When We Lust, We Deserve Hell 2017.05.16

I've been caught up with many things, making it difficult to come up with quality posts. So I dug up this one from the past. It's when I studied out scripture, verse by verse. Very time-consuming! There wasn't a real "personal influence" in my older stuff - It was very black & white... almost all truth, and little grace... Thank God for change, huh?!?


Living to Please God


As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

3It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5not in passionate lustlike the pagans, who do not know God; 6and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.


1 Thessalonians 4:1-8


lust is sexual desire that dishonors its object and disregards God.

v4: something that should be done in one specific way and not in any another way. Sexual morality must be executed with holiness and honor, not in passionate lust like the pagans; holiness means being set apart for God.

sexual desire is good - God made it, and has it's proper place and has to be handled with honor people and revere God. Sexual desire is acceptable between a married couple (man & woman) where God is regarded. Lust is a sexual desire minus honor and holiness. To lust towards another person is to say "I want your body but not your person". Lust is the absence of God. Sexual desire is a good thing made by God, but lust strips apart God, and the honor of man, away.

v5: connects lust with a person who does not know God.

v8: the root issue in lust is whether you regard God with your sexual desires. Is God disregarded when it comes to sexual desire?

"so what? We're not sleeping together and we've decided to not kiss, so what's the big deal with dropping quick 'gutter' texts?!? I'm not touching her or imposing anything that would compromise her faith - I love her and I look to a life with her as my wife... Although selfish, it's a reminder that she wants me on multiple levels (along with spirituality, friendship, ...)"

Thats the way a mind reasons when regard for God has been removed. V6 describes what we do [when we lust] as "[wrong] or taking advantage of a sister" and the penalty will be His Punishment. Think about it - Man can torture and kill us, but it's then over. God can punish us for eternity, if that is His Will (Matthew 10:28). The consequences of lust is to deserve Hell...