Throw Away the Junk – The Harmful Lust

There was a government official who stayed in a big bungalow. He used to invite his friends to his house with the warm Indian hospitality. He was in the habit of not throwing away unwanted and unnecessary materials – the junk – from his house. He stocked these junk in boxes, lofts and in the corners of all the rooms except the front hall. He never had the mind to throw away these non-essential things. For him these materials seemed to be very precious and important. But these junk prevented him from comfortably enjoying his stay in the house, and also retarded the visits of his friends to his house. 

In our spiritual life also, sometimes we are not willing to part away with certain non-essentials like this officer. One of the non-essentials that make our spiritual life uncomfortable and unfruitful is ‘Worldly lusts’. The Bible teaches us that we have to ‘abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul’ I Pet 2:11.

1. What is lust?

The lust is defined by the Bible scholars as ‘evil desire’. In the Bible the Hebrew word nepes is used for lust with the meaning of ‘craving’ or ‘strong desire’ Ex 15:9 and Ps 78:18. The Greek word used for lust in the New Testament is ‘epithymia’ which means strong desire or sexual passion Eph 2:3 and I Pet 2:11. It is used in the context of St. Paul’s desire to be with Christ Phil 1:23 and his longing to see his converts I Thes 2:17. The Chambers Dictionary gives the meaning of lust as ‘longing’, ‘eager to possess’, ‘sexual desire’ and ‘sexual desire of a degraded kind’. 

2. The Origin of lust:

• From the world: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father but of the world” I John 2:16.
• From the flesh: “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then when the desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown brings forth death” James 1:14, 15.
• From the heart: “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, and blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man” Matt 15:19, 20.
• From Satan: “And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him… Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him, then Jesus said to him, ‘What you do, do quickly’” John 13:2, 27.

3. The Harmful effects of lust:

• It is corrupt and deceitful: “That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” Eph 4:22.
• It is foolish and harmful: “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition” I Tim 6:9.
• It spoils people: “Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, nor let her allure you with her eyelids. For by means of a harlot a man is reduced to a crust of bread; and an adulteress will prey upon his precious life” Prov 6:25, 26.
• It enslaves people: “The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the unfaithful will be taken by their own lusts” Prov 11:6.

4. The steps to overcome lust:

• Flee youthful lust: “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” II Tim 2:22.
• Deny ungodliness and worldly lusts: “Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age” Titus 2:12.
• Put to death your members which produce lust: “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth; fornications, uncleanness passion, evil desire and covetousness which is idolatry” Col 3:5.
• Walk in the Spirit: “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul” I Pet 2:11 and “Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” Gal 5:16.