- THE SPIRIT OF LUST — A BIG PROBLEM IN THE CHURCH IN CORINTH:
- The church in Corinth had many issues that Paul had to deal with and teach them in the right order, but nothing like the problem with a spirit
of lust and fornication. In their society it was accepted, but those who were members of the church could not continue following those practices
and Paul had to work hard with them to bring them to that understanding.
- He admonished the leadership of the church for permitting a member to stay in the church even though he was having a sexual affair
with his father’s wife. At the end, this is what he tells them: “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along
with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be
saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” 1 Corinthians 5:4-5
- But this was not an isolated incident because he wrote strongly to them regarding this practice: “For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you
such as I wish…lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented
of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced.” 2 Corinthians 12:19, 21
- Paul was so alarmed at what was occurring with a spirit of lust controlling the group that he wrote to warn them about their salvation: “Examine
yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you are disqualified.”
2 Corinthians 13:5
- JESUS EXPLAINED HOW THAT SPIRIT WORKS :
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has
already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Matthew 5:27-28
- The Jewish people understood that the 7th commandment prohibited them from any form of adultery. But they did not understand how
it was a spirit of lust that drove them into the breaking of the commandment. Jesus explained to them that before they saw the outward results
of the action of this spirit of lust, it was already working in their heart causing them to desire and lust after another person who was not their spouse — AND
THIS JESUS CALLED IT A SIN! EVEN THOUGH THE ACTION HAD NOT OCCURRED, THE SIN HAD ALREADY BEEN COMMITTED!
- DAVID AND HIS PROBLEM WITH A SPIRIT OF LUST THAT BROUGHT GREAT MISERY TO HIM :
- Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing,
and the woman was very beautiful to behold.
- So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”
- Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house.
- And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.” 1 Samuel 11:1-5
IMPORTANT: David is considered one of the most important characters of the Old Testament.
The depth of his love for God that we can read in the Psalms is incredible and the faith and reverence for God that he demonstrated in
all his actions go against what we read in this passage — and it was all a spirit of lust that came to overpower David. But this was the first
result of that spirit. After he found himself in this predicament, instead of turning to God in repentance, he was overtaken by a spirit of lies
and conspiracy and a spirit of murder that drove him to have the husband killed.
But God was not pleased with David’s actions and HE sent a prophet to inform David about the situation.
[2 Samuel 11-12] It was then that David repented and God forgave him, but David had to suffer with God’s punishment the rest of his life.
- MORE WARNINGS FROM THE APOSTLES REGARDING THIS SPIRIT :
- PAUL: Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and
covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience.
Col. 3:5-6
- PETER: Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.
1 Peter 2:11
- HEBREWS: Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
- HEBREWS: For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a
sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries… Of how much worse
punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by
which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”
says the Lord. And again, “The LORD will judge His people.”