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Idolatrous Lust (Romans 1:22-25)

Definition of Idolatrous Lust Something you bow down to that you believe will bring you what you truly treasure while making what you truly treasure something you bow down to in place of the living God. It is the various aspects of life and creation we worship above the Creator as well as the basic ways we worship the creation above the Creator. ( Romans 1:22-25)

Idolatrous Lust Romans 1:22-25 Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Idolatrous Lust I. Idols are what we depend on at the level of worship above God to get what we treasure above God. We submit to it as we would and should submit to God. We reverence it as we would and should reverence God. (1 Corinthians 12:2, 1 Thessalonians 1:9)

Idolatrous Lust 1 Corinthians 12:2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led.

Idolatrous Lust 1 Thessalonians 1:9 For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God

Idolatrous Lust A. Idols are the avenues we submit to above God to get what we treasure above God.

Idolatrous Lust B. Idols are the things we believe are the source to our satisfaction apart from God.

Idolatrous Lust C. Idols are things we believe are the solutions to our problems apart from God.

Idolatrous Lust II. Lust is what we treasure and crave in this world at the level of worship above loving God and loving others. We are consumed with having it or keeping it in our lives to the point of sinning to get it and sinning when we don’t receive it. (1John 2: 15-17, James 4:1-3)

Idolatrous Lust 1John 2: Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

Idolatrous Lust James 4:1-3 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

Idolatrous Lust A. Lust is anything we treasure in this world above loving God and loving others.

Idolatrous Lust B. Lust is anything we crave or desire in this world in an inordinate way.

Idolatrous Lust C. Lust is anything we are willing to pursue in this world above loving God and loving others

Idolatrous Lust III. There are certain aspects of life and creation we tend to submit to above God making them the avenue to of our satisfaction and solutions to our problems; This results in turning these aspects into avenues we bow down to in the form of worship (Idols) in hopes of getting what we treasure (Lust) above loving God and loving others. (Ezekiel 14:3, Jeremiah 2:13)

Idolatrous Lust Ezekiel 14:3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. Should I be consulted by them at all?

Idolatrous Lust Jeremiah 2:13 For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water.

Idolatrous Lust A. We tend to submit to people in the way we should submit to God making them the avenue to our satisfaction and the solution to our problems resulting in reverence and respect of people in the way we should reverence and respect God.

Idolatrous Lust B. We tend to make positions of authorities the solutions to our problems above seeking God resulting in reverence and respect of positions of authority in the way we should reverence and respect God.

Idolatrous Lust C. We tend to make possessions the avenue to our satisfaction above finding satisfaction in Jesus Christ resulting in reverence and respect of possessions in the way we should reverence and respect God.

Idolatrous Lust D. We tend to make money the avenue to our satisfaction and the solution to our problems above seeking God resulting in reverence and respect of money in the way we should reverence and respect God.

Idolatrous Lust E. We tend to make medicine the solution to our problems above seeking God resulting in reverence and respect of medicine in the way we should reverence and respect God.

Idolatrous Lust F. We tend to make control the solution to our problems above seeking God resulting in reverence and respect of control in the way we should reverence and respect God.

Idolatrous Lust G. We tend to make conversation the solution to our problems above seeking God resulting in reverence and respect of conversation in the way we should reverence and respect God.

Idolatrous Lust H. We tend to submit to education as we should God making it the solution to our problems above seeking God resulting in reverence and respect of education in the way we should reverence and respect God.

Idolatrous Lust I. We tend to make entertainment the avenue to our satisfaction above finding satisfaction in Jesus Christ resulting in reverence and respect of entertainment in the way we should reverence and respect God.

Idolatrous Lust J. We tend to make sex the avenue to our satisfaction above finding satisfaction in Jesus Christ resulting in reverence and respect of sex in the way we should reverence and respect God.

Idolatrous Lust IV. We tend to make certain aspects of life and creation something we treasure above loving God and loving others making those aspects the ultimate solution for our lives and ultimate satisfaction for our lives; This results in turning these aspects into treasures we bow down to in the form of worship (Lust) becoming the preoccupation of our lives above loving God and loving others. (Ezekiel 33:31, Proverbs 11: 6)

Idolatrous Lust Ezekiel 33:31 They come to you as people come, and sit before you as My people and hear your words, but they do not do them, for they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth, and their heart goes after their gain.

Idolatrous Lust Proverbs 11: 6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the treacherous will be caught by their own greed.

Idolatrous Lust A. We tend to treasure and crave security as the ultimate solution for our lives and ultimate satisfaction for our souls in place of loving God and loving others.

Idolatrous Lust B. We tend to treasure and crave acceptance as the ultimate solution for our lives and ultimate satisfaction for our souls in place of loving God and loving others

Idolatrous Lust C. We tend to treasure and crave being understood as the ultimate solution for our lives and ultimate satisfaction for our souls in place of loving God and loving others

Idolatrous Lust D. We tend to treasure and crave comfort as the ultimate solution for our lives and ultimate satisfaction for our souls in place of loving God and loving others

Idolatrous Lust E. We tend to treasure and crave respect as the ultimate solution for our lives and ultimate satisfaction for our souls in place of loving God and loving others

Idolatrous Lust F. We tend to treasure and crave having our way as the ultimate solution for our lives and ultimate satisfaction for our souls in place of loving God and loving others

Idolatrous Lust G. We tend to treasure and crave being viewed as competent as the ultimate solution for our lives and ultimate satisfaction for our souls in place of loving God and loving others

Idolatrous Lust H. We tend to treasure and crave appreciation as the ultimate solution for our lives and ultimate satisfaction for our souls in place of loving God and loving others.

Idolatrous Lust I. We tend to treasure and crave affection as the ultimate solution for our lives and ultimate satisfaction for our souls in place of loving God and loving others.

Idolatrous Lust V. The avenues we pursue and bow down to in the form of worship (Idols) along with these treasures we bow down to in the form of worship (Lusts) make up the idolatrous lust in our lives. (Romans 1:22-25)

Idolatrous Lust Romans 1:22-25 Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Idolatrous Lust A. Bowing down to people (Idol) as we should God to receive the acceptance we treasure and crave in an inordinate way (Lust) in place of loving God and loving others is idolatrous lust.

Idolatrous Lust B. Bowing down to positions of authority(Idol) as we should God in order to receive acceptance we treasure and crave in an inordinate way (Lust) in the place of loving God and loving others is idolatrous lust.

Idolatrous Lust C. Bowing down to possessions (Idol) as we should God to receive pleasure we treasure and crave in an inordinate way (Lust) in place of loving God and loving others is idolatrous lust.

Idolatrous Lust D. Bowing down to education (Idol) as we should God in order to be viewed as competent which we treasure and crave in an inordinate way (Lust) in place of loving God and loving others is idolatrous lust.

Idolatrous Lust E. Bowing down to money(Idol) as we should God to receive the comfort we treasure and crave in an inordinate way (Lust) in place of loving God and loving others is idolatrous lust.

Idolatrous Lust F. Bowing down to control (Idol) as we should God to receive the security we treasure and crave in an inordinate way (Lust) in place of loving God and loving others is idolatrous lust.

Idolatrous Lust VI. There is a process by which we are lead into idolatrous lust:

Idolatrous Lust A. Mindset: Your mind is set on things below instead of things above (Philippians 3:17-19)

Idolatrous Lust B. Motivation: You begin to make self interest a priority above God’s will (James 3:13-4:3)

Idolatrous Lust C. Meditation: Your desires become preoccupations resulting in becoming lust (James 4:1-3)

Idolatrous Lust D. Methods: You look for avenues to satisfy your desires which have now become lust

Idolatrous Lust E. Manner: You bow down and submit to these avenues in order to obtain what you have turned into lust thus making these avenues idols you bow down to in order to get what you lust after. (Philippians 3:17-19)

Idolatrous Lust F. Mastered: You become a servant of your flesh (Galatians 5:16-21)

Idolatrous Lust VII. How Do You Repent of Idolatrous Lusts? (Proverbs 28:13-14)

Idolatrous Lust Proverbs 28:13-14 He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. How blessed is the man who fears always, But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

Idolatrous Lust A. Identify desires or cravings that have preoccupied your minds to the point of lust.

Idolatrous Lust B. Identify the avenues you have pursed and thus have bowed down to in the place of God to obtain these desires or cravings that have preoccupied your minds to the point of lust.

Idolatrous Lust C. Identify the sinful thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors that have come about as a result of these desires or cravings that have. preoccupied your minds to the point of lust

Idolatrous Lust D. Confess the lusts, idols, sinful thoughts, sinful attitudes, and sinful behaviors you have identified, to God and others accordingly.

Idolatrous Lust E. Replace your lusts, idols, sinful thoughts, sinful attitudes, and sinful behaviors you have identified, with genuine worship of God, and godly thoughts, godly attitudes, and godly behaviors.

Idolatrous Lust F. Decide to make God priority over all and everything.

Idolatrous Lust G. Guard your heart.