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I want to talk about arousal vs lust. They’re not the same thing, and only one is sinful.
Let’s say you’re walking along a forest path. You round a corner, and see a coral snake on the path. A part of your brain that does not reason causes a release of adrenaline, readying you to fight or flee. A moment later, another part of your brain is thinking “Red and yellow kill a fellow, red and black, venom lack. The red and black touch, so I’m safe.”
Now, let’s say instead of a snake, you see a young woman wearing nothing but hiking boots and a smile. Never mind why she’s there like that, work with me here. A part of your brain that does not reason releases signals and chemicals that sexually arouse you, readying you for sex. A moment later, another part of your brain thinks, “Naked woman. Not my wife. Stare at the ground and move off the trail so she can pass.”
The arousal is a function of a part of the brain you can’t control. It happens instantly, and you can’t prevent it. Then your conscious mind steps in. If you look away, and don’t fantasise about running into the bushes with her after she is out of sight, you have not sinned. Not even if you walk away with a partial erection. If you keep looking at her, with either your eyes or your mind, then you have lusted, and that is sin.
I make this point because some men feel they have sinned when they have not. If they see arousal as sin, they have a problem, because they can’t prevent it. So they either walk around feeling guilty, or they decide if they can’t prevent it, they might as well enjoy it.
Arousal from seeing or hearing something sexual is beyond your control. Do what you can to avoid those things, but don’t beat yourself up for your mind and body working as God designed them. Draw the line in the correct place, and it’s far easier to avoid lust.
Image Credit: © Paul H Byerly created with stockdreams.ai
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