“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
Do you remember what Jimmy Carter once said about the sin of lust? Then President Carter shocked the nation in November of 1976 when he admitted that he repeatedly looked at other women with lust.
“I try not to commit a deliberate sin,” Carter confessed. “I recognize that I’m going to do it anyhow, because I’m human and I’m tempted. And Christ set some almost impossible standards for us. Christ said, ‘I tell you that anyone who looks on a woman with lust has in his heart already committed adultery’. I’ve looked on a lot of women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times. This is something that God recognizes I will do—and I have done it—and God forgives me for it.”
I admire Mr. Carter for his honesty. The sin of lust is a common problem for a lot of Christians. And President Carter is correct. God has and will forgive him for it. Indeed, Romans 3:23 reminds us, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
My problem with President Carter’s statement is that he exhibited no conviction about lust. He’s right. Lust is a human quality that is difficult if not impossible for many of us to overcome. What Carter overlooked, however, is that nothing is impossible for God to overcome. In fact, God’s expects us to fight temptation and seek his help with deliverance from sinful desires.
The Bible teaches us that God’s grace can and will offer guidance to us about issues like lust. Titus 2:11-12 promises, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” Even Paul once admitted that he had prayed for deliverance three times about an unspoken matter in his life only to hear God say, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Paul realized that God’s grace and only God’s grace could help him to overcome imperfections in his life. He told the church at Corinth that he actually took delight in his hardships. Finally he understood as he exclaimed, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10)
Several years ago there was a movie about a shipwreck with only a few survivors who were left drifting aimlessly on the ocean in a lifeboat. Their rations disappeared in a few days and they were left deliriously thirsty under the scorching sun. One night, while the others were asleep, one man ignored his shipmates’ warnings and gulped down some salt water. He was the first to die.
Ocean water contains seven times more salt than the human body can safely ingest. Salt water accelerates dehydration because the kidneys demand extra water to flush the overload of salt. In other words, the more salt water someone drinks, the thirstier he gets. Ironically, the man in the lifeboat actually died of thirst.
Christians who lust are much like that man in the lifeboat. They thirst desperately for something that looks like what they want. But they don’t realize that it is precisely what they do not need. If they fail to heed the warnings that are associated with it, it can kill them. That’s what Paul meant when he said, “For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23)
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When was the last time you heard any other president admit to a sin and acknowledge it as such? What would you have him do to demonstrate his conviction? Now challenge yourself to do the same on this blog tomorrow. Now imagine having to do the same when you’re president. Peace.
What was the story about the shipwreck? I would like to read more about it.
I wish I could have a conviction about lust. I’m 29, never had a boyfriend or kissed and stuff, out of a desire to honor God, but unfortunately know lust, because of the fallen society, because of players that mess with innocent girls who don’t know anything. Anyhow, I finally started seeing the man of my prayers, but one huge problem I have with him is lust. Because he told me that I was not sexually attracted to him, it’s something I’ve been thinking about alot, which is opening things that have been suppressed. I’ve never been healed of my lusting, but it had not been an issue, and now that I finally might cross the marriage border to the land of sex, my lust is blocking God’s will from being done. I wish to God I didn’t think about sleeping with the guy I’m seeing, but I can’t, or don’t want to control the physical pressing desire. What can I do to want to control myself? I do love God, and He knows that. But I don’t have conviction yet, that my small, in my mind sin, matters. I just think it’s societies fault for pushing the marriage age so far back. Oi.
Melodia, I know that you can pray, study the Bible a lot about lust and loving God-the gospels is where I’d start, accountability, be in a small group Bible Study, get rid of all things that could tempt you think about your weakness-I know that can seem hard to do–with God it gets easier and has for me–did I miss something, anyone?
I Corinthians 10:13, Melodia. No temptation has overtaken you that is not uncommon to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted[b] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,[c] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
I would ask God right now today if this man is right you because he was interested in you being sexually attracted to him. I also want to be sexually pure in the mind into marriage. Well you know that you should abstain from lusting so that sounds like a conviction to me. Could you talk with me or some other more about this?
…Melodia, some people are just not to be with us and yes, some are. It can be hard. Real hard. But Jesus cares most of all about you. I’m here to help you, ok? Please contact me. If you do then I’ll keep in contact with ya.
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I ain’t suggesting your information is not solid, but what if you added something to possibly grab people’s attention?
I mean Lust is a Deadly Sin for the Christian – Christian Devotions for Daily Living – Devotions.
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I am also encountering lustful temptation in my life. I don’t know how to control my self, in terms of Lustful sins. I have a girl house mate here in my apartment, every time, she takes a bath or after, I was sneaking to her room to watch his body. I know, it was a very big sin, I’ve committed. When I am starting to read the Bible, I have look in the concordance, how to overcome temptations. and I have read 1 Corinthians 10:13. And I’ve pray to the Lord, to help me overcome this lustful temptations.
We all know, that this temptation, is the powerful temptation, that comes from Satan and difficult to overcome. But when you seek God and ask for his Help. He will provide a way to stand up under it.
I am very inspired about the blog. If we confess our sins with all our heart, I know God, will always forgive us..
i showed this to my friend, but he doesn’t care and didn’t even pay attention to it or let i t soak in his mind. Any other devotions u can give me for him?
Thank you for this article. I was recently a Christian who believed that once you were saved, that was it, you couldn’t lose it. Until someone close in my life brought his views to my attention and caused me to do more research outside of what I had been taught. Lust is so hard now with all the technology bombarding our minds and thoughts. Like the song says “It’s a slow fade when you give yourself away…” It truly is. Never in a million years did I think I’d be facing the hardship I am and looking back it was all a slow fade.