Idle Hands

 

“Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” The actual words are not in the scriptures but they came to mind when I read an article that said, “Christians battling porn amid COVID 19 pandemic need more than Jesus to get over their addiction and that’s no heresy, says apologist and author Josh McDowell.”[i]

I always get a little concerned when someone says we need more than Jesus. The scriptures say that He is sufficient for all our needs (2 Corinthians 12:9). As I continued to read the article I understood what Mr. McDowell was saying.

He was saying that we need each other. We need bold Pastors willing to speak the truth from the scriptures regardless of what the people in the pews think. We need Christian fellowship that will remind us of the commands of God and the consequences of disobeying.

Alone in our homes during this “pandemic” people will cope in different ways. Sadly, even many isolated Christians will turn to pornography and other unhealthy coping mechanisms (food, anxiety, hoarding, anger expressed in unhealthy ways, and even suicide).

The Bible says we are to love one another, serve one another, admonish one another, and carry each other’s burdens. We can only do this in very limited ways via Zoom and Facebook. It requires the fellowship that scripture calls for face to face (…not neglecting to meet together. Hebrews 10:25). Communication is better in person. Body language enhances our ability to “read” the other person.

More from this article:                                                                                                                          “It (pornography) is right at this moment destroying more churches, more pastors, more marriages, more people’s lives, more relationships than any one thing has ever done simultaneously in history,” he stressed.

Fueled by the 24/7 accessibility of the internet, the porn scourge is worsening at the moment, he said, in light of how everyone is staying indoors and increasingly isolated because of the coronavirus outbreak. 

The author elaborated that when the pandemic passes, there will be an explosion of porn addiction because of the increased exposure, but far too many pastors will not address the issue because of shame, fear of exposure and fear of ignorance.

I do not think that pornography is our only problem. Idleness is deadly to the human race. Truly, it is the devil’s workshop. Proverbs 19:15 says, “Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.” 1 Thessalonians tells us to “admonish the idle.”

Right now, most people do not want to be idle. They are only slothful because they are discouraged (or worse).

We need each other. We need the gathering of believers. We need bold preachers. We need to trust one another to quarantine ourselves if we are weakened or ill. We need to be responsible adults to care for our neighbors. And, we need to get back to work and stop creating a worsening economic situation for our children and grandchildren to deal with.

Christians, let’s speak the truth to those we know and to our decision making leaders regarding COVID 19 and biblical truth:

• People are responsible for their own behavior (Deuteronomy 24:16 ESV).
• Quarantining is for the sick (Numbers 5:1-4 ESV).
• Work is good for mankind (Genesis 1:26; 2 Thessalonians 3:10 ESV).
• The gathering of believers is necessary for our faith and well-being (Hebrews 10:25 ESV).

What else would you add to this list?

 

[i] (https://www.christianpost.com/news/christians-battling-porn-amid-covid-19-pandemic-need-more-than-jesus-josh-mcdowell-says.html?uid=8c456581d3&utm_source=The+Christian+Post+List&utm_campaign=cd038de0e0-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_04_27_04_18&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_dce2601630-cd038de0e0-4143597) .