Part 2Moral Principles

With many moral questions the NT gives us some principles which can

be applied to a variety of issues.

• Galatians 5:21 - envy, murders, drunkenness, revelriesrevelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

• 1 Peter 4:3 - For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelriesrevelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.

1 - Reveling

• Gill – “Excess in feed, nocturnal riotings in eating, drinking, dancing, singing, chambering, and wantonness”

• Barnes – “Reveling; denoting the licentious conduct, the noisy and obstreperous mirth, the scenes of disorder and sensuality, which attend luxurious living.”

1 - Reveling

• Evil Concupiscence – (KJV)• Colossians 3:5 - Therefore put to death your members

which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desireevil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

• Thayer – desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden, lust

• Webster – lust; unlawful or irregular desire of sexual pleasure

2 – Evil Desire

• Mark 7:21-23 - 21For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdnesslewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

• 1 Peter 4:3 - For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdnesslewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.

3 – Lasciviousness

• Thayer – “Unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence”

• ISBE – “Exciting disgust or displeasure. It evidently means conduct and character that is unbecoming, indecent, unrestrainedly shameless”

3 – Lasciviousness

Evil Desire (Concupiscence)Evil Desire (Concupiscence)vs.vs.

Lewdness (Lasciviousness)Lewdness (Lasciviousness)

• ConcupiscenceConcupiscence is the desire for what is forbidden

• LasciviousnessLasciviousness is the conduct that produces this unlawful desire in others

3 – Lasciviousness

• Matthew 5:28 - But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

• Strong’s – to set the heart upon, that is, long for

• Easton – sinful longing; the inward sin which leads to the falling away from God

4 – Lust

• 1 Peter 4:4 - In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipationflood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.

• Webster – to revel; to run to excess in feasting, drinking or other sensual indulgences

• ISBE – Properly, unrestrained behavior of any sort, but in modern English usually connoting mob action, although such phrases as “riotous banquet” are still in common use”

5 – Excess of Riot

• 1 Peter 4:3 - For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking partiesdrinking parties, and abominable idolatries.

• Some translations say “banquetings”

6 – Carousing

• Barnes – “It means properly drinking; and act of drinking; then a drinking bout; drinking together. The thing forbidden by it is an assembling together for the purpose of drinking. There is nothing in this word referring to eating, or to banqueting. The idea in the passage is, that it is improper for Christians to meet together for the purpose of drinking – wine, toasts, etc.”

6 – Carousing

• Barnes – “The prohibition would apply to all those assemblages where this is understood to be the main object. It would forbid, therefore, an attendance on all those celebrations in which drinking toasts is understood to be an essential part of the festivities, and all those where hilarity and joyfulness are sought to be produced by the intoxicating bowl. Such are not proper places for Christians.”

6 – Carousing

• Gill – “Intemperance of every sort, by eating or drinking: as gluttony, drunkenness, surfeitings, and all luxurious feasts and entertainments, attended with riotings, revelings, and obscene songs; and which are here mentioned in the Syriac and Arabic versions, and which lead to lasciviousness, and every unclean lust.”

6 – Carousing

• 2 Peter 2:13 - and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasurecount it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you,

• Strong’s – sensual delight; by implication desire: - lust, pleasure

• Webster – sensual or sexual gratification

7 – Pleasure

• 2 Timothy 3:4 - traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasurelovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

• Gill – lovers of sinful pleasures, or the pleasure of sin, which are but for a season, and not God; serving divers lusts and pleasure, and not God; making a god of their belly; sensual idolaters, delighting themselves in their carnal lusts, and not in the service of God.

8 – Sin-Pleasure

• Barnes – “That is, of sensual pleasures, or vain amusements. This has been, and is, the characteristic of a great part of the world, and has often distinguished even many who profess religion. Of a large portion of mankind it may be said that it is their characteristic, that they live for pleasure; they have no serious pursuits; they brook no restraints which interfere with their amusements, and they greatly prefer the pleasures to be found in the gay assembly, in the ball-room, or in the place of low dissipation, to the friendship of their Creator.”

8 – Sin-Pleasure

• Romans 8:1 - There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

• 1 Peter 4:2 - that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

• Galatians 5:16 - I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

9 – Flesh vs. Spirit

• Thayer – the sensuous nature of man, “the animal nature”

• ISV – (1 Peter 4:2) – so that he can live the rest of his time in the flesh guided, not by human desires, but by the will of God.

9 – Flesh vs. Spirit

• We must not try to “write the rules” for others to observe these principles.

• Each individual (family, parents) must determine how, when, and under what circumstances to apply the Biblical principles.

• Observe the teachings of the Bible here.

• Colossians 2:16-19 - 16So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. 18Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

• Colossians 2:20-23 -20Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—21“Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Four Principles from Colossians 2:16-23Four Principles from Colossians 2:16-231.1. Do not judge others or allow yourself to be judged Do not judge others or allow yourself to be judged

by others. (16-17)by others. (16-17)16 So let no one judgelet no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a

festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

2.2. Do not cheat others or allow yourself to be cheated Do not cheat others or allow yourself to be cheated by others. (18)by others. (18)

18 Let no one cheat youLet no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

Four Principles from Colossians 2:16-23Four Principles from Colossians 2:16-233. Do not reject Christ as head or claim to be head in 3. Do not reject Christ as head or claim to be head in

His place. (19)His place. (19)19and not holding fast to the Headholding fast to the Head, from whom all the body,

nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

4.4. Do not write rules and require others to submit or Do not write rules and require others to submit or submit to the rules others try to impose. (20)submit to the rules others try to impose. (20)

20Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject subject yourselves to regulationsyourselves to regulations

• ProfanityProfanity • How many bad words before you turn off the TV? Walk out of a movie?

• When do you say something about the profanity you hear at work?

• Profanity

• StewardshipStewardship

• What is a waste of money?– Golf clubs, new TV

– Boat, new clothes

• Have you spent money that could have been given to the poor? (Matthew 26:9)

• Profanity• Stewardship

• Thanks for foodThanks for food

• Pray out loud or silently in public?

• Pray “before” any food is eaten? (Deuteronomy 8:10)

• Should children say the prayer?

• Profanity• Stewardship• Thanks for food

• Modest dressModest dress

• How short is too short?

• What is proper / not proper for church services?

• Are the rules different for Wednesday night than Sunday morning?

• Profanity• Stewardship• Thanks for food• Modest dress

• DancingDancing

• Will I violate any of the principles?

• Will my actions cause others to lust?

• Will I be tempted to lustful thoughts?

• Will this lead to other sinful activities?

Here is what many do on prom night:Here is what many do on prom night:

4 guys / 4 girls rent a limo, ride around to be seen by their friends

Go to a fancy restaurant for dinner

Socialize with friends and drinkSome punch (non-alcoholic)

Have your photo taken to remember the event

They change clothes and go to the movies

The rest of the night they go bowling

Here is what many do on prom night:Here is what many do on prom night:

Then they go home, eat some breakfast and go to bed.

•What do you think?•Did they violate any of the Biblical principles we studied?•ON THE OTHER HAND – •WHAT IF: A Christian goes to the prom in indecent clothing, dances in a provocative way, touching and handling others in inappropriate ways, then goes to a place where alcohol is served, causes others to lust because of their dress and conduct, and engages in immoral or illegal activities?•What do you think?•Did they violate any of the Biblical principles we studied?

• Is it wrong because the Bible condemns it directly?

• Is it wrong because it violates some principle of the NT?

• Are there dangers involved?

• Should we forbid or caution?

• Can 2 different families arrive at different decisions about this?

• Is there a difference in attending a dance (punch and photos) vs. dancing?

• Is dancing permitted for:– Husbands and wives?– Learning an art form – ballet, ice, traditional?– Exercise – aerobics?

• Can dancing be wrong because of other things associated with it?