A professing Christian was entangled in an addiction to pornography. He came to me for help, but when he learned that I had never struggled with his particular problem he didn't think I was qualified. I assured him I didn't need firsthand knowledge or experience in a sin to know how to overcome it.

I had him read Ephesians 5:8-21. Then we discussed the "goodness, righteousness, and truth" of verse 9 and the marks of a Spirit-filled life as described in verses 18 through 21. Before long, my visitor was on his knees confessing his sin and asking God to make him pure.

In verse 11, the apostle Paul said that we are not to have "fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them." But then he went on to say that these sins are "shameful even to speak of" (v.12). Jude even warned that in helping others escape sin we can become trapped (Jude 22-24).

So how do we expose sin? We must focus on Jesus, "the light of the world" (Jn. 8:12), and ask Him to enable us to "shine as lights in the world" (Phil. 2:15).

It is in Christ's pure light that the blackness of sin will be exposed and the stage will be set for the repentance that brings deliverance.  — Herbert Vander Lugt