I was shocked. An article last week in The Wall Street Journal exposed the shocking extent of sexting, texting sexually explicit messages and photos, in a small-town Colorado high school. Students in Canon City were so obsessed with sending sexually explicit phots of each other that school officials canceled the football team’s final game for fear players were involved. The District Attorney pointed out that such sexting was illegal and could bring criminal charges. It could even lead to some students being registered as sex offenders. What really caught my attention was the statistic that, nationwide, 30% of American teens have shared a nude photo of themselves with another teen.
THIRTY PERCENT!!! And remember, what goes on the Internet never dies on the Internet. Many years later, perhaps decades, those photos could come back to haunt a job or a relationship. And it’s not just in Canon City. An expert on the issue, psychologist Jeff Temple at the University of Texas says, “I’d bet my mortgage it’s happening in every city. And, dare we say, every church?
How do we as Christians respond to this? First, it’s sin. The total unveiling of the human body in a sexual context outside of marriage is biblically forbidden, except in obvious case such as a medical context. (Take that, Picasso!) Second, it’s a sin with long-term consequences, even after possible repentance. As Shakespeare said, “The evil that men do lives after them” (Julius Caesar). Numbers 32:23 warns, “Your sin will find you out.” Third, it’s a demonic opening. Sexting a photo of oneself is an invitation for demonic possession. Take it from me, as an exorcist; that tweeted erotic image is giving Satan permission to enter the physical body that is being virtually sent into cyberspace.
An encouraging word:WATCH WHAT YOU SAY
“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth,” Paul told the Ephesians (4:29). Perhaps I’m old-fashioned, but I’m disturbed by the increasing grossness of language used by some Christians. Frankly, they often speak almost the same as non-believers. That shouldn’t be. Our speech as Christians should identity our faith as much as our actions. To avoid legalism, I’ll not make a list of what I think are unacceptable adjectives and verbs. You can let the Holy Spirit guide you. But I encourage you today to think twice about what you say and ask yourself if the Lord is pleased by what comes out of your mouth. The last part of this verse implores us to “impart grace to the hearers.” That is tough, but try it.
Bob Larson has trained healing and deliverance teams all over the world to set the captives free and Do What Jesus Did® (Luke 4:18). You can partner with Bob and support this vision to demonstrate God’s power in action by calling 303-980-1511 or clicking here to donate online
