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Just a few days back, I got into a conversation about "Fifty Shades Darker." The reaction from Christian circles has been mixed by far. There are those that believe that without a shadow of a doubt, it should be avoided. And there are those who think that it would be overkill to avoid it altogether. It's just a movie after all.
How much lust do we have to fall into to consider it dangerous and threatening to our marriages, our way of life and to our spirituality? The world wants us to believe that just a little bit of lust won't harm anyone.
"It's just a little pornography."
"It's just a few coarse and green jokes at work."
"It's just a small crush."
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However, we see in the Bible that it's not always big and vile sins that had destructive consequences in the lives of people. For David, it was just a quick glance at a woman bathing. For Judas, it was just a few coins. For Samson, it was just a little honey from the carcass of a lion (when he was commanded not to touch anything that was dead). It can often be the small sins that create the biggest waves in our lives.
The most common way we downplay lust is by telling ourselves that sexual immorality is limited only to the act of committing sexual sin. But lust actually has more to do with the heart than it does with our actions. All sexual sin, both big and small, starts in the same place – our heart. In Matthew 5:27-28 (emphasis added), Jesus said, "'You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
That's also why David said Psalm 51:10 after falling into sin with Bathsheba: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." David knew what we should all realize – that the heart is the wellspring of both life and death, and what we let grow in it – no matter how small – will affect our actions and thus our destiny.
What is God's standard for purity? The Bible makes it clear: there must not even be a hint of sexual immorality (Ephesians 5:3). Is that really possible? I would like to believe so. Yes there will be temptation and yes we're all sinners, but that shouldn't be an excuse to give in to lust no matter how small it is. All it takes is a small infected cut for gangrene to grow. And the sooner we can cure it the better.
It's hard to be to free from sexual immorality if we pursue purity by our own strength. However, we are not alone. We have Jesus working through the Holy Spirit to teach us to say no to sin (Titus 2:11-12). Yes, we may not be perfect, but we can progress in our sanctification process with the help of Jesus Christ. In a day and age where "a little lust" is acceptable, we can hold on to God's promise of liberty and freedom through His Spirit.
