5/3/2024

“Concupiscence” is my word of the day. Did you know we all battle concupiscence every day? Paul did and told us why in the text above. What is this you might be saying? Concupiscence is the human tendency toward disordered inclination, misguided thought or any desire that is bent in the wrong direction. 

Because we are still in our flesh, we are bent toward sin. Everyone born, because of the fall experiences concupiscence. These sinful inclinations, thoughts and desires, all of them, must be confronted. Confronted with what? The truth that “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price….” (I Corinthians 6:20). Redeemed (bought) and simultaneously Justified (declared righteous and treated as such) at the time of your salvation by Christ’s work on the cross. When our concupiscent thoughts and desires conflict with who we are now in Christ, we must recognize them and confess them calling them out for what they are – sinful.

The best news and the encouragement here, is we are not trapped! We don’t have to sin! Concupiscence doesn’t have to win. We can put off those thoughts and desires of our old fleshly self because our minds are being renewed by God. We are new creatures we can act like our new self (Eph. 4:22).  We can confront and strive daily against concupiscence head on by God’s help! We know it is ever present so we can seek forgiveness from Christ and receive His help before we ever yield to temptation and then sin. What victories our Savior has yielded us!

Pastor Mark