I (32m) started seeing prostitutes when I was 20 and have done it on and off up to my current age. I find the lack of sexual and emotional connection lures me into to seeing them even when I say I’m going to stop. Whenever I am doing decent financially I end up going back to seeing them. I try to be a spiritual person and read the bible and not lust over women but it can be a struggle and mental battle. Does anyone else have this same bad habit?
That’s moot considering prostitution is already specifically condemned.
1 Corinthians 6:15-18
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.
Ok, but admonishment of OP is also a sin, as Jesus himself saved Mary Magdalene from being stoned to death.
The lesson being that humans are not perfect, and will inherently sin. Even in your passage (which, is that from the NIV Bible? I have issues with that translation) it was specifically about addressing the type of prostitution in Corinth, which was more akin to rape and forced marriage (and based on historical artifacts, perhaps even pedophilia) than modern prostitution which is an exchange of money and no relationship (and before any mentions of payments is mentioned, no, a post rape “dowry” is not the same). Hence the reference to the quote on marriage about “The two will become one flesh”.
The issue isn’t the act of sin itself, but pretending it is not sin, that you are better than sin; not acknowledging the sin. OP does try to control it, and doesn’t engage in wanton unrestrained lust - thus they have already repented. Of they still feel guilty after, and assuming it’s not caused by peer pressure, that is their burden to carry, because it means they are using lust to fill some other damage their soul carries.
But your admonishment of their action, however, is judgement. And you must remember that you’ll be judged as well.
Of course, I lean towards what could be said is the traditional Jesuit ideology, so I only take mostly into importance what is ascribed to be the direct word of Jesus rather than what was mostly said by disciples of his such as Paul, let alone co-authors such as Sosthenes who is also involved with Corinthians.
There is nothing in the Bible about Mary Magdalene being stoned to death. You’re probably thinking about an unnamed woman in John 8:1-11. He does admonish her, instructing her to “go and sin no more.”
I used the ESV. I am a fellow NIV-hater, too. I can use the NRSV if you’d like.
1 Corinthians 6:15-20 NRSV
[15] Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Should I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! [16] Do you not know that whoever is united to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For it is said, “The two shall be one flesh.” [17] But anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. [18] Shun fornication! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against the body itself. [19] Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? [20] For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.
I think getting pedantic about the meaning of prostitute here is kind of just looking for an excuse to be hedonist. The language here is more about unnecessary fornication that Paul uses, rather than forced purchases.
The issue isn’t the act of sin itself, but pretending it is not sin, that you are better than sin; not acknowledging the sin. OP does try to control it, and doesn’t engage in wanton unrestrained lust - thus they have already repented. Of they still feel guilty after, and assuming it’s not caused by peer pressure, that is their burden to carry, because it means they are using lust to fill some other damage their soul carries.
I am not here to condemn OP. I would even like to support OP. But people trying to reassure OP by lying to him by saying “it’s actually not a sin because historical xyz” and trying to wriggle their way out of that piece of scripture, is not something I want to sit and watch. If you want to reassure OP, reassure him that he’s not going to hell because of God’s forgiveness. Yes, this isn’t a licence to sin, but I don’t think OP is treating it that way. He seems to be struggling.
But your admonishment of their action, however, is judgement. And you must remember that you’ll be judged as well.
NOT ONCE did I judge OP. And admonishment isn’t judgement. I’m just not letting people lie to him by trying to convince me that a sin isn’t a sin. We are literally instructed to admonish one and other
Colossians 3:16 NRSV
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.
If you’re a Jesuit, then you should know the Catechism of the Roman Catholic church forbids prostitution.
2355
Prostitution does injury to the dignity of the person who engages in it, reducing the person to an instrument of sexual pleasure. The one who pays sins gravely against himself: he violates the chastity to which his Baptism pledged him and defiles his body, the temple of the Holy Spirit. Prostitution is a social scourge. It usually involves women, but also men, children, and adolescents (The latter two cases involve the added sin of scandal.). While it is always gravely sinful to engage in prostitution, the imputability of the offense can be attenuated by destitution, blackmail, or social pressure.
Jesus called prostitutes out of sin.