It's not that bad

The Ultimate Understimation Of Lust

As someone who was both a victim and a proud perpetrator of the ‘it’s not that bad’ pandemic, it is with great displeasure—and an ‘omo’ kind of smile—that I must inform you: it is that bad. In fact, it’s worse than you think.

Before I go into how lust can turn you into something less than meshai (bread and egg), let me explain the “it’s not that bad” pandemic.

I call it that because it is the device of the devil; he uses it to warp your knowledge and make you unwise. Since wisdom is the right application of knowledge, which begins with the “Fear of the Lord” (deep respect for God). What better way would there be to deceive than to downplay the consequences, make it seem not so bad, then mundane, and finally socially acceptable? We can also observe this in the propaganda pushed in Hollywood, movies, and the like; they make lust look “cool” and casual.

But here is where that formula started.

In Genesis chapter 3, the father of all Foolishness approached Eve with this.

“Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

² The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³ but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

⁴ “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. ⁵ “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Notice how he says, “You will not certainly die,” in other words, “It’s not that bad.” He downplayed the consequences to lessen the fear of God and then switched to false rewards that will ultimately lead to rebellion.

St. John Climacus (Ladder, Step 5): “The demons persuade us that our sins are small, so that we may fall into greater ones.”

Now I would like to highlight some small ways sins, especially lust, are being minimised or, worse, glorified.

1. Conversations: Yes, conversation. Those little sensual jokes you’re making are funny (at least mine were), but at the end of the day, you can hear your spirit resisting a little. Then you hear that little whisper, “It’s not that bad; you’re not doing any harm nau. You’ve given up a lot already; you can at least keep this much nau.” Lies, lies, lies; you can see the pattern here again. Minimisation of the consequences, presenting false rewards (in this case, societal acceptance), and then ultimately rebellion. As a previous customer of this rebellion shop, I can tell you that it’s not worth it; your words have power, and they influence you and your listeners. So let’s be careful with our words so we don’t go from “It’s not that bad” to “We shouldn’t be doing this.”

2. Sensual content in general:

   I know, I know it is not easy. The frustration, the excitement of rebellion, and even the search for release. Nevertheless, they are riddled with lies; you can and will live without them if you give them to God daily. Porn, erotic stories, even “mild” sensual content—it’s all loveless. Even if the actors are married, you’re not entering love; you’re consuming a person without responsibility. That’s not freedom. That’s slavery wearing Netflix’s clothes.

3. Avoiding Holiness:
   Sometimes we avoid holiness because it feels “too much” or makes us look weird. But guess what? Jesus already told us: we are not of this world (John 17:16). Don’t forget your identity. While you live “in” the world, you are still a temple, a walking Bible, a representative of heaven, and a little Christ. So don’t be ashamed of Christ-likeness—it’s not weird; it’s your destiny.

4. Music as a placeholder:

   Using worldly music to regulate emotions may seem harmless, but it becomes a kind of emotional self-gratification. Each time you feel low, you turn to songs that center on self, fueling fantasies that only serve it. Instead of healing, it feeds the cycle of escape.

5. Covering Sin:

   Covering sin is very common, especially when we notice we indulge in it ourselves. This cages the truth and renders us useful to the devil. Call out your sins so you can stop the spread, not aid it.

6. Overspending: “It’s already 9000, wo it’s not 10,000. I can’t save it, so I should just spend it, abeg.”

   This is a common way we deceive ourselves into brokenness. Every penny matters, not because of its societal worth but because it is a gift from God. I pray we can use it wisely (God, please).

7. Common Christian Sayings
   Some phrases belong to what I call the Extra New Testament—that thankfully doesn’t exist. Things like: “Heaven helps those who help themselves.” Really? When did we start teaching self-reliance over God-dependence? The truth is better: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13).

   You can see more of these false-but-popular quotes in my friend’s post here: Things God never said

8. Introverted selfishness: My fellow introverts, I know how much we treasure our space and guard our social battery. But let’s be careful not to let comfort turn into selfishness. If we hide behind introversion while neglecting the salvation of others, we’re burying the light Christ has placed in us.

   Jesus calls us to shine His lamp, not tuck it away under the excuse of personality. So let’s do our best to show His love—not always by preaching, but by living as the finished product of the Gospel.

Well, that’s all for now, friends. I hope this will be of great use to you.

Oh, and yes, this is the verse I promised you.

Proverbs 6:26 “For by means of a harlot a man is reduced to a crust of bread; and an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.”

May we transition from the bread of death to The Bread Of Life.