The psychologists say that you have to look within yourself to find the answers to problems, such as pornography. They say, if you can just understand why you do it, you will then be able to solve the problem. There is even the idea that once the root causers of the problem are known, the problem will automatically evaporate.
On the other hand, some things are sin and ought to be avoided just because they are sin. God defines them as sin, so they are sin. Sin is to be avoided. Since it is man’s nature is to sin it follows that a man will have some sort of difficulty avoiding the impulses of sin.
When you get all through with the psychological search for the roots of the “problem” behavior (which we know as sin), you still faced with the battle of doing away with the “problem”, except you have wasted time in searching, you have not been fighting.
Another danger is: if you identify some “roots of the problem” in hopes of ending the problem, and the problem does not go away as you hoped, you may think “These are roots, but the problem is still here. There must be more roots, I will keep searching.” Thereby you have the problem, keep the problem, continue the problem, while you search for more roots. This is all time wasted from fighting the sin. A man needs to say, “This is sin. God says it is sin. I must fight sin. With God’s Spirit and his help I will be victorious over this sin.” It may take years, or a life time. There may be total victory or only an advancing toward victory. But you don’t have to dig up roots before you start.
God is interested in victory over sin. He is interested in your victory. He came to destroy the works of the Devil. We are supposed to be holy as he is holy. If knowledge of roots is important God will show you the roots while you stat on your battle.
There is always the possibility that digging up roots is harmful. The process may divert true repentance from sin. At the least it may be a waste of time
One could also get the idea that he can excuse his sin, and continue in it, because of his discovery of roots: “I think too much about sex.” “My parents abused me.” “I am sick so I gamble.” Knowing you have roots of weeds in your soil does not excuse you from fighting the sin. Pull the weeds if you can, but fight the sin.
