Will I Go to Hell for Watching Porn?

Despite what the world commonly says, watching porn is not a healthy, normal thing that everyone does. But it is not an automatic ticket to Hell, either.

Let's Talk About Porn

As you’ve probably already noticed, the internet has much to say about watching porn. Is it an abominable sin that will damn you to Hell the first time you get curious about your body’s reaction to porn? Is it no big deal at all, since everyone is doing it? Is it the most addictive thing since hardcore drugs? Is it the fastest path to becoming a serial killer?

The answer to all of these is no.

You’ve likely heard scare tactics at church, to keep you away from what some believe is a Hell-worthy sin. These people probably have your best interests at heart, but they may have not done adequate research or had enough experience with it themselves to truly understand the issue.

At school, or on Reddit, you’ve probably heard that watching porn is a super normal thing to do in your free time, and that you’re the weird one for worrying that it might be wrong, worrying that God might send you to Hell for watching porn. These people probably also have your best interests at heart as well, but they might not understand all of pornography’s effects. Odds are, they watch it themselves, and want to feel better by normalizing it.

It’s true that lots and lots of people watch porn. But that doesn’t make it right, safe, or not a sin.

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Will I go to Hell for Watching Porn?

If you’ve been watching porn, and are starting to feel guilty about it, you do not need to walk around every day worrying that you will go to Hell. If you were to watch porn, not feel bad about it, never repent, and never change your ways, then you might need to worry about Hell.

As you’re probably aware, watching porn is sinful, in the same way that stealing, lying and hurting people are sinful. Any sin will make us unclean, and because we all sin, we all need Jesus.

What’s so unique about watching porn is that pornography is notoriously habit-forming. This can lead you to sin over and over again. Then shame comes in, and all of this makes it harder to get clean again. Then, sadly, it’s fairly normal for a Christian to start worrying about going to Hell.

What is Hell?

Various denominations have different ideas about it, but all agree that Hell is being outside the presence of God. God loves us and wants us to spend eternity with Him, so the idea of Hell is pretty scary for most Christians.

You may have experienced feelings of “Hell” already, as you feel guilty or ashamed of watching porn. These feelings can signal to us that we’re doing something that keeps us away from God’s presence. Don’t take this as a sign that you’re going to Hell—this is not what these feelings are meant to tell you.

Feeling guilt for our sins is meant to lead us to repentance. God wants you to be with Him in Heaven, and so He is going to do His best to encourage you to repent. A big part of this repentance will be getting yourself to stop watching porn. It might be challenging, but you can do it.

The truth is, you will feel your best and be your happiest once you’ve gotten porn out of your life. You don’t have to struggle with these feelings of guilt, shame, embarrassment, or fear of going to Hell for the rest of your life.

You can live a life free from pornography.

But Isn’t Porn Addictive?

Pornography is designed to activate the areas in the brain that deal with pleasure and reward, which can make it highly addictive for some people. Many websites that offer sexually explicit content (like porn videos) are designed to get your brain as hooked as possible.

However, there is a difference between having a habit of watching porn, and being addicted to watching porn. And while it is more rare for young people to have an addiction than older adults, it does happen.

Am I Addicted to Porn?

If you are worrying that a porn addiction will send you to Hell, remember that it isn’t that simple. We’ll discuss what the Bible says about this in a minute, but first, let’s go through some of the red flags of addiction. If you feel like you meet these qualifications, don’t panic. It’s a sign that you need to repent and change your ways, and God has prepared a way for you to do this.

1. Watching porn has become one of your highest priorities.
2. You watch porn to deal with things going on in your life instead of facing them.
3. You find yourself watching porn more often, and for much longer, than you planned.
4. Watching porn is getting in the way of your everyday activities like work, school, hanging out with friends or working on hobbies.
5. You feel nervous or uncomfortable if you’re going to be in a situation where you won’t be able to—or really really really shouldn’t—watch porn.
6. You’re tried to quit watching porn before, but you haven’t been able to make it happen.
7. Watching porn is interfering with your relationships.

If you feel like you meet this criteria, it is time to seriously consider getting help. If therapy is out of your price range, consider joining an online recovery program or a support group.

Once the scary word “Addiction” is involved, it’s even more concerning to think about going to Heaven or Hell. But, thankfully, God wants you to be in Heaven with Him. And so, not only has He provided support groups and recovery resources for you, He’s also provided a Savior to pay for your sins and help you repent. That’s right—it’s Jesus.

What Does Jesus Have to do with Me Quitting Porn?

We learn in the Bible that Jesus’s sacrifice allows our sins to be forgiven. Watching porn is a sin, and sin sends us to Hell, but Jesus gave His life so that we won’t have to go to Hell for the sins we commit. We can repent and move past them! The Bible is full of verses that show this, but here are some of our favorites:

• Acts 3:19 (NIV): "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."
• Isaiah 1:18 (NIV): "Come now, let us settle the matter. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."
• Psalm 103:12 (NIV): "As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."
• Ephesians 1:7 (NIV): "In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace."

You will still have to do the hard work of getting porn out of your life. But God and Jesus will strengthen you. They don’t want you to go to Hell, so they have made a way for you to overcome your sins! Repentance is hard work, but with Jesus on your side, you can do anything.

Quitting Porn Isn’t Easy, but It Is Possible

As you repent and strive to live a life free from pornography, you may encounter some roadblocks. Porn was designed to be tough to quit. You may overhear people talking about how it’s a lifelong struggle, how once you’ve started it’s impossible to stop.

Keep in mind that these people haven’t had the resources that you do. In fact, this link will take you to a non-profit that we love here at Relay. They’ve made a list of several resources that you can use to overcome pornography.

Remember to talk to God and those you care about about your goals as you work towards quitting watching porn. Sometimes these conversations might be hard to have, but recovery is almost impossible alone. Here at Relay, we’ve created a recovery experience in which you are matched with other people who understand exactly how you’re feeling and what you’re going through. These people then form a support group for you, and you work on your recovery together. You can find more information about it here.

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