LUST IS A HUMAN PROBLEM
by W. G. Guy
LUST – the fleshly carnal appetite; excessive driving desire for self-gratification and indulgence; also the term concupiscence - which means lust or an intense desire for that which is improper or forbidden. Lust is the human weakness that is tempted by Satan, the devil, and his demonic forces listed in Ephesians:
Ephesians 6:12 – For we wrestle (or struggle) not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Satisfying the any of the three areas of carnal lusts is sin, and the end result of sin is death.
James 1:13-15 – Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
What are the carnal lusts that make all humans vulnerable to sin?
1 John 2:15-17 – Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Note the three areas of human vulnerability all have to do with the self, the big ”I”. This has to do with the “I WILL (flesh), I WANT (eyes), and I AM (pride)”.
Satan was successful in tempting the three areas of human vulnerability against Mrs. Adam that he thought that he could succeed in using them against Jesus also.
Genesis 3:6 – And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food (lust of the flesh), and that it was pleasant to the eyes (lust of the eye), and a tree to be desired to make one wise (pride of life),
Luke 4:3, 5-7, 9-11 – And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread (lust of flesh). ….. And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine (lust of the eye). ….. And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone (pride of life or position).
Satan continues to temp every one of us with the same temptations of our lusts. Consider what scripture tells us about the problem we have with these lusts.
Romans 1:24-27 – Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 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 recompence of their error which was meet.
Here we see that the lusts of homosexuality and lesbianism are totally against God and His righteousness: thus it is SIN regardless of what politicians and governments legalize. Such lusts will not only bring the judgment of God, but also create their own physical consequences due to their unhealthy lifestyle.
Romans 6:12 – Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Those who are given over to such immoral lusts are actually under the control of the spiritual wickedness that governs (reigns) in their physical bodies and minds. If you fail to resist the attacks of the enemy you will find it impossible live morally and upright. However, Jesus made a way to escape such defiling corruption.
Romans 13:14 – But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Without Christ in your life it is not possible to overcome the weakness of the carnal fleshly lusts.
Galatians 5:16-17 – 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.
The corrupting works of the flesh are destructive to your life, both physically and eternally.
Galatians 5:19-21– 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, revellings, 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. ……
Most of us have walked in these sinful forms of moral corruption in the past.
Ephesians 2:2-3 – wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
However, through faith in Jesus Christ atoning work on the cross for our lustful sins we can walk in a new way of living.
Ephesians 4:20-24 – But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Thus we can be overcomers in this vile world showing ourselves as the children of God through Jesus Christ who is living inside us and directing our paths and behaviors – that is, if we allow Him to do so.
Galatians 5:24 – And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
As a child of God, through Christ, you want it known that you are His servant.
Romans 6:16-17 – Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
We should want to live in obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ and to please our Heavenly Father showing the world that we are His.
Titus 2:11-12 – 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;
Our lives should acknowledge His great grace that is given to us to be partakers of His righteousness.
Titus 3:3-6 – For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
This equips us to live holy, separated from this world, as true children of God. The end times will be a challenge to Christians due to false doctrines from false prophets, teachers and preachers.
2 Timothy 4:3 – For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
As we approach the end of this age the righteous will stand out from the rest of humanity who have not has a personal life changing experience with the Lord Jesus Christ. This put us at odds with the world who will consider us as enemies. One of the signs Jesus said to look out for signaling His return is wars and rumors of war – which we have in abundance now.
James 4:1-5 – From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The (carnal) spirit that dwelleth in us (as unredeemed) lusteth to envy?
James here identifies the cause of these wars is LUST for the things of this world. But, as we read in Titus 2:11 above, God’s grace is freely given to all of mankind in order to make a choice to be in the kingdom of God, or hang on to the kingdoms of this vile world.
James 4:6-7 – But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
God has called us through Christ to be like Him – Holy, and not like the rest of the world with its lusts.
1 Peter 1:13-16 – Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
God will honor those who honor Him, and who walk in the new life that He has provided, free of the lusts that afflict the rest
of the world.
1 Peter 3:10-12 – For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
We are to guard ourselves lest we fail to maintain our walk with the Lord in His righteousness.
2 Peter 2:9-10 & 18-22 – the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. ….. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
Here we have a warning to those that might return to their carnal lustful desires of the world after having known the path of righteousness. This is what we have been warned about the enemy, Satan the destroyer, seeking whom he can deceive and thus devour.
2 Peter 3:1-4 – This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
We are called to be faithful and obedient, even though we live in this vile world, and will be faced with those that oppose the true way of life saying that things have not changed and continue as before, so why not join us in our worldly pursuits.
Colossians 3:2-7 – Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore, (die to these lusts), your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: in the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
God has called us to live separated from the vileness that is in this world.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-6 – For this is the will of God, even your sanctification (separation and holiness), that ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
How do you combat these three areas of human vulnerability of the selfish fleshly desires; referred to as the “I will, I want and I am”? Jesus laid this out clearly for those who would follow Him and be His disciples.
Luke 9:23-24 – And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross (die to self) daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
If we walk in obedience to what He said, we would live a moral and godly life of righteousness as His true disciples to manifest for all the world to see.
Romans 6:18-19 – For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
by W. G. Guy
LUST – the fleshly carnal appetite; excessive driving desire for self-gratification and indulgence; also the term concupiscence - which means lust or an intense desire for that which is improper or forbidden. Lust is the human weakness that is tempted by Satan, the devil, and his demonic forces listed in Ephesians:
Ephesians 6:12 – For we wrestle (or struggle) not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Satisfying the any of the three areas of carnal lusts is sin, and the end result of sin is death.
James 1:13-15 – Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
What are the carnal lusts that make all humans vulnerable to sin?
1 John 2:15-17 – Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Note the three areas of human vulnerability all have to do with the self, the big ”I”. This has to do with the “I WILL (flesh), I WANT (eyes), and I AM (pride)”.
Satan was successful in tempting the three areas of human vulnerability against Mrs. Adam that he thought that he could succeed in using them against Jesus also.
Genesis 3:6 – And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food (lust of the flesh), and that it was pleasant to the eyes (lust of the eye), and a tree to be desired to make one wise (pride of life),
Luke 4:3, 5-7, 9-11 – And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread (lust of flesh). ….. And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine (lust of the eye). ….. And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone (pride of life or position).
Satan continues to temp every one of us with the same temptations of our lusts. Consider what scripture tells us about the problem we have with these lusts.
Romans 1:24-27 – Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 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 recompence of their error which was meet.
Here we see that the lusts of homosexuality and lesbianism are totally against God and His righteousness: thus it is SIN regardless of what politicians and governments legalize. Such lusts will not only bring the judgment of God, but also create their own physical consequences due to their unhealthy lifestyle.
Romans 6:12 – Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Those who are given over to such immoral lusts are actually under the control of the spiritual wickedness that governs (reigns) in their physical bodies and minds. If you fail to resist the attacks of the enemy you will find it impossible live morally and upright. However, Jesus made a way to escape such defiling corruption.
Romans 13:14 – But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Without Christ in your life it is not possible to overcome the weakness of the carnal fleshly lusts.
Galatians 5:16-17 – 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.
The corrupting works of the flesh are destructive to your life, both physically and eternally.
Galatians 5:19-21– 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, revellings, 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. ……
Most of us have walked in these sinful forms of moral corruption in the past.
Ephesians 2:2-3 – wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
However, through faith in Jesus Christ atoning work on the cross for our lustful sins we can walk in a new way of living.
Ephesians 4:20-24 – But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Thus we can be overcomers in this vile world showing ourselves as the children of God through Jesus Christ who is living inside us and directing our paths and behaviors – that is, if we allow Him to do so.
Galatians 5:24 – And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
As a child of God, through Christ, you want it known that you are His servant.
Romans 6:16-17 – Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
We should want to live in obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ and to please our Heavenly Father showing the world that we are His.
Titus 2:11-12 – 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;
Our lives should acknowledge His great grace that is given to us to be partakers of His righteousness.
Titus 3:3-6 – For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
This equips us to live holy, separated from this world, as true children of God. The end times will be a challenge to Christians due to false doctrines from false prophets, teachers and preachers.
2 Timothy 4:3 – For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
As we approach the end of this age the righteous will stand out from the rest of humanity who have not has a personal life changing experience with the Lord Jesus Christ. This put us at odds with the world who will consider us as enemies. One of the signs Jesus said to look out for signaling His return is wars and rumors of war – which we have in abundance now.
James 4:1-5 – From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The (carnal) spirit that dwelleth in us (as unredeemed) lusteth to envy?
James here identifies the cause of these wars is LUST for the things of this world. But, as we read in Titus 2:11 above, God’s grace is freely given to all of mankind in order to make a choice to be in the kingdom of God, or hang on to the kingdoms of this vile world.
James 4:6-7 – But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
God has called us through Christ to be like Him – Holy, and not like the rest of the world with its lusts.
1 Peter 1:13-16 – Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
God will honor those who honor Him, and who walk in the new life that He has provided, free of the lusts that afflict the rest
of the world.
1 Peter 3:10-12 – For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
We are to guard ourselves lest we fail to maintain our walk with the Lord in His righteousness.
2 Peter 2:9-10 & 18-22 – the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. ….. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
Here we have a warning to those that might return to their carnal lustful desires of the world after having known the path of righteousness. This is what we have been warned about the enemy, Satan the destroyer, seeking whom he can deceive and thus devour.
2 Peter 3:1-4 – This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
We are called to be faithful and obedient, even though we live in this vile world, and will be faced with those that oppose the true way of life saying that things have not changed and continue as before, so why not join us in our worldly pursuits.
Colossians 3:2-7 – Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore, (die to these lusts), your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: in the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
God has called us to live separated from the vileness that is in this world.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-6 – For this is the will of God, even your sanctification (separation and holiness), that ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
How do you combat these three areas of human vulnerability of the selfish fleshly desires; referred to as the “I will, I want and I am”? Jesus laid this out clearly for those who would follow Him and be His disciples.
Luke 9:23-24 – And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross (die to self) daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
If we walk in obedience to what He said, we would live a moral and godly life of righteousness as His true disciples to manifest for all the world to see.
Romans 6:18-19 – For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
