In a culture where nude images and immodesty is just a click away, Pastor John Piper is calling on Christians to pursue a life of “radical purity.” The 79-year-old pastor addressed the topic during a recent episode of his “Ask Pastor John” podcast. “Sexualized content is everywhere,” said one caller. “Advertisers use suggestive images to sell. Social media influencers post provocative or semi-nude photos to gain followers. Musicians often rely on sexual appeal to captivate audiences, both on stage and in music videos. Movies and shows include nudity — sometimes in graphic scenes, other times in ways that objectify characters or suggest sexual innuendo.” The caller also noted the existence of “more explicit content,” asking the pastor, “How do you personally navigate this culture while honoring Christ’s call to purity?”

Piper responded by  saying that as he gets older and closer to meeting Jesus, “the more sure I am of my resolve to never intentionally look at a TV show or a movie or a website or a magazine where I know I will see photos or films of nudity. Never.” He challenged other Christians to join him in his resolve to be an alien to the culture. “In our day, when entertainment media is virtually the lingua franca of the world, this is an invitation to be an alien. And I believe with all my heart that what the world needs is radically bold, sacrificially loving, God-besotted freaks, aliens,” he said.

Piper then offered twelve reasons for “radical abstention.” He highlighted Christ’s death in order to purify his followers. “If we choose to endorse or embrace or enjoy or pursue impurity, we take a spear and ram it into Jesus’s side every time we do (Hebrews 6:6). He suffered to set us free from impurity,” said Piper. He also cited the Bible’s call to holiness, as well as Jesus’s warning in Matthew 5:28-29 that to look at someone with lust is to commit adultery. Piper warned that watching nudity hinders the pursuit of God and that watching such media endorses women who dress in provocative manners. He warned that Christians can make themselves into hypocrites when the watch certain media but would never allow their own daughters to dress in the ways portrayed. Sexual relations, he said, “are not a spectator sport.” He admonished Christians to put away the fear of being “freakish” in having to avoid so many shows due to their use of nudity. “If you doubt, don’t. That would alter the viewing habits of millions — and oh, how sweetly they would sleep with their conscience!” said Piper, citing Romans 14:23.

It’s an important call to purity, given that a recent Barna study revealed that over half of practicing Christians view pornography with some level of frequency. The study noted that only 10% of respondents said their church offers resources on porn addictions and 58% said it was important for the church to address the topic. The study emphasized the importance of churches facing pornography head on. “Though the Church hasn’t always gotten it right in its response to matters surrounding pornography and sexuality, today can mark the start of a new path forward. Churches have a unique opportunity to address this issue and offer hope and healing to those struggling with porn use, as well as those affected by another’s porn use.”