The Lust of the Eyes

Rev Dr Jeffrey Khoo

 

In this lust-filled world that we live in, we must be careful not to fall into the sin of the lust of the eyes. 1 John 2:15-17 tells us in no uncertain terms, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

The lust of the eyes is a violation of the 7th commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exod 20:14), and the 10th commandment: “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his  manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s” (Exod 20:17). The Lord Jesus said it well in Matthew 5:27-28, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”

The sin of adultery and covetousness is, “I see, I want, I take.” In 2 Samuel 11:2-4, we find King David falling into such a sin, “And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her.” The sin of adultery and covetousness is no respecter of persons. In fact, it is often the sin of the rich and powerful.

How may we fall into the sin of the lust of the eyes? Pornography is a real problem today. In this cyberspace age, pornography is so easily accessible through  the internet. Although the worldwide web contains a whole lot of useful information and resources, it is filled with fornication and temptations. It poses a real danger to our young people who are internet savvy. Premarital sex, teenage pregnancies, date-rapes, and juvenile prostitution are all too common. Here is God’s good command to young people, “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Tim 2:22).

The lust of the eyes is no respecter of persons. It tempts both unbelievers as well as believers. Adultery has become fashionable today. Having multiple sex partners is like having different clothes to wear. “Variety is the spice of life,” so let me have a Baskin Robbins’ selection of women in my life. Having one-night stands and secret affairs are norms in today’s permissive and promiscuous society. Have we fallen into such a heinous sin as fornication or adultery? If we have, we should be gripped by extreme guilt and grief, and be zealous to repent. If we have committed such a sin and feel no shame or remorse, it is a possible sign that we may not be truly regenerate in the first place. The Apostle Paul warned in 1 Corinthians 6:9- 10, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

In Singapore, juvenile delinquency and teenage pregnancy are on the rise, and among adults, divorce rates are climbing, catching up with the West. A recent Straits Times article tells us, “More saying ‘I do’ and ‘I do … away with you’.” This is one sign of the end times. Matthew 24:12 says, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”

How to overcome the lust of the eyes? These verses from the Bible tell us how:

Psalms 101:2-3, “I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.”

Proverbs 4:25-27, “Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.”

Proverbs 6:20-26, “My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: Bind them  continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.”

Matthew 18:9-10, “And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.”

Be careful little eyes what you see!

 

THE GOSPEL OF LIFE:
The Epistles of Life
I John 2:3-14
Fellowship = Obedience and Love

How do you know you are saved? And therefore enjoy the Christian fellowship? If you love Him and keep His  commandments! This echoes what our Lord had spoken to the disciples in John 15, in the sermon on the True Vine.

In exhorting Christians to keep God’s commandments as proof of knowledge of and fellowship with God, John mentions the importance of keeping His Word, the “old commandment,” that which has come to us fromMoses and the prophets. This is the Old Testament, God’s Word from of old. Then why a new commandment? John recollects what our Lord had said in John 13:34. The new commandment is the practice of love, the other side of the Old Commandment. It is the law of God stated positively to complement the “Thou shalt nots” of the old commandments. The new commandment, which emphasises the out-working of love in Christian fellowship does not contradict the old, but puts it in a new light. To test whether one is walking in true fellowship, which is called light, John asks, “Do you love or hate your brother?” This is a very practical question, because it is so easy to see brothers in the same fellowship fall out. Now, what John is stressing here is for the whole church, from the youngest to the oldest, from the junior youth fellowship to the session and presbytery.

If our church is to become strong, we must practise holiness and love in our fellowship. And let us not be gossipers but rather Gospellers!

 

I John 2:15-17
Loving the world and loving God are mutually exclusive

In the practice of Christian fellowship is the prerequisite of loving the Father against loving the world. When a Christian begins to love the world from which he has been saved, he begins to backslide. His love of the Father cools off correspondingly.

“Love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave” (Song of Solomon 8:6). When we stray to love another more than we should, that first love is turned into jealousy in the one we first loved, and soon into hatred. God and the world stand in opposition to each other, and we can love one or the other, but not both.

By “world” we mean the world system, materialism. The world is here analysed as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Was not Eve fallen into Satan’s trap when he tempted her with these three things in the Forbidden Fruit? That it was good for food (lust of the flesh), that it was pleasant to the eyes (lust of the eyes) and “a tree to be desired to make one wise” (pride of life). Gen. 3:6.

While that Tree no more exists in its primitive form, the temptation powers of the lust of the flesh, of the eyes and of the pride of life have drawn not a few Christians back into the world. Why is so and so no more in church? Because he is more busy making money on the Lord’s Day. Because he has left his wife and run off with another. These are sad stories but true. So, flee every lust, no matter how small it appears to be. But love the Lord with all your heart and strength.

Take time to be holy,
Speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always,
And feed on His Word:
Make friends of God’s children;
Help those who are weak;
Forgetting in nothing,
His blessing to seek.

T T