10 Commandments of Church Effectiveness

Flee Evil Desires

Commandments so far…

#1 – Present yourself as one approved#2 – Lift up holy hands in prayer#3 – In doctrine show integrity

Good Desires and Bad Desires

•We usually choose the word “lust” to describe bad desires.•The Greeks weren’t quite so fastidious.•The same word could be either good or bad desires – depending on context.

•So, what is desire?•The world certainly knows how to employ desires – usually for evil.

•C.S. Lewis --

•He that but looketh on a plate of ham and eggs to lust after it hath already committed breakfast with it in his heart.”

“Society drives people crazy with lust and calls it advertising.” – John Lahr

So what is desire or lust?

Greek: EPITHUMIA – an intense longing or desire

Jesus used the word positively in Luke 22:15 -- And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

Philippians 1:23

•I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far….

Jesus used the term negatively

•John 8:44

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Usually used negatively in the New Testament

Ephesians 2:3 -- All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.

1 Peter 4:3 -- For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.

Pagans choose immorality and base lustfulness.

What do Christians choose?

Commandment #4 -- 2 Timothy 2:22 -- Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

What kind of desires are evil?

•1 John 2:16 -- For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.

•Usually we think first of sexual lusts

James 1:14-15 -- …but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Yet, sexual lusts are only one aspect of “youthful” lusts.

Classical Greek

Included such things as gambling, drunkenness and gluttony.

What could we add today?

Should our list include such things as greed, envy, wicked ambition, hunger for power….

The Pursuit of Righteousness

We combat lust with righteous warfare.

Galatians 5:16, 24 -- So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature…. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

Ephesians 4:22-24 -- You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

We must progress from wickedness to righteousness.

Fleshly lust is EMPTYLike drinking salt water – it never

satisfies, keeps you thirsty until eventually you die of thirst.

World promises big. Delivers death.

The choice is up to us!

Are we tough enough to choose righteousness and flee lust?

Job 31:1 -- "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl.”

Will we make a similar covenant?Eternity hangs in the balance!