For those who have fallen into sin, particularly sins of a sexually immoral nature, the guilt is seemingly endless. In fact, any Christian who has struggled with a besetting sin can empathize with any or all of the following statements:

• I feel like crap about myself. I don’t feel worthy to serve God. And I don’t believe I can break the habit.
• I wrestle with what it means to repent and believe. All I ever do is repent. Am I really sorry for my sin if I continually do it?
• Is it possible for God to continually forgive me? I’m not sure?
• How can I get rid of the guilt?

Those statements and more plague the conscience of any individual who struggles with pornography. Chester says that the desire to stop looking at porn stems from three reasons:

• To prove ourselves to God – so He will bless or save us.
• To prove ourselves to other people – so people like us or approve of us.
• To prove ourselves to ourselves – so we feel good about ourselves.

The problem with these self-justifying statements is that they are all impossible. No one can justify (i.e. prove themselves worthy) apart from the person and work of Christ. Those statements put a person at the center, a position only Christ is to hold. Often the very One we are to run to for forgiveness, strength, and power to live holy is the One to whom we run from.

A principle (or key ingredient as Chester calls it) in living porn free is “the assurance of grace.” The assurance of grace means that individuals have an assurance, a confidence, a certainty that they are loved by God and right with God through faith in the work of Jesus. Why is this important? Because apart from the sanctifying work of the Spirit in a person’s life change is not possible; they need the divine aid and assistance of God.