Is Watching Porn A Sin? 5 Biblical Reasons and How to Find Freedom

Is Watching Porn a Sin?

Yes, watching porn is considered a sin according to the Bible. It stems from lust, promotes selfishness, and leads believers away from God. Engaging with pornography is also seen as a form of idolatry, turning one's focus away from spiritual purity and towards earthly desires.

Unfortunately, porn is everywhere. Billboards, magazines, website ads, and now even social media. In today’s sexualized world, it seems like everywhere you turn, you’ll find some form of pornography.

Keep in mind that simply encountering porn is not the sinful part; it is a fact of life in the modern day that you will likely come across porn and perhaps even feel aroused in that instant. This is a moment of temptation. But it’s important to distinguish that temptation itself is not sin—even our perfect Savior Jesus Christ was tempted by the devil.

But perhaps you’ve gone further than accidentally coming across porn and you've found yourself caught in the trap. Now you’re asking yourself, “Is watching porn a sin?” But do not allow shame to keep you captive. Like any other sin, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is powerful enough to heal you and make you free from this sin.

Reasons Why Watching Porn is a Sin

Even though modern forms of pornography didn't even exist in biblical times, the Bible clearly teaches 5 main reasons why watching porn is a sin:

1. Stems from Lust
2. Breeds Selfishness
3. Turns Us Away from God
4. Promotes Violence
5. Leads to Addiction

Now, let’s dive deeper into each of these reasons and explore what the Bible says about them.

{{CTA}}

1. Watching Porn Stems From Lust

Watching porn is a sin firstly because the act of watching pornography stems from lust, which the Bible repeatedly warns against. Jesus himself emphasized the importance of guarding one's heart, stating in Matthew 5:28, "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Watching pornography is exactly that — looking at someone with lustful intent (whether man or woman) — and Jesus equates this with adultery, a clearly defined sin.

Lust is often defined in modern days as intense sexual desire, but in the biblical sense, lust describes a strong craving, sexual or otherwise. This is tied to covetousness, condemned in the Ten Commandments (see Exodus 20:17) and again in the New Testament by the apostle Paul, who urged the believers in Colossians 3:5 to put to death their earthly desires, including sexual immorality, impurity, and evil desires.

We are to submit to our infinitely loving and knowing God who gave us all we have, rather than coveting that which we do not have. Again, watching porn is the essence of this lust or craving: it glorifies sexual pleasure without any commitment, which is at odds with embracing the true gift of sexuality (a very positive and beautiful thing!) that God intended for us to experience within the bounds of a loving marriage relationship.

If you’ve been struggling with unwanted sexual behavior and have the desire to stop and return to God, something that can help you is Relay’s group-based recovery program. Founded on the principles of community and connection, this program is helping thousands of Christians to stop watching porn for good — to be freed from shame and filled with inner peace, wholeness, and connection to God. To learn more about Relay, get started here.

2. Watching Porn Is Selfish

Engaging with pornography creates a self-centered mindset; it’s all about “what I want”. It turns people into objects and pursues personal pleasure at the expense of others. The Bible encourages believers to value others above themselves and practice selflessness, and the apostle Paul was an especially strong advocate for this, perhaps because he himself was living in sin prior to becoming a disciple of Christ. Here are a few things Paul taught:

• In Philippians 2:3, Paul writes, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves." This verse serves as a reminder to treat others as children of God, rather than using them as objects for pleasure. This is the opposite of porn, which often leads to self-pleasure inherent in the sin of masturbation.
• Paul also emphasizes the importance of seeking the good of our neighbor rather than selfishly pursuing selfish desires (1 Corinthians 10:24). This teaching extends to all areas of life, including sexual relationships.
• Paul’s epistle to the Romans (Romans 12:10) also encourages believers to love one another with brotherly affection and show honor to one another. Porn tends to dishonor rather than honor, and glorify lust rather than love.

3. Watching Porn Turns Us Away From God

Jesus taught that we are to love God with all our heart, might, mind, and strength, and love our neighbors. Watching porn not only turns us away from our neighbors, but from God as well — it leads to a separation from God and damages the intimate relationship believers are called to have with Him.

The Bible stresses the significance of purity in our relationship with God. In 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, Paul writes, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you knows how to control his own body in holiness and honor." To follow God’s will and show our love to Him, we must abstain from immorality — particularly pornography.

One other thing you might not have considered is that watching pornography is a form of idolatry, where we let the object of our lust overpower our commitment to God. Along with lust, 1 Peter 4:3 also condemns idolatry as a sin, and pornography is the combination of the two.

And beyond that, watching porn is a sin against God’s creation of our body. The Bible highlights this problem of sexual immorality in this way: "Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body." (1 Corinthians 6:18) To keep our bodies pure, the way God created them, we must repent of pornography habits and turn back to Him.

{{CTA}}

4. Watching Porn Promotes Violence

One of the disturbing aspects of pornography is its connection to promoting violence. Many people in today’s secular world say pornography is a harmless form of adult entertainment, but the devil has blinded them to pornography’s culture of objectification, degradation, and violence towards others. God loves all of us and commands us to love His children as well, condemning violence. Several Bible verses shed light on this issue:

1. Matthew 22:39 - Jesus commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Engaging in violent or degrading acts towards others, as often depicted in pornography, directly contradicts this fundamental principle of love.
2. Proverbs 21:7 - This verse warns against the pursuit of violence, stating, "The violence of the wicked will sweep them away because they refuse to do what is just." Watching pornography actually supports an industry that profits from exploitation and trafficking, contributing to a cycle of violence.
3. Proverbs 3:31 - The Bible urges us not to envy those who engage in violence, stating, "Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways." By rejecting pornography and its violent portrayals of sex, we demonstrate our commitment to following God's righteous ways.

Pornography's promotion of violence directly contradicts the principles of love, respect, and justice upheld by the Scriptures. As followers of Christ, it is essential to reject media like pornography that perpetuates violence. This can’t happen all at once, especially if porn has become a habit, but read on to learn more about the forgiveness God can give to heal you from pornography’s scars.

5. Watching Porn Can Be Addictive

Maybe the most significant danger of pornography is its addictive nature, which can lead us into a dark spiral away from the Way, the Truth, and the Life. When we allow ourselves to become addicted, we surrender ourselves and our free agency — not to God in holiness, but to carnal desires in sin. This is especially true for pornography, which can consume not only our bodies but our thoughts as well, taking up hours every day. The Lord warned us against this in 1 Corinthians 6:12 and again in Galatians 5:16.

Repentance is Possible

Once we've accepted that watching pornography is indeed a sin, we can shift our focus towards action. God loves you personally. He knows your heart. He does not you to wallow in shame for the things you’ve done, but to move forward and find freedom in Christ, who is mighty to save.

1 John 1:9 assures us that if we confess our sins to Him, God is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This verse reminds us that no matter how deeply we have fallen into the trap of pornography, God's forgiveness is available to us when we humbly come before Him.

This doesn’t mean that one prayer, or even one hundred, will fix our carnal nature right away. We also need to follow God’s guidance to us in seeking freedom. He may lead you to open up to a trusted friend or a pastor, He may guide you to a therapist, or He may even guide you to a supportive community of sincere believers striving to make change.

The key is, no matter what form of help God nudges you to pursue, go where He wants you to go, and you will find repentance, peace, and freedom.

Relay: The #1 Program For Christians to Quit Porn

If you're serious about quitting pornography and finding healing, Relay is the program for you. Created by a team of Christians with over thirty years of combined experience in addiction recovery, Relay is designed to help you break out of unwanted sexual behavior. In the program, you get access to interactive lessons from behavioral psychologists along with a private group of other faith-minded individuals. On top of that, Relay's data-driven AI will turn the information you share into helpful insights and adjustments to your plan that can finally lead to real and lasting change.

If you’re ready to give up porn and experience the blessings God is ready to give you as you repent, get started here!

{{CTA}}

Conclusion

Based on the Word of God in the Bible, it's clear to see that watching pornography is considered a sin. It is rooted in lust, promotes a selfish mindset, turns us away from God, and can become addictive.

However, the message of Jesus Christ is not one of condemnation but of hope and redemption. Through repentance, seeking forgiveness, and relying on the power of the Holy Spirit, we can break free from the bondage of pornography and experience the abundant life that God has intended for us.

Seek repentance today, and experience the transformative power of God's grace in your life. You're worth it.

‍