Flee Also Youthful Lusts

Flee Also Youthful Lusts

“Flee also youthful lusts . . . .” 2 Tim. 2:22. “Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Pet. 1:4. One could think that it was superfluous to give such an exhortation to Timothy, but we believe that Paul would not have exhorted him if it hadn’t been necessary. The ones that “flee” are those who are weak in themselves. The ones that “flee” are those who hate their own lusts.

Do not touch the unclean thing! You cannot touch something that is unclean without picking up the scent of the unclean thing. Therefore we read much about cleansing ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Cor. 7:1.

We are virtually encompassed by all kinds of filthiness all day long, and it is impossible to keep ourselves pure unless we hate it. There is something that is called “being inquisitive.” People like to know what is happening. It is impossible for such people to keep themselves pure; therefore they will never come to divine nature. The best they can do is control themselves. In Revelation 2:24 we read that some people boasted about knowing the depths of Satan, as they say. However, Jesus says that He searches the minds and hearts, and He will give to each one according to his works. V. 23.

It really takes an effort to keep ourselves pure from involuntary temptations that come our way. Why should we then look at something or read something that can awaken the desires in our flesh? “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” Rom. 13:14.

“For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom. 6:10-11. This exhortation pertains mostly to our thought life. If we want to come to divine nature, then we must be faithful in our thought life. You do not flee if you dwell on a temptation. When you dwell on a temptation, you love your lusts, and that means that you are under the law and serve in the oldness of the letter. When you put your lusts to death, you serve in the newness of the Spirit. Rom. 7:6; 8:3. That is the same as hating the corruption that comes from the flesh. That leads to divine nature! You cannot live this life unless you stand before God’s face and zealously serve in the newness of the Spirit.

“Now ask the priests concerning the law, saying, ‘If one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, wine or oil, or any food, will it become holy?’ Then the priests answered and said, ‘No.’ And Haggai said: ‘If one who is unclean because of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?’ So the priests answered and said, ‘It shall be unclean.’” Hag. 2:11-14.

Here we can see how appropriate the exhortation is to “flee.” When God is near and you have been blessed at a prayer meeting or through reading God’s Word, and the Spirit has made it living to you, yet afterwards you let your eyes and thoughts wander in every direction, you cannot keep it holy in your heart and your thoughts; you become superficial, and you will be defiled by what you see and listen to. Israel had become like that. Every work of their hands, and what they offered, was unclean.

Even strong and God-fearing people, such as John writes to, need such exhortations. 1 John 2:13-17.