It's Your Turn - Question Number 4

I know that there can be many consequences to sin and yet some actions that we think of as sin seem so attractive and appealing that it can be difficult not to at least think of these things if not act upon those thoughts, a process described well in James.

Thinking specifically of sexual sins, why has God created something so potentially wonderful and instilled a powerful drive within many people that lead us to at least lust of the eyes and thoughts? 

Some of the figures of the Bible--Solomon comes to mind in a big way--must have satisfied some of this with multiple wives and concubines. Was this a sinful response? I know some bad consequences came from these actions.

Is the Muslim solution of covering females on the right track for addressing this sin potential since Western styles of dress can be so revealing and enticing?

That's my topic for the day.

Lee
Tossing It Out 

Lee,

When God created man and woman which included their individual sex drives, He created it with “rules” or principles that would regulate the drive. First, mankind was created to be dependent upon God and to trust God for the fulfillment of every drive or need that God created within man.

Man is to leave his parents and cleave to his wife for life. They are to enjoy each other, never denying one another the “usage” of the others bodies accept for an agreed time of prayer.

The fall of man which created a rift between God and man and exposed man to a wicked, sinful, and depraved nature changed all that. Now lust, particularly sexual lust resides with in the unredeemed body of flesh. Our own flesh entices and lures us through temptation to sin.

Don’t forget we are freed from the penalty of sin, and from the power (bondage) of sin. We are not yet freed from the presence of sin. Sin dwells with us, which is why Paul said in Ro 7:18:

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”

Paul also wrote in Ro 7:24:

“O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

Now to answer your next question about men like Abraham, Jacob, Solomon, David, and such: Was this a sinful response?

YES! God has always intended one man for one woman for life. However, even when men gave into their sinful propensity sanctioned by culture and took multiple wives or concubines, God in His grace, patience, and longsuffering did not exact precise judgment on these men. There were consequences (discipline) in the lives of each of these men. It was never intended by God that they would ever have more than one wife for life, but the fact that God “over-looked” sin and was so longsuffering with man is almost unfathomable.

No, the Muslim dress is not on track. It is not a divine solution it is a man-made solution that shows absolutely no trust in God. Lust is an internal drive. One doesn’t need sight or a woman’s body in order to lust. Blind men lust. Covering a body will not keep the depraved nature from lusting.

God’s plan to reduce the sin of lust was to provide first of all the Holy Spirit. When we depend on God and trust God’s Spirit which dwells within each believer we rely on His strength and not ours to combat lust. Second, God provides a woman who becomes our wife to satisfy the sexual drive.

We cannot conquer this lustful sin in our own strength and by our own invention. We must constantly turn to God for the promised strength to fight any sin.

Yes, you are right, western women today, influenced Satanically through their own sin nature, culture, and social pressure do contribute heavily to causing men to sin. The scripture desires women to be dressed modestly. 1Ti 2:9 says:

“In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;”

So, in summary, God created the sexual drive as a strong, but wonderful thing within men and women in order to not only pro-create and enjoy. He created this sexual drive to honor Him and magnify His character/nature.  He created the sexual drive knowing that man would fall and have their nature become sinful, wicked, and depraved. However, God did not leave us to this powerful drive, He provided the solution: one woman for man, one man for woman for life, along with the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit to help us curb this sinful reality by trusting Him.

Women should dress modestly realizing that they can contribute to causing men to sin. However, regardless of how modest a woman is or how covered up she is, men still will lust if they depart from God’s prescription.