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Preaching the Word of God has many purposes. These include converting the lost, equipping the saints to teach others, and helping one another as christians to live righteously in order to go to Heaven. Let us examine each of these together as we study the Scriptures.
Paul, in Romans 1:16, says,
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
It is important that we preach the word of God in order to convert sinners to Christ. If we fail to do so, we will be held accountable on the day of Judgment.
Preaching the Word of God also helps to better equip the children of God with knowledge and understanding in order to teach others. For example, Paul commended Timothy for the spiritual training that he had.
When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands, (2 Timothy 1:5-6).
Also,
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus, (2 Timothy 3:14-15).
Another purpose for preaching God's Word is to help each child of God to live righteously. Scripture tells us that
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works, (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Also,
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine, (2 Timothy 4:2).
As we have already studied, preaching the word of God serves several important purposes. Let us strive to put these purposes to work in our daily walk with Christ each day.
Ira Mikell
ira@thechristianexaminer.com
We have been examining the "works of the flesh" as portrayed in Galatians 5:19-21. Let us continue this study today with the term "lasciviousness," as seen here in Galatians 5:19:
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness...
Lasciviousness (also translated as "sensuality," "wantonness," "filthy," etc.) is a translation of the Greek term aselgeia, defined by Thayer as the following:
unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence.
This word has many sexual connotations, although it is not necessarily limited to sexual sins. The term is similar to, but not exactly the same as, fornication/sexual immorality and uncleanness that we have already examined previously.
Beyond its use in Galatians 5:19, the term is also found in verse 22 of Mark 7:21-23, 2 Corinthians 12:21, verse 19 of Ephesians 4:17-19, verse 3 of 1 Peter 4:3-5, and Jude 1:4, among others:
"For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, covetings, wickednesses, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, railing, pride, foolishness: all these evil things proceed from within, and defile the man."
lest again when I come my God should humble me before you, and I should mourn for many of them that have sinned heretofore, and repented not of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they committed.
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart; who being past feeling gave themselves up to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness."
For the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the Gentiles, and to have walked in lasciviousness, lusts, winebibbings, revellings, carousings, and abominable idolatries: wherein they think strange that ye run not with them into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of of: who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the living and the dead.
For there are certain men crept in privily, even they who were of old written of beforehand unto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
We may see from these verses that lasciviousness is soundly condemned by the Apostles and our Lord, declared to be a thing that defiles a man, a deed common to Gentiles, and one marker of false teachers. What, then, is this lasciviousness, and how shall we avoid it?
The English language defines the term in a similar way as in the Greek:
Looseness; irregular indulgence of animal desires; wantonness; lustfulness, (Webster's Dictionary of the English Language).
The word most clearly refers to a complete loss of shame in an individual, who has no problems freely engaging in sexual activity, excessive consumption of food and drink, and fully committing his or her life to the pursuit of pleasures. The Gentiles of the Roman world were known for these things, frequently engaging in drinking parties and orgies and many other shameful deeds. These were done without even a hint of a conscience; in fact, it could be said in the Roman world that you were strange if you did not engage in adulterous relationships, especially the men.
We as Christians must seek self-control, recognizing the shame that we ought to have concerning ourselves and our actions, and staying away from the deeds of the Gentiles, which manifest conformity to the world and the lusts thereof (Romans 12:1-2; 1 John 2:15-17).
If we begin to feel overwhelmed by the desire for the flesh and fear committing acts of lasciviousness, we must remember the advice of Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:13:
There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it.
Let us strive to no longer walk in the ways of the Gentiles by committing acts of lasciviousness, but to walk in the light of Jesus Christ with self-control, always petitioning our God to show the way of escaping our temptations.
Ethan R. Longhenry
ethan@thechristianexaminer.com
www.deusvitae.com
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