Early Christian Teachings on Lust and Pornography
Early Christians taught that lust is sinful and must be resisted in both thought and action. Justin Martyr, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Polycarp, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Cyprian, and Lactantius all press this point, often using Matthew 5:28 and 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5. They connect lust with adultery in the heart, fornication, and the need for chastity and self-control. This page is strongest for lust, lustful looking, and sexual purity; it is more indirect on pornography as a modern word.
128 early-church witnesses · 195 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about pornography and Lust?
Early Christian writings clearly treat lust as a serious sin and connect it with fornication, adultery in the heart, and the need for self-control. Justin Martyr, Theophilus of Antioch, Athenagoras, Polycarp, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Cyprian, Lactantius, and others all repeat that Christians should avoid lustful thoughts and actions, not just outward sexual sin.
The teaching is broad across the second and third centuries and is strongly tied to Bible passages like Matthew 5:28, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, James 1:15, and 1 John 2:16. Some cards are only indirect, repeat the same point, or are just generic uses of the word lust, so the core case is strong but concentrated around a limited set of moral themes rather than a separate doctrine of pornography as a modern category.
Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Early Christians taught that lustful looking is sinful, not just outward sexual behavior.
- They tied sexual purity to Bible passages like Matthew 5:28, James 1:15, and 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5.
- Justin Martyr and Theophilus say a lustful look is adultery in the heart.
- Tertullian and Cyprian treat lust as part of a wider call to chastity and self-control.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Did early Christians teach that lust itself is sinful?
The sources repeatedly say that lust is not neutral: it leads to fornication, adultery in the heart, and other sins. Early writers cite Scripture to show that sinful desire itself must be resisted.
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Justin Martyr, The First Apology Direct teaching
Concerning chastity, He expressed these views: “Whoever looks at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart before God.” And, “If your right eye causes you to sin, remove it; for it is better for you to enter the kingdom of heaven with one eye than, having two eyes, to be cast into everlasting fire.” And, “Whoever marries a woman who is divorced from another husband commits adultery.” And, “There are some who have been made eunuchs by others, some who were born eunuchs, and some who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake; but not everyone can accept this saying.” Therefore, all who, by human law, marry twice are deemed sinners in the eyes of our Master, as well as those who look at a woman to lust after her. For He rejects not only those who commit adultery in action but also those who desire to commit adultery: since both our deeds and our thoughts are open before God. Many, both men and women, who have followed Christ from childhood, remain pure even at the age of sixty or seventy; and I boast that I could find such individuals from every race. What shall I say of the countless number of those who have reformed from intem
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Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus Direct teaching
... in our thoughts. We must not even think any evil in our hearts, or look at another man's wife with lust in our eyes. So Solomon, who was a king and a prophet, said, "Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your eyelids look directly before you. Make straight paths for your feet." Proverbs 4:25 And the voice of the Gospel teaches even more strongly about chastity, saying, "Whoever looks at a woman who is not his own wife, in order to lust after her, has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Matthew 5:28 And, the Gospel says, "He who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery. And whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery." Matthew 5:32 Because Solomon says, "Can a man carry fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned? Or can someone walk on hot coals and his feet not be burned? So he who goes in to a married woman will not be innocent." Proverbs 6:27-29
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Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus Direct teaching
And concerning chastity, the holy word teaches us not only not to sin in act, but not even in thought, not even in the heart to think of any evil, nor look on another man's wife with our eyes to lust after her.
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Athenagoras, A Plea for the Christians Direct teaching
But we are so far from practising promiscuous intercourse, that it is not lawful among us to indulge even a lustful look.
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Athenagoras, A Plea for the Christians Direct teaching
For, says He, he that looks on a woman to lust after her, has committed adultery already in his heart.
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Polycarp, Epistle to the Philippians Supporting witness
For it is well that they should be cut off from the lusts that are in the world, since “every lust warreth against the spirit;” and “neither fornicators, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, shall inherit the kingdom of God,” nor those who do things inconsistent and unbecoming.
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Didache, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles Direct teaching
My child, be not a lustful one; for lust leads the way to fornication;
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Justin Martyr, The Discourse to the Greeks Supporting witness
... drives the fearful passions of our sensual nature from the depths of the soul; first driving forth lust, through which every ill arises—hatreds, strife, envy, rivalries, anger, and the like. Once lust is banished, the soul becomes calm and serene. And being freed from the ills in which it was deeply submerged, it returns to Him who made it. For it is fitting that it be restored to the state from which it departed, the state where every soul once was or is.
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Justin Martyr, The First Apology Direct teaching
Concerning chastity, He uttered such sentiments as these: “Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart before God.” And, “If thy right eye offend thee, cut it out;
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Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus Supporting witness
Proverbs 4:25 And the voice of the Gospel teaches still more urgently concerning chastity, saying: Whosoever looks on a woman who is not his own wife, to lust after her, has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
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Didache, Connection to Matthew 5:28 Supporting witness
But now I say unto you myself, Whosoever shall look on his neighbour's wife to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."
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Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Supporting witness
..., the third Disobedience, and the fourth Deceit. And their followers are called Sorrow, Wickedness, Wantonness, Anger, Falsehood, Folly, Backbiting, and Hatred. The servant of God who bears these names will indeed see the kingdom of God, but will not enter it.” “And the stones, sir,” I said, “which were taken out of the pit and fitted into the building—what are they?” He said, “The first ten, that is, those placed as a foundation, are the first generation of righteous men. And the twenty-five are the second generation. And the thirty-five are the prophets of God and His ministers. And the forty are the apostles and teachers of the preaching of the Son of God.” “Why then, sir,” I asked, “did the virgins carry these stones also through the gate and give them for the building of the tower?” “Because,” he answered, “these were the first who bore these spirits, and they never departed from each other. The spirits did not depart from the men, nor the men from the spirits, but the spirits remained with them until they fell asleep. And unless they had had these spirits with them, they would not have been useful for the building of this tower.”
More related quotations from this section 15 shown
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Matthew 5:28 Direct teaching
But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
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James 1:15 Direct teaching
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
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1 John 2:16 Direct teaching
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
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Galatians 5:24 Direct teaching
And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
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1 Thessalonians 4:5 Direct teaching
Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
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1 Peter 4:3 Direct teaching
For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness
So, there is only one who from the beginning was free from sinful desire: the loving Lord, who for our sake became man. And whoever tries to become like the pattern He gave through His own life, works through practice to become free from sinful desire. For a person who has experienced sinful desire and then restrained himself is like a widow who, through self-control, becomes a virgin again. This is the reward of knowledge, offered to the Savior and Teacher, which He Himself asked for: abstinence from what is evil, and active effort in doing what is good, by which salvation is gained.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness
nor, Lust not; or, Travel not by lust into adultery;
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Proverbs 6:25 Supporting witness
Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
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Peter of Alexandria, The Genuine Acts of Peter Supporting witness
For the apostle here clearly sets out, as I think, three laws. One agrees with the good planted in us, and he plainly calls this the law of the mind. Another is the law that comes from the attack of evil, and it often pulls the soul toward lustful thoughts. This, he says, wars against the law of the mind, Romans 7:23. And the third agrees with sin, which is settled in the flesh through lust. He calls this the law of sin that dwells in our members, Romans 7:23. The Evil One urges this on and often stirs it up against us, driving us to unrighteousness and evil deeds. For there seems to be in us one thing that is better and another that is worse. When what is better by nature is about to become stronger than what is worse, the whole mind is carried toward what is good. But when what is worse grows and outweighs it, a man is driven instead toward evil thoughts. Because of this, the apostle prays to be delivered from it, regarding it as death and destruction. The prophet does the same when he says, "Cleanse me from my secret faults." The same meaning is shown by the words, "For I delight in the law of God after the inward man; but I see another law in my members, warring against the law
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Peter of Alexandria, The Genuine Acts of Peter Supporting witness
... good thing,” by these words he means to show that sin dwells in us from the transgression, through lust. Out of this, like young shoots, thoughts of pleasure spring up around us. For there are two kinds of thoughts in us. One arises from the lust that lies in the body, which, as I said, came from the craft of the Evil Spirit. The other comes from the law that agrees with the commandment, which was planted in us as a natural law, stirring our thoughts toward good, when we delight in the law of God according to our mind; for this is the inner man. But there is also the law of the devil according to the lust that dwells in the flesh. For the one who fights against and opposes the law of God—that is, the mind's tendency toward good—is the same one who stirs up fleshly and sensual impulses toward lawlessness.
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Methodius, From the Discourse on the Resurrection Supporting witness
For the apostle here clearly sets out, as I think, three laws. One agrees with the good planted in us, and he plainly calls this the law of the mind. Another law comes from the attack of evil, and it often draws the soul into lustful thoughts. He says this law wars against the law of the mind, Romans 7:23. The third is in agreement with sin, established in the flesh through lust, and he calls it the law of sin that dwells in our members, Romans 7:23. The Evil One drives it on and often stirs it up against us, pushing us toward unrighteousness and evil deeds. For there seems to be in us one thing that is better and another that is worse. When what is naturally better is about to become stronger than what is worse, the whole mind is carried toward what is good. But when what is worse grows and outweighs the better, a man is instead pushed toward evil thoughts. Because of this, the apostle prays to be delivered from it, seeing it as death and destruction. The prophet does the same when he says, "Cleanse me from my secret faults." The same meaning appears in these words: "For I delight in the law of God after the inward man; but I see another law in my members, warring against the law
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Methodius, From the Discourse on the Resurrection Supporting witness
... good thing," by these words he means to show that sin dwells in us from the transgression, through lust. Out of this, like young shoots, thoughts of pleasure spring up all around us. For there are two kinds of thoughts in us. One arises from the lust that lies in the body, which, as I said, came from the craft of the Evil Spirit. The other comes from the law, which agrees with the commandment, which was planted in us as a natural law, stirring our thoughts toward good, when we delight in the law of God according to our mind, for this is the inner man, but in the law of the devil according to the lust that dwells in the flesh. For the one who fights against and opposes the law of God, that is, the mind's tendency toward good, is the same one who stirs up fleshly and sensual impulses to lawlessness.
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Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Supporting witness
...tue, or in philosophy, or in any other gift of mind, but only in fullness of meats, and in lust and fornication. "And how can anyone tell me that our father Adam was made after the image of God and in His likeness, and that he is like Him who made him? How can it be said that all of us who have been begotten from him are like him? Yes, rather, on the contrary, do we not have a great variety of forms, and do we not bear the marks of different faces? And I will show you how true this is in parables. Look, for example, at a man who wants to seal up a treasure, or some other object. You will observe how, when he has a little wax or clay, he seeks to stamp it with an impression of his own face from the ring he wears. But if another face also stamps its own figure on the object in the same way, will the impression appear alike? By no means, even if you are unwilling to admit what is true. But if we are not alike in the common impression, and if instead there are differences among us, how can it fail to be proved by this that we are the workmanship of the princes and of matter? For in due agreement with their form, and likeness, and image, we also exist as different forms. "But if you
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Supporting witness
...when she lay with him, nor when she got up." Since Lot did not know what he did, nor was a slave to lust in his actions, the arrangement designed by God was carried out, whereby the two daughters (that is, the two churches) who gave birth to children from the same father, were highlighted, without the influence of the lust of the flesh. For there was no other person, as they assumed, who could provide them with the necessary seed to have children, as it is written: "And the elder said to the younger, there is not a man on the earth to come into us after the manner of all the earth: come, let us make our father drunk with wine, and let us lie with him, and raise up seed from our father."
Did early Christians say lustful looking was adultery in the heart?
Several early Christian writers explicitly quote Matthew 5:28 and say that looking at a woman to lust after her is adultery already in the heart. They also present chastity as including restraint in thought and sight, not only in outward action.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness
...is saying in an absolute and careless way, and who pursue his heresy, shamelessly and openly commit fornication. But I hear that Nicolas never made use of any wife other than the one he had married. And of his children, his daughters grew old as virgins, and his son remained incorrupt. Since this is so, bringing into the midst of the apostles the wife over whom he was said to be jealous was a driving away and cleansing of vice. And by self-control from pleasures that are usually pursued with great eagerness, he taught what was meant by “abuse the flesh,” that is, to discipline the flesh. For I do not think they wanted, in agreement with the Lord’s command, to serve two masters, Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13, pleasure and God. They also say that Matthias taught in this way: we must fight against the flesh and use it, granting it nothing shameless for pleasure, but increasing the soul through faith and knowledge. There are some who even declare public sexual intercourse to be a mystical communion, and so they insult the very name itself. For just as we say that someone is working, whether he does something evil or something good, giving the same word to both, so also the word communion
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Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
... my poor body." That kind of defense does not clear you, and it does not excuse the sin of lust and wantonness. That kind of washing defiles; it does not purify or cleanse the body, but stains it. You do not look at anyone in an immodest way, but you yourself are looked at in an immodest way. You do not pollute your eyes with shameful pleasure, but by giving pleasure to others, you yourself are polluted. You put the bathhouse on display. The places where you gather are more filthy than a theater. There, all modesty is taken off along with clothing. The honor and modesty of the body are laid aside. Virginity is exposed, to be pointed at and touched. So now consider this: when you are clothed, are you modest among men, when the boldness of nakedness has led to immodesty?
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Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
...f anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, which is not from the Father, but is from the lust of the world. And the world passes away, and its lust: but he who does the will of God abides forever, just as God also abides forever." 1 John 2:15-17 Therefore eternal and divine things must be pursued, and everything must be done according to the will of God, so that we may follow the divine footsteps and teachings of our Lord, who warned us and said, "I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me." John 6:38 But if the servant is not greater than his lord, and he who has been freed owes obedience to the one who delivered him, then we who desire to be Christians ought to imitate what Christ said and did. It is written, and it is read and heard, and is proclaimed by the mouth of the Church for our example: "He who says he abides in Christ ought himself also to walk just as He walked." 1 John 2:6 Therefore we must walk in equal steps. We must strive to walk eagerly after Him. Then following the truth matches the faith of our name
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Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness
...nce? There are, then, three affections that drive men headlong into every crime: anger, desire, and lust. For this reason the poets have said that there are three furies that trouble the minds of men: anger longs for revenge, desire for riches, and lust for pleasures. But God has appointed fixed limits for all these. If they go beyond these limits and begin to grow too great, they must necessarily corrupt their nature and be changed into diseases and vices. And it is not very hard to show what these limits are. Cupidity is given to us for getting those things that are necessary for life. Concupiscence is given for the procreation of children. The affection of indignation is given for restraining the faults of those who are under our power; that is, so that tender age may be shaped by stricter discipline toward integrity and justice. For if that time of life is not restrained by fear, license will produce boldness, and this will break out into every shameful and reckless action. Therefore, just as it is both just and necessary to use anger toward the young, so it is both harmful and impious to use it toward those of our own age. It is impious because humanity is injured. It is ha
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Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness
They use lust only for the enjoyment of pleasures: hence debaucheries, hence adulteries, hence all corruptions have proceeded.
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Tertullian, De Anima (On the Soul) Supporting witness
Now from the before-mentioned age (of fourteen years) sex is suffused and clothed with a special sensibility, and concupiscence employs the ministry of the eye, and communicates its pleasure to another, and understands the natural relations between male and female, and wears the fig-tree apron to cover the shame which it still excites, and drives man out of the paradise of innocence and chastity, and in its wild pruriency falls upon sins and unnatural incentives to delinquency;
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Gregory Thaumaturgus, Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes Supporting witness
...le to hold back the body in its tendency to drunkenness and wine-bibbing, and that temperance makes lust its subject, I earnestly sought to see what object of true worth and real excellence is set before men, which they may attain in this present life. For I passed through all those other things that are thought most worthy. I built lofty houses and planted vines. I also laid out pleasure-grounds and acquired and cultivated all kinds of fruit-bearing trees. Among them, large reservoirs were built to receive water, and they were arranged so as to provide abundant irrigation for the trees. I also surrounded myself with many domestics, both man-servants and maid-servants. Some I procured from abroad, and others I possessed and employed because they were born in my own house. Herds of four-footed creatures also became my property, both cattle and sheep, more numerous than those acquired by any of old. Treasures of gold and silver flowed in to me. I made the kings of all nations dependent on me and tributary to me. Very many choirs of male and female singers were trained to give me pleasure by all-harmonious song. I also had banquetings, and for this part of my pleasure I got select
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Tertullian, On Modesty Supporting witness
...so as to understand with what an axe of censure he lops off, uproots, and tears out every forest of lusts, lest he allow anything to recover strength and sprout again, look at him desiring souls to keep a fast from the lawful fruit of nature, I mean, marriage: "But concerning what you wrote, it is good for a man to have no contact with a woman; but, on account of fornication, let each one have his own wife: let husband to wife, and wife to husband, render what is due." Who could fail to know that it was against his will that he relaxed the bond of this good thing, in order to prevent fornication? But if he either has granted, or does grant, indulgence to fornication, then of course he has frustrated the design of his own remedy, and will at once be bound to put the curb upon the marriages of continence, if the fornication for the sake of which those marriages are permitted ceases to be feared. For fornication that has indulgence granted to it will not be feared. And yet he declares that he has granted the use of marriage by way of indulgence, not of command. For he wills all to be on the same level with himself. But when lawful things are granted only by way of indulgence, who c
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Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness
... have handed over the weakness of youth, which needs protection, to be ravaged and defiled by their lust? This matter cannot be fully told because of the greatness of the crime. I can call such people nothing more than impious men and parricides. The sex given by God is not enough for them, unless they also profanely and recklessly mock their own. Yet among them these things are considered light, and almost honorable. What should I say about those who practice not merely an abominable lust, but rather a kind of madness? I am ashamed to speak. But what should we think of those who are not ashamed to do such things? And yet it must be spoken, because it is done. I am speaking of those whose most foul lust and detestable frenzy spare not even a person's head. With what words, or with what indignation, can I pursue so great a wickedness? The greatness of the crime overcomes the duty of the tongue. Therefore, since this lust produces these works and carries out these crimes, we must arm ourselves against it with the greatest virtue. Whoever cannot restrain those passions should keep them within the bounds of the lawful marriage bed, so that he may obtain what he eagerly desires, and
More related quotations from this section 7 shown
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Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
...arthly pleasure, who wants to remain in the world for a long time. Again, since the world hates the Christian, why do you love what hates you? And why do you not instead follow Christ, who both redeemed you and loves you? John cries out in his epistle and says, urging us not to follow fleshly desires or love the world: "Do not love the world, nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, which is not of the Father, but is of the lust of the world. And the world shall pass away, and its lust; but he who does the will of God abides forever, even as God abides forever." 1 John 2:15 Rather, beloved brothers, with a sound mind, with firm faith, and with strong virtue, let us be ready for the whole will of God. Let us lay aside the fear of death and think about the immortality that follows. By this let us show ourselves to be what we believe, so that we do not grieve over the departure of those dear to us, and so that when the day of our summons arrives, we may come to the Lord without delay and without resistance when He Hims
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Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
... any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the ambition of life, which is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world shall pass away, and its lust; but he that does the will of God abides forever, even as God also abides forever” in 1 John 2:15-17. We who desire to abide forever should do the will of God, who is everlasting.
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Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation to the Heathen Supporting witness
...hem, because of the hardness of their heart: who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness and concupiscence." Ephesians 4:17-19 After the accusation of such a witness, and his invocation of God, what else remains for the unbelieving except judgment and condemnation? And the Lord, with ceaseless assiduity, exhorts, terrifies, urges, rouses, and admonishes. He awakes from the sleep of darkness, and raises up those who have wandered in error. "Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light," Ephesians 5:14—Christ, the Sun of the Resurrection, He who was born before the morning star, and with His beams bestows life. Let no one then despise the Word, lest he unwittingly despise himself. For the Scripture somewhere says, "Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness, when your fathers proved Me by trial." And what was the trial? If you wish to learn, the Holy Spirit will show you: "And saw My works," He says, "forty years. Therefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, 'They do always err in heart, and have not known
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Athenagoras, A Plea for the Christians Supporting witness
Matthew 5:28 Those, then, who are forbidden to look at anything more than that for which God formed the eyes, which were intended to be a light to us, and to whom a wanton look is adultery, the eyes being made for other purposes, and who are to be called to account for their very thoughts, how can any one doubt that such persons practice self-control?
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Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness
concupiscence, for the procreation of offspring; the affection of indignation, for restraining the faults of those who are in our power, that is, in order that tender age may be formed by a severer discipline to integrity and justice: for if this time of life is not restrained by fear, licence will produce boldness, and this will break out into every disgraceful and daring action.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
And fornication is the destruction of one's own flesh, not being made use of for the procreation of children, but entirely for the sake of pleasure, which is a mark of incontinency, and not a sign of virtue.
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Tertullian, Apology Background
...have answered well enough the charges of the many crimes on which these fierce demands are made for Christian blood. We have fully presented our case. We have shown how we can prove that what we say is true, from the trustworthiness and antiquity of our sacred writings, and also from the confession of the powers of spiritual wickedness themselves. Who will dare to refute us, not with skill in words, but, as we have made our demonstration, on the basis of reality? But while the truth we hold is made clear to all, unbelief meanwhile, even at the very time when it is convinced of the worth of Christianity, now well known both for its benefits and from the intercourse of life, takes up the idea that it is not really something divine, but rather a kind of philosophy. "These are the very things," it says, "that the philosophers advise and profess: innocence, justice, patience, sobriety, and chastity." Why then are we not allowed the same freedom and immunity for our teachings that they have, when we are compared with them in what we teach? Or why are they not also forced to the same acts, by refusing which our lives are put in danger, if they are so much like us? For who forces a phil
Common Questions
Did early Christians think lust itself was sinful?
Yes. Writers like Justin Martyr, Theophilus of Antioch, Athenagoras, and Tertullian say lustful looking and lustful thoughts are part of sin, not harmless desires.
Did early Christians connect lust with adultery in the heart?
Yes. Several writers quote Matthew 5:28 and say that looking at a woman to lust after her is adultery in the heart.
Did early Christians teach sexual self-control?
Yes. They often link holiness with abstaining from fornication, avoiding lust, and living with chastity and honor.
Source Index for Pornography and Lust
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 147 ranked source links from 195 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 147 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 128
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
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Unknown, Unknown Work
Bible Passages 67 included
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.
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Book 79 1:14
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Book 79 1:11