Lust is an intense, disordered desire, usually referring to sexual craving outside God’s design for marriage. In Scripture, it represents uncontrolled passion that corrupts the heart and dishonors God.
In 2 Samuel 11-12, lust is evident in David’s sexual sin with Bathsheba; her pregnancy and David’s attempt to cover it up. Psalm 32:3-5 recounts the consequences of David covering up his sin – 'loss of vitality.' In 2 Samuel 12, The Lord sent the prophet Nathan to confront David about his sin. David confessed his sin and God forgave him, Psalm 51, but God did not remove the consequences of his sin.
Lust as “an uncontrolled passion that corrupts the heart, dishonors God and that results in terrible consequences that far exceed the act itself.
Matthew 5:27-30
You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Concerning the issue of sexual purity, the Pharisees were comfortable with the 7th Commandment, “do not commit adultery,” Ex. 20:14. Their logic went something like this: 'If we can narrow the definition of sexual sin to a specific act of adultery, then we can justify ourselves before God as righteous in His sight. The 10th Commandment says “you shall not covet your neighbor's wife,” Ex. 20:17, meaning that God's standard of sexual purity applies to everyone, married and non-married. Covetousness does not focus on an outward act, a specific behavior. Covetousness focuses on an inward attitude, that is, the condition of the heart.
Matthew 5:27-28
You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Jesus' Teaching on Lust
- Lust is a heart problem. A heart that is corrupted by sin expresses itself in sinful behavior.
- Lust must be dealt with radically. Jesus would not have used such exaggerated language about dealing with lust if lust was not a serious sin - “gouge out your eye” and “cut off you right hand.” The point is that the way to deal with lust is not to mutilate the body but to mortify the flesh. That is: kill the desire.
- Lust is connected to eternal judgment. Sexual sin is not an unforgivable sin. Lust is evidence of our need for redemption and deliverance. God's grace and mercy is the answer to both.
- Lust results in “unintended consequences.” We have already seen this in the example of David's sin with Bathsheba. When Jesus connects divorce with sexual immorality and marriage with committing adultery, He is saying the “unintended consequences” of lust [an uncontrolled passion that corrupts the heart and dishonors God] leads to the destruction of marriage as a divine institution and disruption of the home as the stabilizing unit of society.
Matt. 5:31-32
It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce. But I tell you, everyone who divorces his wife, except in a case of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
James 1:13-15
“Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Temptations to sin is a part of life and it is too easy to find ourselves unprepared, with our guard down, and simply “give-in.” If the most powerful temptation that you face is lust, then take note that God's Word has a lot to say about it and you will not be able to resist this temptation if you ignore the admonitions of Scripture:
Romans 13:13-14
Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20
Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body, Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
Galatians 5:16-21; 24-25;
Ephesians 4:17-24; 5:1-5;
Colossians 3:1-11;
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; 5:22
1 Peter 4:1-3
Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles – when we walked in lewdness, lust, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties and abominable
idolatries.
1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
