What Is Lasciviousness?

Jude 4b, "...They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a LICENSE FOR IMMORALITY AND DENY Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord" (NIV). The Greek word for lasciviousness means: "wanton, lewd, LUSTFUL." Many or most of Christianity are turning the dignifying act of forgiveness of our past sins and release from the death penalty into a license or excess to continue to gratify the flesh, BREAK GOD'S LAW!

Gal. 5:19-21 (NIV) lists many of the acts that continue to gratify the flesh and cause the denying of Jesus. "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, SELFISH AMBITION, DISSENSIONS, FACTIONS AND ENVY, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I WARN you ...that those who live like this will NOT INHERIT the kingdom of God." Get a dictionary and look up the meaning of each of these words and REPENT if any fit your present life.

But notice the good news of Gal. 5:14-18: "For all the law is fulfilled (Greek- satisfied) in one word, in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself--- I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and fulfill (satisfy) not the lust of the flesh (margin). For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these (flesh and Spirit) are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But IF YE BE LED OF THE SPIRIT, YE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW: (penalty of death for breaking law).

What happens when we break the law? We come under the penalty of death if not repented of. Jesus died to PARDON (grace offered) us of those sins that brought us under the law's penalty - SECOND DEATH. Now that we have been released from death by Jesus' act of favor, does this give us the freedom to break God's law? Look what Paul said: Rom. 6:1-2, "What shall we say then? Shall we CONTINUE IN SIN, that grace may abound? GOD FORBID). How shall we, that are dead to sin (because of baptism and forgiveness), live any longer therein?" God forbids you to continue to break His law and bring the death penalty upon yourself again just because Christ has shown you a fantastic act of favor through forgiveness of past sins and release from the grips of death.

Reasons for Deception Through Grace

Many well meaning, sincere ministers actually have deceived themselves and their congregations into returning to sin-breaking God's law. They reason, that since we are now under grace or forgiveness, obedience to God's law is no longer necessary. It is because most ministers do not know what a covenant is! Nearly everyone has been taught that the old covenant was the ten commandment law - that the new covenant contains only grace and promises, but no law. Hence it is argued that since the old covenant has been abolished, God's law has also been abolished.

This teaching would lead you to believe that the law of God was harsh, cruel, and enslaving - that the FAULT of the old covenant was with

the law, and since God gave the law the FAULT must have been His!

Later, according to this commonly taught concept, Jesus came with a new covenant which had no law, only promises and liberty to do as you please. There is something wrong with this concept.

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