Lasciviousness

While writing his second letter to the church in Corinth, the apostle Paul expresses great concern over the fact that some of the Christians there had given themselves over to sin. Paul specifically points out that some of the Corinthian brethren were involved in the sin of “lasciviousness.” Paul writes, “For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults; and lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed” (2 Cor. 12:20-21).

The very fact that some Christians in Corinth stood guilty of lascivious behavior ought to alert us to the fact that we too may be guilty of such. We know for certain that lasciviousness is a deplorable sin, since Paul classes it with such sins as backbiting and fornication, however, we may not have any idea as to what specifically the apostle is condemning when he renounces “lasciviousness.” As a result of our ignorance, we may be committing this sin without even realizing it.

What is Lasciviousness?
The term “lasciviousness” is derived from the Greek word, aselgeia, and is also translated as “lewdness,” “licentiousness,” and “wantonness” in various passages of our English Bibles. The word literally means, “excess, absence of restraint, or indecency” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary). The sin of lasciviousness is one of shameless conduct. The lascivious person casts off all of the restraint and self-control that is necessary in order to live a godly life, and behaves according to his selfish and indecent desires. Let’s examine some areas of our lives in which we may be committing lasciviousness.

Our Conduct
1. Christians are expected to behave differently than the world. In marking out this difference, Peter says, “For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries; wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you” (1 Pet. 4:3-4). While the sinful world around us is a constant picture of lascivious behavior, we are to rise above such conduct.

2. How do we know if we are behaving in a lascivious manner? The apostle Peter obviously includes lascivious behavior in the context of drinking alcohol, and being driven by one’s own lusts. If we allow ourselves to be guided by our lustful desires, rather than the instruction of God’s word, then we will behave in a lascivious manner. This may manifest itself in a variety of ways. We may tell and listen to “dirty” jokes, we may drink alcohol in social settings, we may be driven by our desire to accumulate material wealth, or we may always desire to be where there is sin and debauchery. We will want to be where the “action” is, and we will “follow a multitude to do evil” (Exod. 23:2). In short, we will talk, look, and act very much like the world. Such is lascivious conduct in a general sense.

Our Choices of Entertainment
1. We will be affected by the things we see and hear. Jesus said, “That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness; all these evil things come from within, and defile the man” (Mark 7:20-23). When we fill our minds full of that which is evil and indecent, the warning of the Lord is that it will not be long before we begin to act in a way that is evil and indecent.

2. What are you filling your mind with? The lascivious man watches movies full of foul language and illicit sexual content, and says, “It won’t affect me.” The lascivious man entertains himself with pornography, foolishly thinking that he is in control of the situation. We act in a lascivious manner when we choose to sit in front of a television or movie screen and entertain ourselves with all kinds of ungodliness and profanity. The Lord tells us that those things that occupy our minds will soon be the things that occupy our time (Matt. 5:27-30; Mark 7:20-23).

Our Choice of Clothing
1. Is it “immodest,” or is it “lascivious”? As he begins to list some of the sinful works of the flesh, Paul writes, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness” (Gal. 5:19). I have often heard the wearing of short, tight, or revealing clothing referred to as “immodest,” however, such clothing is probably more accurately classed as lascivious. Speaking of lasciviousness and the rest of the works of the flesh, Paul says, “Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:21).

2. Are you dressing in a lascivious manner? Remember, if your choice of clothing does manifest lasciviousness, the apostle says it will keep you out of heaven. Any clothing that is indecent, intended to incite lust in the hearts of the opposite sex, or displaying a lack of restraint and self-control would be considered lascivious. Parading around in public wearing clothing that is revealing or tight-fitting would be classified as lascivious behavior, along with the wearing of swim-suits in public. None of this has any place in the life of a Christian.

Conclusion
We must guard against living like those, “who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness” (Eph. 4:19). Are you guilty of lasciviousness?

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