Lasciviousness is defined as being inclined to lustfulness, wantonness, and lewdness. In other words you do whatever it takes whenever you can to please your fleshly lusts. The fact that –ness is the suffix to the word indicates that it’s not just a series of lustful actions, but it is also a type of condition. Part of the body of Christ is dealing with this issue right now in 2011. This applies to leaders and laity.
The root word, “lascivious” comes from Late Latin lascīviōsus, from Latin lascīvia wantonness, from lascīvus.
Galatians 5:19 says, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,…”
Ephesians 4:19 says, “Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”
With lasciviousness, one is greedy for more and more lustful acts. This promotes self, which leads to self-idolatry. And what is interesting is that this could very well relate to what Onan did. He performed a sexual act on Tamar yet placed no seed in her. How many leaders are doing that over and over and over again spiritually? It is apparent that lasciviousness has to do with the heart and adultery is in the heart first based on what Jesus said in Matthew 5:28 when He said, “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”
Adultery and fornication are sexual acts that are first played out in the heart. Sex: becoming as one flesh with another physically. Adultery: leaving your wife (the one with whom your SUPPOSED TO BE one flesh in God) to try to be one flesh with someone else. Fornication: trying to be as one flesh with someone WITHOUT a context of marriage being in place. Both of these relate to “uncleanness” (Gal. 5:19). So it seems that lasciviousness is a fierce repetition of the sins of adultery and fornication.
To put this spiritually, how many preachers and teachers are running around being spiritual whores? How many of them are spiritual adulterers and fornicators, leaving spiritual marriage with God to be with another false god/idol, and that idol could very well be themselves (because some exalt themselves too much as it is). Once again, we’ve got a heart problem here!
The root word, “lascivious” comes from Late Latin lascīviōsus, from Latin lascīvia wantonness, from lascīvus.
Galatians 5:19 says, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,…”
Ephesians 4:19 says, “Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”
With lasciviousness, one is greedy for more and more lustful acts. This promotes self, which leads to self-idolatry. And what is interesting is that this could very well relate to what Onan did. He performed a sexual act on Tamar yet placed no seed in her. How many leaders are doing that over and over and over again spiritually? It is apparent that lasciviousness has to do with the heart and adultery is in the heart first based on what Jesus said in Matthew 5:28 when He said, “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”
Adultery and fornication are sexual acts that are first played out in the heart. Sex: becoming as one flesh with another physically. Adultery: leaving your wife (the one with whom your SUPPOSED TO BE one flesh in God) to try to be one flesh with someone else. Fornication: trying to be as one flesh with someone WITHOUT a context of marriage being in place. Both of these relate to “uncleanness” (Gal. 5:19). So it seems that lasciviousness is a fierce repetition of the sins of adultery and fornication.
To put this spiritually, how many preachers and teachers are running around being spiritual whores? How many of them are spiritual adulterers and fornicators, leaving spiritual marriage with God to be with another false god/idol, and that idol could very well be themselves (because some exalt themselves too much as it is). Once again, we’ve got a heart problem here!