Digging For Truth

 What's Lust have to do with it?   by  Ted Robertson   ( August 2010 )

Focus on the 7th Commandment 

  Thou shalt not commit adultery.   Exodus 20: 14

And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. Leviticus 20:10

But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding:  he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.  Proverbs 6:32

Understanding is associated with the fear of the Lord and keeping His commandments.   And unto man he said,

Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;  and to depart from evil is understanding.   Job 28: 28

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:  a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.   Psalms 111: 10

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding.   Proverbs 9:10

Fornicating Israelites were put to death for fornicating with Moabite Women And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. . . And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand. Numbers 25: 1,9

Focus on the 10th Commandment 

– we are not to even desire the spouse of another
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's.  Exodus 20:17

For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.   Psalms 10:3

Jesus further defines adultery as lust and associates fornication with adultery as evil
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Matthew 5:27-28

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. Matthew 15:19

The Scriptures give explicit warnings against lust, fornication, and adultery

Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.  Proverbs 6: 25

Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way. Psalms 119:37
The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhored of the Lord shall fall therein.  Proverbs 22:14

My son, give me thine heart, and let thing eyes observe my ways.  For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit. She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increases the transgressors among men.   Proverbs 23:26-28

For the lips of a strange woman drop as a honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:  but her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life,her ways are movable, that thou canst not know them.

Hear me now therefore, O ye children,and depart not from the words of my mouth. Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house.  Proverbs 5:3-8

Proverbs 7 – http://www.bartleby.com/108/20/7.html#S9

I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness: and I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. Ecclesiastes 7:25-26

 The Scriptures condemn other forms of lusting and sexual immorality

And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death; and ye shall slay the beast. And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. Leviticus 20:15-16   (beastiality)

Genesis 38:1-10 – Story of Onan – God destroyed because He was displeased with Onan’s  masturbation.   http://www.bartleby.com/108/01/38.html

If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. Leviticus 20:13 (homosexuality)

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.  Romans 1:26-27 (homosexuality, lesbianism)

Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Jude 7 (homosexuality)

Lust is of a demonic source

The deception of sin had reached its height. All the agencies for depraving the souls of men had been put in operation. The Son of God, looking upon the world, beheld suffering and misery. With pity He saw how men had become victims of satanic cruelty. He looked with compassion upon those who were being corrupted, murdered, and lost. They had chosen a ruler who chained them to his car as captives. Bewildered and deceived, they were moving on in gloomy procession toward eternal ruin, – to death in which is no hope of life, toward night to which comes no morning. Satanic agencies were incorporated with men. The bodies of human beings, made for the dwelling place of God, had become the habitation of demons. The senses, the nerves, the passions, the organs of men, were worked by supernatural agencies in the indulgence of the vilest lust. The very stamp of demons was impressed upon the countenances of men. Human faces reflected the expression of the legions of evil with which they were possessed. Such was the prospect upon which the world's Redeemer looked. What a spectacle for Infinite Purity to behold!  Desire of Ages, p. 36

Why are we prone to temptations such as lust?

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41                          

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  Galatians 5:16-24

We need deliverance from the flesh which serves the law of sin

Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. Psalms 34:19

For that which I do, I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.  If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would, I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:  but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.   Romans 7:15-25

How do we receive that deliverance?

Romans 8:18-39 – The Spirit helps our infirmities (vs. 26), The Spirit makes intercession for us (vs. 27), Conformed to the image of Christ (vs. 29), Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (vs. 35), We are more than conquerors (vs. 37).

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. 
Ephesians 2:8

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

           Note:  For more on this, see the seven suggested steps for overcoming lust - below

We are warned that there will be those who follow lust in the end time. We are to beckon these come to Christ and find victory in the Spirit

But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.  These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.  But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.   Jude 17-23

We are to live free of lust even while here on Earth

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:11-14

Lust destroys true godliness

The love of the world separates from God.  “If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”  It is impossible for any to discern the truth while the world has their affections. The world comes between them and God, beclouding the vision and benumbing the sensibilities to such a degree that it is impossible for them to discern sacred things.  God calls upon such: “Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep:  let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.” Those who have stained their hands with the pollution of the world are required to cleanse themselves from its stains.  Those who think they can serve the world and yet love God are double-minded. But they cannot serve God and mammon.  They are men of two minds, loving the world and losing all sense of their obligation to God, and yet professing to be Christ's followers.  They are neither the one thing nor the other.  They will lose both worlds unless they cleanse their hands and purify their hearts through obedience to the pure principles of truth.  “He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.”  “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment:  because as He is, so are we in this world.”  “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:  that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

  It is worldly lust that is destroying true godliness.  Love of the world and the things that are in the world is separating from the Father.  The passion for earthly gain is increasing among those who profess to be looking for the soon appearing of our Saviour.  The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life control even professed Christians.  They are seeking for the things of the world with avaricious lust, and many will sell eternal life for unholy gain.  Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 1,  page 530-531

               Return  to  Inspirational Message  page