Our Attitude Toward the Sin of Lust

Job 31:1 ESV

“I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?”

I hate to break it to you, but I don’t think we’ve quite understood the meaning of holiness. And I don’t think we’ve quite understood the fear of the Lord. 

“Yeah, lust is bad.” “Yeah, porn is bad.” “Yeah, I need to set more boundaries for purity.”

So we say. But we would probably be more concerned if we spilled water on our shirt. Listen to what Job says: “I have made a covenant with my eyes!” Job doesn’t even want to look at a woman the wrong way! Is he taking lust too seriously? Does he need to chill out? Listen to what he goes on to say… 

“What would be my portion from God above and my heritage from the Almighty on high? Is not calamity for the unrighteous, and disaster for the workers of iniquity? Does not he see my ways and number all my steps?” (Job 31:2-4)

Simply put, the sin of lust displeases God. And since God sees all of man’s ways and numbers all his steps, Job doesn’t want to risk compromising his integrity before his creator. He takes it dead serious, because it’s a dead serious matter. He then says something really shocking…

“If my heart has been enticed toward a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door, then let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down on her.” (Job 31:9-10)

Job is effectively saying he’s ready to lose his own wife before he becomes an adulterer! He doesn’t even want his heart to be enticed by another woman, and so he is taking great pains to guard his heart. This is another level of dedication. This is another level of being holy—set apart for God! 

Are we there yet, friends? Are we at the point of hating sin so much that we guard our eyes? Are we at the point of hating sin so much that we take our stray thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ? Let’s change our passive approach to sin and begin fighting it with godly aggression!

Some action steps to take:

1) We need to change the way we view men/women. Here’s a statement I wrote to help me:

This person is an image-bearer of God, fearfully and wonderfully made. By God’s grace, I will honor them and protect them. By God’s grace, I will love them as my own brother/sister.

Write your own statement as to how you want to view men and women. Make this something easy you can memorize and recite when tempted or out in public. 

2) Don’t make a vow, but decide within yourself that you will bounce your eyes (look away) when you see someone or something that could trigger you toward lust. Here’s a prayer I pray that helps me do this:

Dear Lord, help me bounce my eyes, bounce my thoughts, guard my heart, and honor you in everything I think, say, and do. In Jesus’ name, amen!

This prayer is highly effective when I’m out in public, and especially when prayed with a brother/sister in Christ. 

3) When your thoughts are entering territory that is lustful or not honoring to your fellow human, take action! Dustin Daniels suggests three key steps: flee, pray, and confess. [1]

Flee the scene, like how Joseph fled from Potiphar’s wife. 

Pray to God for help, asking Him for strength. 

Confess your temptation to a trusted friend in Christ, asking them to pray for you. 

Temptation is not sin, and so confessing your temptation is not the same as confessing sin. Confessing temptation is a means of helping you avoid falling into sin. The prayer of a friend can be a very powerful safeguard against lust!

Lust is a deadly sin. But by God’s grace, it can be overcome! If you’ve been struggling with it, please reach out to me personally. I’d love to talk with you and share what has helped me overcome this sin. What is impossible with man is possible with God!

And so dear friends, I encourage you to persevere: onward and upward, with grace and grit! All praise, all honor, all glory be to God forever in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth! Amen and amen!

Sources:

[1] Daniels, D. (2018). The sex spiral: Forgiven and free from pornography. Ambassador International.