ADULTERY, FORNICATION, UNCLEANNESS, LASCIVIOUSNESS
SEXUAL SINS
"Now the works of the flesh are
manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness..." (Galatians 5:19, KJV, emphasis mine, ER). One of the defining moral
characteristics of the past fifty years here in America would have to be the
progressive diminishing of any sexual inhibitions whatever! At this writing,
two additional states are considering (California and Washington), and will
probably be permitting same sex marriage in the near future. Many today are
simply not marrying, and living with a succession of partners. About 40% of our
children today are born into a single parent family. In the New Testament,
(~Galatians 5:19~), we have a list of sexual sins that God calls "The works of
the flesh." There are four things that the apostle Paul includes in this list,
and we are going to look briefly at each.
Adultery in the text simply means
"sexual intercourse of two persons, either of whom is married to a third
person." That is from the Britannica World Language Dictionary, and that
is the same basic meaning in the original Greek of the New Testament. The Bible
clearly condemns this in other passages as, "Marriage is honourable in all, and
the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge" (Hebrews
13:4). There was a time when unfaithfulness to one's spouse was considered a
terrible thing. Today many think nothing of the unfaithfulness of their
partner. In fact, there are some who have so-called "open" marriages, where
both give the other liberty to have sex with others, and they are expected to
do so! The word "fornication" today means something altogether
different than in the New Testament. Today it is used to describe intercourse
between two persons, neither of whom are married. In the Greek of the New
Testament, it comes from the word porneia (from which we derive the word
pornography) and was a broad term that encompassed any illicit sexual
activity! Arndt and Gingrich Greek Lexicon defines it as "...prostitution,
unchastity, fornication, of every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse." The Old
Testament prohibitions would have to be used to define these. Leviticus
chapters 18 and 22 include incest, homosexuality, bestiality as well as sexual
relations between those who are unmarried. Although homosexuality is
specifically condemned in other places in the Old and New Testaments (~Romans
1:26-27~; ~1 Corinthians 6:9~), it would also be included under the definition of
"fornication."
The word "uncleanness" describes a general condition of impurity. It would also include the lustful
attitudes that prevail when one person looks at another and describes them in
ways that would include the desires to be with that person sexually, even
though not married to him/her. I've even heard of Christian women who describe
men as "hotties"! Such attitudes would be contrary to that of the godly
Christian woman, girl or man! (See Matthew 5:28; 1 Peter 3:1-6; 1 Timothy
5:1-2). The inspired apostle makes it clear that the Christian (regardless of
gender) is not to possess the "works of the flesh" but rather the "fruit of the
Spirit" (Galatians 5:22-24).
"Lasciviousness" is a stronger
word than uncleaness. Thayer's Greek Lexicon defines the original word as
"...unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness,
outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence... wanton (acts or) manners, as filthy
words, indecent bodily movements, unchaste handling of males and females,
etc." Most English Dictionaries define it in much the same words. This
writer would suspect that the half-time shows of the Super Bowl, and MTV scenes
along with much of the "Rap" music, dance, and culture would fit this
definition. Anything; words or deeds that would tend to stimulate sensual
desires that cannot be legitimately consummated would fall under the umbrella
of lasciviousness! Christians are to strive to be pure, and as the wise man
advises "For as he thinketh within himself, so is he..." (Proverbs 23:7). Jesus
put it this way, "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil
thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders" (Mark 7:21). As Christians, let's
strive to keep our hearts pure!
Ed
Rodgers, De Leon, TX