Lust

This is one you really want to watch on our YouTube channel at 721ministries.org 

After Jesus drills down on anger, he starts really meddling when he says, 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully – for the purpose of lusting / for the purpose of leering / for the purpose of fantasizing – has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27-28 italics added) 

I added the italics to give you a better sense of Jesus’ meaning. That should give many of you a sense of relief. But I plan to disrupt that relief shortly. 

I asked the men two questions as we started to study Jesus’ teaching on lust: 

Can we look and not lust? 

Can we look and admire and not lust? 

The answer is, “Yes, absolutely.” But my follow-up question was, “And how are you doing on that?” Because, just as we can be angry and not sin, this too is a very slippery slope. So perhaps if you are sure you are doing fine, there might be a touch of self-delusion?  

I think it is helpful to first recognize we can lust after many things beyond just the opposite sex. Men lust after cars, pick-up trucks, golf clubs, shotguns, just to mention a few. Ladies, you can fill in your own list. But since Jesus ties his words to adultery, he is clearly addressing lusting after the opposite sex. 

The big lie Satan uses in all cases of lust is, “That will make me happy.” When he has rooted this in our heads and our hearts, our Self takes over and says next, “And I deserve it.” This is then followed by, “I have to have it … to be happy.” The Satan-hook is now in, and the reeling-in process takes over. 

If you recall, we talked earlier about “Lifeless – Better – Best.” Let’s apply that here. 

Lifeless: “I will look but not lust.”  (If you are a man, good luck with that) 

Better: “I will cross the street, and/or avert my eyes, among other guardrails .” 

Best: To have a heart so full of “Love-Joy-Peace,”¹ that I simply have no interest in looking. I am full of love, joy and peace, because Jesus has so filled my heart. I now have an aversion to anything even close to leering. 

A heart aversion to anything that will take me out of, “The flow of the Kingdom among us.”² 

So yet again, as the Master Teacher does, we start at the heart. 

“But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” (Matthew 15:18-19) 

Lifeless – Good – Best! 

John, the disciple that Jesus loved, wrote this: 

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18) 

And I add: 

There is no fear, lust, anger, greed, or resentment in love. But perfect love drives out fear, lust, anger, greed and resentment. The one who fears, lusts, gets angry, is greedy, and carries resentment, is not made perfect in love. 

Therefore the sure remedy for all matters of darkness in our hearts – of which lust is a charter member – is to have so much of Jesus’ light and love pouring in, there is simply no room left for the rats in the cellar. This is a process, of course, and takes time. But, yes, Jesus’ perfect love  drives out fear, lust, anger, greed, resentment, and whatever else you have allowed to root itself into your head and heart. 

We then find ourselves able to say, to anything that used to dominate us, “No thanks, I’m full.” What a relief! Attractive women, or ladies, attractive men, of a certain look that used to snag you: “Yes, she/he is very attractive and all that, but no thanks, I’m full.” 

“Looking to lust” in our current society is the norm, but Jesus’ truth is it is seedy and disgusting and nowhere near being, “In the flow of the Kingdom among us.” So let us pursue purity of heart by first pursuing that ever-deepening and ever-enriching Master of our hearts, Jesus.  

Next Week: Capturing that thought first, and making it obedient to Jesus 

¹Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control   Galatians 5:22-23 

²Dallas Willard