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NASB | 1 John 2:16 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. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world--the lust and sensual craving of the flesh and the lust and longing of the eyes and the boastful pride of life [pretentious confidence in one's resources or in the stability of earthly things]--these do not come from the Father, but are from the world. |
Bible Question:
First of all, I very much appreciate the 'straightforwardness' of your post. I myselfe do not wish to walk in deciet, and so I don't wish to have answers that are just meant to make me feel better but do not help. Allow me to further my question. Concerning the 'wandering of the eyes', I have long felt that its a difficult situation: On the one hand, when I put to death the urges of the flesh, then I find no familiarity with the passion that was talked about in Song of Soloman (and therefore find no urge to dote on my wife that way that she likes to be doted on). In my heart, I wind up resisting the tendency to enjoy sex and sexuality the way that I feel God intended. This same 'sexual drive' that allows me to look longfully on my wife is the same element that is restrained, and although I find my struggle with 'wandering eyes' becomes easier to bear, yet my husbandly passion wanes. Then, on the other side, when I indulge in my husbandly pursuit, and revel in the graces that God gave me as a man, I find that my sensual senses are heightened, and my 'eyes' want to pick up on everything feminine. My wife loves the way I enjoy every aspect of her womanhood, yet I suffer in that I find it difficult to control it just towards her, since her body is not as in shape as I would like it to be. As you can see, I feel somewhat trapped between the two. This hasn't yet affected my loyalty towards her in the sense that I am not condoning seperation based on physical appearance. I can slowly see myself pushing her to gain control of her weight, in the hopes that my 'sexual eye' can be focused on her instead. Do you think that this is an unrealistic hope? Advice please. |
Bible Answer: Hi Thank you for your reply. I do genuinely sympathise with your position but did want to establish the foundations first. There are so many who reason themselves into disobedience and bring great harm on themselves. Certainly there is no reason why you should not gently hint to your wife that if she wishes to keep her sexual attraction for you she needs to do her part to enable it. Then she can choose what matters most to her. And hopefully you can expect her to respond, for it is not an unreasonable hope, especially if as you say she likes to be admired. As you rightly indicate the Song of Solomon is a reminder that physical love is not to be despised. All I wish to stress is that it is important to keep it in its place. It is a very small book in a very large Bible. It is depicting one of many things that call upon our time, and not in the end one of the most important ones, even though important in its place as a part of a well orbed Chhistian life. The rest of the Bible, however, is taken up with the need to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Thus it is vital that you do not let your longings interfere with that. For at some stage the desires of the flesh will lessen. At that point how sad, even disastrous, it would be if that had caused the desires of the Spirit to cease. So yes do feel that you can remind your wife that you must both play your part in your relationship, but recognise also that even that is secondary to walking faithfully with the Master. Believe me I do not talk glibly. I have had to learn the lesson the hard way. Best wishes Jonp |