The Western church is in trouble—it seems every study that comes out paints a grimmer picture of the state of the church. Consider a new study from Barna which found a shocking 54% of “practicing Christians” admit to viewing pornography—that’s a mere 14% difference from non-Christians (68%). And it gets worse.
The study found that “75% of Christian men and 40% of Christian women reported consuming porn on some level.” Seventy-five percent of men and nearly half of women! And, apparently, the statistics for use among Gen Z “are even worse” (though, ironically, they are the generation “the least likely to say they were comfortable using pornography”).
But even more sobering is that “well over half of Christians [62%!] who use porn say they are comfortable with their porn use,” 16% “had some reservations,” and only 14% wanted to “kick the habit entirely.” Shockingly, 82% have no one helping them with their struggle!
In other words, the majority of practicing Christians (the popular summary of the study does not explain how they define practicing Christian), not only sin sexually by viewing pornography, but they are comfortable with their sin. What a dangerous place for the church to be!
God’s Word is clear on sin—it’s not something we can just sit comfortably with, using sexual immorality because someone is “curious, looking for sex tips or relieving stress and anxiety.” It’s something we must fight, cutting off our right hand or plucking out our own eyes if they are causing us to sin. Yes, that’s the kind of language the Bible uses when it comes to sin. God takes sin—including sexual sin—seriously!
Why do so many professing Christians shrug at sexual immorality? Well, I would ask them what their view of God and God’s Word is—a low view of God’s holiness and righteousness combined with a low view of Scripture’s authority leads naturally to a low view of the seriousness of sin. I don’t think many people understand what sin really is!
While these statistics are another disheartening reminder of how the world is impacting the church, it’s a good wake-up call that churches and parents need to be teaching on difficult topics, like sexual immorality, and equipping those they lead with the tools to first understand the seriousness of sin and then to get serious about fighting it.
James 4:7 KJV – “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Galatians 5:19–21 KJV – “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Colossians 3:5–6 KJV – “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:”
