From lust to love
When an unexploded bomb is discovered in one of the many harbour and dockyard areas which operate around the English Channel, such as an old WW2 mine or a payload from a bomber, the Royal Navy will often tow the device out into the Channel before dealing with it safely at a distance. A controlled explosion is an interesting spectacle, still risky and time-consuming, but far better than potential tragedy. Making devices safe, perhaps removing them to destroy them, is part of the bomb squad’s ‘bread and butter’, despite the hazards.
With our sins, there is a safe place to take them. We need to recognise that Jesus took them already, to the cross. The charges against us were nailed there (Col. 2:13-14). We need to be ready to trust him for that, take our sins again to the cross to claim what he did for us. We cannot deal with them, but he has dealt with them. The hazard would destroy us, but it need not when trust his death in our place, bearing our sins.
This is what we need to do with the deadly sin of lust. Put it to death. Acknowledge it before God and go to him again (and again, and again) for forgiveness, new life, fresh grace, and strength for each day. He’s a good Father, he knows what we need.
But it starts with recognising how deadly a sin this is. If the Royal Navy just ignored UXB’s, someone would eventually lose their life. If we overlook sin, ignore it, or take no interest in dealing with it (because “everyone’s at it”) we risk real damage in our everyday life, not to mention the impact on our soul and our relationship with God.
Lust is a sin of the mind, of the eyes, through feeding and shaping the imagination. It is not helped by the opportunities we have as men through film, porn and so on to look on that which will feed our imagination, spoil our purity of intention, distract us from the good, right and genuinely beautiful things in life. Lust diminishes others and desensitizes us.
Lust destroys. It can end a marriage, split a family, ruin a career, kill spiritual growth and vitality. If this is an issue for you, some ‘bomb disposal’ of the character could save your earthly life.
Yet for every damaging sin (and make no mistake, sin is deeply corrosive and potentially explosive), God has given us what we need. There is always hope, always grace. God is greater than the evil one.
When Joseph in Egypt faced temptation, he chose to run. Job made a covenant with his eyes. Paul went into battle with the sinful nature. God’s Spirit equips us to seek a new, free, joyful, holy life. He has given us a toolkit to deal with sin. Will we use it?
Love honours God and others, lust dishonours all. Love values our wife above all other women. Love is selfless, not grasping like lust. Love is the first fruit God wants to grow in our new nature.
God is bigger than our lusts, enough for our needs, worth our purity, and ready to forgive. Let’s rely on him in this battle.
Bomb Disposal is Available on Amazon
