account<\/a> noted, \u201cI believe it was John Piper who helped with this by saying when a man in a film is shot by a gun, the director yells cut and the \u2018dead\u2019 man gets up having played the charade of being shot. When a person shows their nude body in a film, that is not a charade, but the real thing.\u201d<\/p>\nSo, even though the couple is acting, there are the physical images that everyone sees \u2014 which are real, not pretend \u2014 and there is physical contact of an intimate nature between people who are not married. (If they were married, should this be put on display for the world to see? God forbid.)<\/p>\n
Husbands, how would you feel if your wife was the actress in the scene? If she were the one topless, hugging and kissing another topless man for millions to see? (Or even for no one to see.)<\/p>\n
Wives, how would you feel if your husband was the one hugging and kissing the topless woman?<\/p>\n
Even if there was zero passion involved. Even if the presence of cameras and lights made the whole scene feel quite sterile in real life. The fact is that people are watching the scene \u2014 that\u2019s why it was filmed. And without a doubt, it would be sexually provocative to many watching it \u2014 and quite intentionally at that. And how could it not be defiling or compromising, at least on some level, for those acting the scene out?<\/p>\n
If the Jesus you follow would say, \u201cNo big deal,\u201d then you\u2019re not following the Jesus of the Word.<\/p>\n
Going one step further, if partial nudity is OK, why not complete nudity? And rather than simulated sex, why not real sex?<\/p>\n
Again, I am not Alan Ritchson\u2019s personal judge. It is God\u2019s Word which judges us, and we both give account to Him.<\/p>\n
More broadly, I\u2019m not here to judge those who have struggled with porn or to condemn those who are involved with porn. Many of them are enslaved and want to be free. They need the Lord! And all of us, outside of God\u2019s grace and the blood of Jesus, are worthy of damnation. Even on our best days, we still fall short. I live by mercy too.<\/p>\n
At the same time, God calls us to holiness and purity, not out of legalism or rule-keeping but out of love and because we belong to Him.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s one thing to acknowledge God\u2019s standards and say, \u201cLord, I need help! I keep falling short.\u201d It\u2019s another to lower His standards. We do that to our own harm.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why many other Christian actors have refused to do sex scenes or nude scenes. For them, it meant a compromise of their faith. (See here for actor Neal McDonough\u2019s story<\/a>.)<\/p>\nAfter all, it is the pure in heart who will see God (Matthew 5:8) and without holiness, no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).<\/p>\n
As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, \u201cWhat agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: \u2018I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cTherefore, \u2018Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.\u2019 And \u2018I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cTherefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God\u201d (2 Corinthians 6:16\u20137:1).<\/p>\n
And this: \u201cDo you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies\u201d (1 Corinthians 6:19\u201320).<\/p>\n
We do well to chew on these words. After all, they represent the heart of the God to whom we will all give account.<\/p>\n