One of my close friends called me a few weeks ago and asked, “Is it okay for my wife to read 50 Shades of Grey?” This is a very common question today among many people. My friend commented, “There are no pictures in the book and maybe it will actually help our sex life.” I promise you he is not the only man to think this book could become a marital aid. The problem with an erotic book is that it will portray sex in a fantasy world – we live in a real world. Just like a porno picture can excite the blood flow of men (and women), erotic literature will do the same. Some times our imaginations are far more detrimental to our relationships than physical experiences.

Here’s what the bibles says about 50 Shades of Grey.

“Shun immorality and all sexual looseness [flee from impurity in thought, word, or deed]. Any other sin which a man commits is one outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.” 1 Corinthians 6:18

It is important to understand what Paul meant by the words, “sexual immorality.” The word Paul uses is Porneia and it is the broadest word he could use for sex. He uses this word because he is not simply referring to adultery or sex outside of marriage; he is referring to all abuses of God’s perfect picture of sex. When you lust upon another individual whether in a picture or erotic literature you are engaging in sexual immorality.

Reading 50 Shades of Grey is like listening to the Playboy channel on XM Radio. It is placing thoughts and images into your brain that are not pleasing to God. I would say to women, are you comfortable with your husband reading a playboy magazine as long as he doesn’t look at the pictures? Fifty Shades of Grey is female porn and is not beneficial to God’s design for sex and marriage.

As Paul says, run from sexual immorality in every form.