As a priest, I have been called upon to decry the rise in lascivious behavior in our society. This term, while seemingly archaic, directly refers to the practices of debauchery, lewdness, or licentiousness. Plainly put, to be lascivious is to be lustful. This is a concept that was sternly condemned by Jesus, as well as many of His apostles like Jude, Peter, and Paul (Galatians 5:19). Although the word lasciviousness does not appear in more contemporary translations of the Bible, it is certainly prominent in the older versions such as the American Standard Version, Young’s Literal Translation, and the esteemed King James Version.
Take for example the King James Version translation of Mark 7: 22-23: “Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” Observe how the same passage is depicted in the NIV: “For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’”
What does lasciviousness mean, though? It indicates an “excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures.” This also means having absolutely no regard for the dignity and honor of others. For instance, the behavior of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah as narrated in (2 Peter 2:6–7) fits the bill perfectly. Also, false teachers who sell the idea of ‘freedom’ whilst being “slaves of depravity” themselves are a prime example of this (2 Peter 2:2, 18–19).
Lasciviousness is not just limited to actions, but also to appearances and intentions. Specific behavior includes dressing inappropriately with the aim of appearing sensual and the consumption of sexually explicit media such as salacious magazines, films, and television or outright pornography. This kind of material can lead to destructive addictions, has shattered innumerable marriages, and even influenced child molesters, sexual predators, and murderers.
It is also alarmingly noticeable at workplaces where factors like physical proximity of male and female employees contribute to its occurrence. Despite sexual harassment laws in effect, incidences of flirting, suggestive touching, and inappropriate language are quite common.
In our contemporary society, where people are encouraged to be “sexy,” it’s crucial to remember our duty as Christians to maintain virtue. As the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians, “Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?” (1 Corinthians 6: 18-20, NLT). As disciples of Jesus, we must strive to keep both our spirits and our bodies holy.
It is my solemn duty to remind everyone that giving in to lasciviousness can have disastrous consequences for our eternal souls. As Paul clearly states in his letter to the Galatians: “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear…that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19–21, NLT). As such, may we do our best to resist such urges, and instead strive to live lives of holiness, purity and respect for ourselves and each other.
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