One of the greatest areas of temptation for young and old alike is the lust of the eye. How many times has the neighborhood Chocolate Boy seemed so irresistible you could drool, or the gleaming string of solitaire around Ms.Gorgeous’ neck shimmered in your own eye and took you to the depths of her plunging neckline? One of the many reasons I’m approached by youngsters is to find a solution for the same. Will you join with me on this journey to understand how to escape the ADULTERY with the EYE!

Why is it wrong?

Really? Is it really wrong? People give it various justifiable names and reasons like, “I am just adoring God’s creation. After all it is just seeing and not sinning.” Desiring for  beauty of any kind, whether of a person or a thing which does not rightfully belong to you is included in lust of the eye (for eg: your wife/husband rightfully belongs to you). Jesus was crystal clear in His teachings at the sermon on the mount. “But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart“ (Matthew 5:28 NLT) Why did Jesus say that? Isn’t adultery much more serious than looking at a person with lust? Well, making love is not just a matter of two bodies having intercourse. It is the unification of two spirit beings. “And the two will become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24)

The bible talks about angels who are spirits, without flesh and blood, who took human women. (Genesis 6:4) So when you lust with your eyes, you unite your spirit with the other person without your knowledge, though your body did not directly commit adultery. Is it possible? Yes! Your spirit can travel, without your body. That is what Paul meant when he said “though I am not there in the body, I will be there in the spirit.” (I Corinthian 5:3) (For an in depth study on the same, please read He Came to Set the Captives Free by Dr. Rebecca Brown)

How to guard your eye?

Jesus gave a very simple, yet practical solution. “Pluck out your eye” (Matt 18:9 KJV) How does that sound to you? I’m sure you would be wondering how you could do that. Well, put in the literal sense, you need to disconnect from whatever becomes a lustful eye for you. It is more practical to delete the files on your computer,  disconnect from the internet, movie or song, stop hanging out with certain kind of friends and put an end to anything else that you can think off, than to gouge your own eye!

How to guard your thoughts?

Here’s a verse that has always helped me a lot personally “Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters.” (I Timothy 5:2 NLT) If you could reprogram your mind to treat every man or woman as your own father, mother, brother and sister, it becomes so much more easier to escape from the lustful attacks on your mind. Whenever an image or a person shows up in front of you, remember the fact that he/she is created in the image of God. Defiling the imagery of God in your mind is a heinous crime in itself.

How to abort a growing desire?

“Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” (James 1:15 KJV) The only abortion that is allowed in the bible is the abortion of thoughts and desires, before it grows up completely to become a full fledged sin or a habit, which would ultimately lead to your spiritual death. Here are a few things you could do to kill a desire that does not glorify God,
– Disconnect from the concerned person in all forms (including social media)
– Soak your life in prayer and word.
– Be accountable and transparent about it to another trustworthy person, preferably your mentor/pastor/leader who could agree with you in prayer and help you overcome it.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and comments on this post. Let us walk together towards our ultimate destiny, to be like Jesus!