James is a respected member of his church and community.
He leads a men’s Bible study group and is often seen as a role model for younger men in the church.
James has been “clean” from pornography for over three years.
He shares his testimony frequently, emphasizing how he no longer watches porn.
To his peers, he seems to have found true freedom.
Beneath the surface, however, James’s struggle is far from over.
While he no longer engages in watching porn, his mind is still a battleground for lustful thoughts.
He finds himself mentally undressing women he encounters throughout the day. He imagines scenarios that he tells himself he would never act on but that dominate his thoughts. At night, his mind defaults to fantasy.
He rationalizes that as long as he’s not physically viewing explicit content or acting on these thoughts, he’s still “pure”.
But is he really free?
James’s story highlights a common misconception: that freedom from porn is solely about what we stop doing.
While breaking the habit of watching porn is a significant victory, and often the first step, Jesus calls us to something deeper – to be pure of heart!
What Does It Mean To Be “Pure of Heart”?
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
Matthew 5:8
To fully understand this verse, we need to place it within the context of the Sermon on the Mount.
The Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew chapters 5 through 7, begins with the Beatitudes. The beatitudes are a series of blessings that introduce the values of God’s Kingdom.
Jesus starts by blessing those who are often overlooked or undervalued in society: the poor in spirit, the mourners, the meek.
The beatitudes are powerful statements about where God’s favor truly rests – not with the outwardly religious or powerful, but with those who are humble and sincere in their pursuit of God.
Among these blessings is Matthew 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
To be pure in heart within the context of the Bible means to have your inner thoughts, desires, and motivations align with God’s will, not just your outward actions.
It’s about living with integrity, where your internal life matches your external behavior. Jesus emphasizes that righteousness is not merely about avoiding sinful actions like adultery but about addressing the root of sin—looking at a woman lustfully (Matthew 5:27-28).
Lustful thoughts, just like sinful actions, reveal a divided heart that is not fully devoted to God.
True purity requires us to seek God’s desires above our own, allowing Him to transform us from the inside out so that our actions flow from a heart that is genuinely aligned with His will.
Are we truly seeking God with everything we have, or are we content with merely going through the motions?
The Pharisees were meticulous in their religious practices, but Jesus pointed out that their hearts were often far from God. He warned against being like “whitewashed tombs,” beautiful on the outside but full of deadness within (Matthew 23:27).
First-Order Change vs. Second-Order Change
Understanding what it means to be “pure in heart” from lust leads us to the concept of second-order change.
Second order change is a transformation that goes beyond simply altering our behavior and addresses the underlying thoughts, desires, and attitudes that drive those behaviors.
James’s story illustrates a common pitfall: believing that freedom from lust is achieved simply by stopping the outward act of viewing pornography.
This is an example of first-order change, where the focus is on modifying external behaviors without addressing the internal issues that fuel those actions.
In the Freedom Fight program, we reference the difference between first-order and second-order change.
Although both are important when it comes to freedom from lust, just achieving first-order change is not enough to bring about true and lasting freedom.
Jesus’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount calls us to a much deeper level of change.
When He speaks of being “pure in heart,” He is urging us to pursue a transformation that penetrates to the core of our being—a second-order change.
It requires us to confront the sin below the surface, such as lustful thoughts and misplaced desires, and allow God to reshape our inner lives.
Second-order change is about more than just what we do; it’s about who we are becoming.
It’s the difference between whitewashing the outside of a tomb and cleaning out the decay within.
How do we begin to clean out the decay within ourselves? By beginning to monitor and screen our thoughts.
The Power of Thought
In recent years, advances in neuroscience have provided remarkable insights into how our thoughts and behaviors are shaped by the brain.
Interestingly, much of what modern science reveals aligns with the ancient wisdom that Jesus imparted in the Sermon on the Mount.
Neuroscience has shown that the brain is incredibly plastic, meaning it has the ability to change and adapt throughout our lives.
This concept, known as neuroplasticity, explains how our thoughts and behaviors can literally rewire our brains.
When we repeatedly engage in certain thoughts or actions, we strengthen the neural pathways associated with those behaviors, making them more automatic and ingrained.
This scientific understanding sheds light on why Jesus placed such importance on purity of heart. 
Lustful thoughts, even when not acted upon, can strengthen neural pathways associated with lust, making it harder to break free from those patterns of thinking.
Over time, these ingrained thought patterns can lead to behaviors that are increasingly difficult to control.
Taking Thoughts Captive and Remaining Pure in Heart
Our minds play a crucial role in our purity. How we manage our thoughts will either help us find freedom or help us stay trapped in sin.
With this in mind, consider this verse:
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
2 Corinthians 10:5
What does it mean to take something captive?
The Greek translation of “take captive” communicates the idea of “taking at spearpoint.”
Too often, we speak as if we are at the mercy of our thoughts, but we are not.
This verse reveals how God has given us the ability and power to control our thought lives and put to death the evil desire of lustful thoughts.
When we learn to obey this verse, we have a military diligence in controlling our thoughts.
Lust promises what it can never fulfill and robs our minds of good thoughts, clouding our judgment. It prevents us from keeping our way pure—from being pure of heart.
With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can screen our thoughts and abstain from sexual immorality.
By taking our thoughts captive, we can align our minds with God’s truth, enabling us to live with a pure heart and experience the true freedom that comes from being in His presence.
The Mind Screen: How to Fight Lust with Philippians 4:8
One of the most effective ways to take our thoughts captive is found in Philippians 4:8, which offers a powerful “mind screen” for filtering our thoughts:
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
This verse gives us a practical tool for fighting lust. It’s not just about rejecting sinful thoughts but about actively choosing to focus on thoughts that align with God’s will.
Part of taking our thoughts captive is learning to recognize which thoughts fit this list and which do not.
When a thought enters our mind, we must run it through the Philippians 4:8 screening process.
If a thought is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy, then we should dwell on it. These are the thoughts that help us stay pure in heart and draw closer to God. The best way to strengthen the screen in our minds is to regularly consume and meditate on God’s word.
“How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word…I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
Psalm 119:9,11
On the other hand, if a thought does not meet these criteria—if it is false, ignoble, wrong, impure, ugly, dishonorable, flawed, or disgraceful—then taking it captive means rejecting it. We must kick it to the curb and refuse to let it take root in our minds.
We must have authority over our thoughts; they must not have authority over us.
By applying this mind screen, we actively choose to fill our minds with what is good and godly, pushing out the thoughts that lead us away from purity.
This discipline aligns our thought life with God’s standards and strengthens our resolve to live with a pure heart.
Before we move on, let me clarify something.
Being pure in heart doesn’t mean being perfect. It means that when you catch yourself dwelling on an impure thought that you should have taken captive, you repent, confess, and, if the struggle continues, practice BRACE and reach out for help.
At their core, those who are pure in heart believe that the way of purity leads to the abundant life. So when they stray from that path—which we all will at times—they’re eager to return to it, seeking life and intimacy with Christ.
More of God: Other Scriptures About Overcoming Lust
Now, let’s get to the benefit of being “pure in heart.” Jesus promises that the pure in heart will see God (Matthew 5:8).
It’s important to consider the profound reward that comes with purity—a deeper, more intimate relationship with God.
The reward for those who fight to keep their eyes and minds pure is more of God Himself. He is the ultimate blessing and the fulfillment of our obedience and purity.
Jesus emphasizes this truth repeatedly in John 14:
- “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (John 14:21)
- “Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.’” (John 14:23)
Notice the repetition in these verses: those who love Jesus and obey His teachings will experience a deeper revelation of God.
As we align our thoughts and desires with God’s will, not only do we avoid the traps of lust, but we also position ourselves to experience more of God’s presence, love, and guidance in our lives.
This is the ultimate reward for those who commit to living with a pure heart.
Remember James from the introduction? Let’s conclude by seeing what happens to him once he pursues second-order change.
Conclusion of James’s Story
One evening, after leading another Bible study where he passionately talks about the importance of purity, James returns home feeling empty.
As he lies in bed, the weight of his inner turmoil becomes unbearable.
He can no longer reconcile his public persona with the lustful thoughts that consume him in private.
James realizes that he has been focusing on behavior modification rather than heart transformation.
He has avoided the physical act but allowed lust to run free in his mind, believing that avoiding porn was enough.
James decides that he can’t continue living this double life.
So, he enrolls in the Freedom Fight’s 30 Day Challenge.
During the 30 days, he finds an accountability partner and confesses the truth about his ongoing struggle with lust.
He admits that he has been deceiving himself and others by pretending that avoiding porn was the same as being free from lust.
With the support of his accountability partner and a renewed commitment to seeking God’s help, James begins the harder journey of allowing God to transform his heart.
He starts by meditating on scriptures that address the heart’s purity, and he practices taking every thought captive, using the mind screen from Philippians 4:8 to do so.
James learns to recognize and reject the subtle, lustful thoughts before they take root, replacing them with thoughts that align with God’s will. He realizes how much his media intake has been feeding his lust and he commits to adopt God’s standards for his entertainment.
Through this journey, James’s walk with God got closer. His identity began to shift.
He starts to see himself as a beloved child of God who is being transformed from the inside out.
This realization brings him immense freedom—freedom he never thought possible.
Try a 30 Day Detox From Porn & Lustful Thoughts
Are you longing to break free from the cycle of porn and lust?
Maybe you’ve struggled with it for years, like many others who first stumbled upon it at a young age. The late nights, the secret habits—things that started innocently enough but grew into something much harder to control.
And now, even though you’ve found new life in Christ, the battle rages on.
You want to be pure, not just for yourself but for your future (or present) spouse, so you can love and treat her the way she deserves.
The good news is that you can take the next step today.
Join our free 30-Day Challenge and start a journey toward real transformation.
Over the next month, we’ll give you the tools, biblical insights, and daily encouragement to not only stop destructive habits but also heal the deeper parts of your heart with God’s truth.
Take the challenge today, and start living the life of purity and freedom that God wants for you.
Take The Challenge: Porn Free For 30 Days