” (2 Peter 2:9) No soul that dies in unrepented lust will enter the Kingdom of God. That is not opinion—it is straight from the Bible. The unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God. (1 Cor. 6:9–10)
This war must be fought now. Marriage does not cure lust. It is a sacred bond, not a carnal outlet. Only purity of heart, gained through struggle, grants victory over passion. The soul must be cleaned with tears. The heart must be pierced by compunction. And the body must be brought into obedience. “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest… I myself should become disqualified.” (1 Cor. 9:27)
Let Christian men become warriors of the heart. Let them reclaim their eyes, their minds, their strength. Let them rise from filth and seek the holiness that Christ demands. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matt. 5:8) Do you wish to see God? Then cleanse the eye of your soul. Cast away every unclean image. Guard the senses. Take confession seriously. Flee from the passions like a man fleeing a burning building. There is no time to waste. Death does not wait for repentance. The soul must be ready now.
“Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.” (1 Cor. 15:34)
May each of us fight with fear of God and tears. May we repent while time remains.
May God bless you +
Fr. Charles
27 August 2019
