September 1, 2002

LUST, DESIRE, WOULD FAIN, COVET

Romans 6:12-7:7,8

   We look askance toward the words "lust" and "covet" because we remember the 10th commandment, "Thou shalt not covet" (Exodus 20:17). We hardly ever use "would fain," but "desire" seems altogether harmless in itself. Yet all these words are common Bible translations of the very same Greek word!

   Of its sixteen appearances in the whole New Testament exactly half of them are positive and the other half are negative as their contexts clearly show. Galatians 5:17 says, "the flesh lusts against the spirit," and of course that is bad, but the verse goes on, "and the spirit against the flesh" without repeating the word lust, it is nevertheless clearly implied. There desires commendable such as "many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see" (Mt. 13:17), and "If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work" (1 Tim. 3:1). Yet we read of "worldly lusts" (Tit. 2:12), "ungodly lusts" (Jude 18), and "fleshly lusts" in (1 Pet. 2:11). From all these examples we must conclude that context alone will decide whether the desire or lust is commendable or condemnable.

   Desire is the mainspring of our action, for without it hands would go limp, the feet slack, and the pulse would be sluggish. Ecclesiastes 12:5 mentions when "desire shall fail," and the context shows the end of life is near. Desire played a large role with Eve in Eden , but desire is not necessarily absent from the real of the spirit and holiness.

   There can be no force or coercion in either realm of sin or holiness, for we are admonished to "yield ourselves servants unto God..." to "yield our members servants to righteousness" and to "present our bodies a living sacrifice" (Rom. 6:13-19, 12:2). And as man was not forced to disobey God in the beginning, neither is he forced to obey now. To introduce coercion or compulsion into the realm of either sin or sanctification would rob both of their moral character. The whole scheme of redemption would become unreal and meaningless. With every fiber of his being and desire in the utmost, Paul wrote, "as much as in me is, I am ready (desirous) to preach the gospel" (Rom. 1:16). For what do you covet, desire, or lust?

Ivan L. Burgener