The slippery slope of lust
Slippery Slopes • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 1 view1st part in slippery slopes series. Going over the different types of lusts and how to fight those
Notes
Transcript
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.
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Lust has its origins in the heart and mind
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.
There are many types of lust, but often we think of lust as only sexually immoral, but its much deeper than that. It begins in our heart, a wantonness for “things” more than God.
There’s lust for addictive substances such as drugs and alcohol or even cigarettes.
Lust for food. (gluttony)
Lust for money. (greed)
Lust for power. (i must have my way)
The original meaning of the word lust is “strong desire” and not necessarily a sinful desire, since there are certain desires of our physical nature—such as hunger and thirst—which we have in common with the animal world and which, in themselves, are natural and not sinful. It is only their abuse that is evil. Hunger is natural lust. Gluttony is a sinful lust. Thirst is a natural lust. Intemperance is a sinful lust.
W. H. Griffith Thomas
So why am I referring to lust as a slippery slope, and to what end?
The lust of the flesh is, subjectively, the humour and appetite of indulging fleshly pleasures; and, objectively, all those things that excite and inflame the pleasures of the flesh. This lust is usually called luxury.
Matthew Henry
You see lust starts out very small. Very insignificant and trivial. Our flesh is appeased by it which in turn influences our perspective of how were viewing this new temptation.
I pray God would help us to recognize these things very early on and would guide us and challenge us to combat the lust of the flesh!
Whats our first example of lust in the Bible??
Eve in the garden of Eden.
Lust, in all of its forms and expressions, is without exception sinful and, therefore, represents a sort of mutiny against God.
We shouldn’t go places or pit ourselves in situations that feed “our” lusts of the flesh. We should put “standards” or hedges in place to prevent us from being pulled away by those things. And if we do find ourselves in those situations we should do our best to be Prayed up.
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.
We must guard and protect our hearts from every ounce of lust.
Lust leads us to SELF instead of to God. It feeds our flesh instead of our spirit. It creates walls of hinderances where there were none before.
If you want to understand one of the reasons why being filled with the Holy Ghost is so important this is why.
Closing:
The slippery slope of lust will lead you to a place of apathy and complacency. Where your flesh is satisfied so the longing or the hunger to get closer to God is no longer there. You’re satisfied in your flesh. And in our minds at the time that’s enough. But may God help us to realize that being full in the flesh will surely leave us empy.
We need help to battle the lusts of the flesh. May God help us to do that.