“Concupiscence” isn’t a word most people use every day. Even trained pastors and theologians who are more familiar with the term may be confused about its meaning. For many‚ the word brings to mind Augustine’s battles with lust or our contemporary debates about human sexuality. For these reasons‚ many think of concupiscence only as a term for illicit sexual desire. Merriam-Webster’s definition—strong desire‚ especially sexual—reinforces this usage. But in Christian theology‚ concupiscence isn’t just about sex. The term applies more broadly to disordered inclinations and desires that are wrongly bent in any way—whether they be greedy‚ lustful‚ unfairly prejudiced‚ or selfishly biased. Church history shows us how embracing a Reformed understanding of desire can help Christians today. Sin or Not? Augustine’s View of Concupiscence For much of church history‚ the debate around concupiscence centered on this question: Does God hold people guilty for illicit desires even if they don’t act on them? Augustine of Hippo’s early study of Scripture led him to answer this question in the affirmative. He taught that our illicit thoughts‚ desires‚ and actions incur guilt regardless of our will and intent. Why? They’re evidence of our participation in the original sin of Adam and Eve. Augustine wrote‚ “All that a man does wrongfully in ignorance‚ and all that he cannot do rightly through what he wishes‚ are called sins because they have their origin in the first sin.” The term ‘concupiscence’ applies broadly to disordered inclinations‚ thoughts‚ and desires that are wrongly bent in any way—whether they be lustful‚ unfairly prejudiced‚ or selfishly biased. In his later debates with Pelagius‚ Augustine made clear that because of the corruption of humanity’s sinful desires‚ we can only do good by God’s grace. But he didn’t stop there. His teaching on baptism complicates his doctrine of concupiscence. Augustine wrote that “concupiscence itself is not sin any longer‚ whenever [baptized Christians] do not consent to it.” Scholars throughout history have debated what Augustine meant by this statement. Latin doesn’t possess a distinction between active “sin” and “sinfulness.” The term peccatum can carry either meaning‚ making it difficult to determine what Augustine intended. But since Augustine’s time‚ the Roman Catholic Church has taught that baptism removes original sin. They’ve maintained that disordered desires that arise in baptized Christians don’t become sin until we act on them. By Martin Luther’s time‚ some medieval theologians even taught that disordered lusts should be welcomed by believers as opportunities to exercise virtue through resisting them. We Remain Sinful: The Reformers’ View of Concupiscence The Reformers saw the Catholic view as dangerous and contrary to God’s Word. They were convinced illicit desire remained sin and continued to incur guilt in believers even after Christian baptism. The King James (KJV) translation of Colossians 3:5 reflects their view (cf. Rom. 7:8‚ 1 Thess. 4:5). The KJV translators used the English phrase “evil concupiscence” to translate Greek terms our modern versions read as “evil desires.” Paul says that evil desires—along with “sexual immorality‚ impurity . . . and covetousness”—are “earthly” and should be understood as idolatrous at the core. In Luther’s 1537 Smalcald Articles‚ he argued that the Catholic Church’s failure to name concupiscence as sin led them to a corresponding misunderstanding of repentance. Though illicit desires may arise in believers prior to and apart from a conscious act of the will‚ they stand‚ argued Luther‚ as evidence of our old sinful connection to Adam (Eph. 4:22). As such‚ they shouldn’t be allowed to fester; they must be “put to death” (Col. 3:5; cf. Matt. 5:21–30). The Reformation confessions that came after Luther followed his lead (see Augsburg‚ Belgic‚ Thirty-nine Articles‚ Heidelberg‚ Westminster‚ and Second London Baptist). With their statements on concupiscence‚ these confessions made three points clear: 1. Christians aren’t sinful because we intentionally sin. Rather‚ we sin because we’re born sinful; even before we act‚ our hearts are bent toward evil. 2. It’s not just unbelievers who are held guilty for concupiscent desires. No‚ even Christians‚ while simultaneously justified‚ are sinners. What Paul calls the “old man” is‚ though defeated‚ still present with us. 3. So it’s not just the unconverted who must battle against sinful desires and thoughts; believers must actively confront their inner corruption too. Why Does the Doctrine Matter Today? What are the implications of the Reformation understanding of concupiscence for believers today? 1. The doctrine reminds us no one is innocent before God. In a culture that celebrates being “true to yourself‚” it’s easy to assume every person’s expressive identity‚ or inner bent‚ is natural and morally neutral (and perhaps even positively good)‚ but this runs contrary to Scripture. Jesus made clear that uncleanness doesn’t begin with outward actions but comes from the heart (Mark 7:21; cf. Rom. 7:18‚ 23–25). “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way” (Isa. 53:6). We’re all guilty and morally culpable before God both within and without—both for desires bidden and unbidden. 2. It encourages us to confess illicit thoughts and desires‚ even when unwanted‚ as sin. Whatever our view of the conflicted self in Romans 7‚ we should all attest that conflicting desires still war within us after salvation. Knowing the right actions to take and actually desiring or willing to take them are still two different things for us. Even if a person doesn’t battle sexual lust‚ sins like greedy covetousness‚ lust for power‚ and selfish prejudice still lurk in the recesses of our thoughts and attitudes so even the faithful cry out‚ “Who can discern his errors?” (Ps. 19:12). “Who can understand [the heart]?” (Jer. 17:9). It’s not just the unconverted who battle sinful desires and thoughts; believers must actively confront their inner corruption too. But though we may admit we’re sinners‚ most of us are tempted to evade and excuse our sin. We may even justify our desires‚ convincing ourselves we’ve done no wrong. However‚ the Bible doesn’t pull punches with sinful thoughts and wants. In Romans 1‚ for example‚ Paul explicitly describes both same-sex sexual activity (“exchanged”/“gave up natural relations‚” vv. 26–27) and same-sex sexual desire (“consumed with passion‚” v. 27) as sin. Whatever the particulars of our inner temptations‚ we must agree with God about their sinfulness. We must give our illicit desires the same labels he does. 3. By exposing everyone’s inner bent toward sin‚ the doctrine humbles us‚ encourages honesty‚ and cultivates compassion in us for fellow sinners. Believers who are pursuing obedience to Christ still experience temptation due to corrupted desires. Some may even feel crushed by disappointment because the desires are unrelenting. This should lead us to lament our internal bent toward sin‚ give thanks for the Spirit’s presence renewing our hearts‚ pray eagerly for the Spirit’s work‚ and seek (where possible) to root out sinful desire from our lives‚ knowing that as we do‚ we’re not alone in the battle. When we adopt a deeper (and more biblically defensible) definition of concupiscence‚ we’re recognizing that the corrupting effects of the fall affect everyone. The reality of remaining sin in believers should corporately humble us‚ encourage us to walk in honesty and transparent fellowship with one another (1 John 1:7)‚ and give us empathy for fellow sinners who carry sinful desires and selfish thoughts just as we do. The reality of concupiscence should motivate us to listen to the challenges and admonitions of others because‚ though we may not want to admit it‚ they may better see sinful patterns and prejudiced ideas to which we’re blind. 4. By teaching us to name our sin‚ this doctrine gives us hope for growth in Christ. Paul wants Christians to be aware of their remaining sin‚ but he doesn’t want us to think we’re trapped. He calls us to mortify our sinful nature again and again until we reach glory (Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:5ff.). How do we do this? We don’t obfuscate about our sin but regularly call the “old man” by his name in confession. It’s hard to confess greedy desires. And in some contexts‚ it’s not helpful to publicly confess sexual lust or bitterly prejudiced thoughts and attitudes. For this reason‚ our churches do well when we provide safe spaces where individuals who battle wrong desires and thoughts can be honest about their sin and receive assurance of God’s forgiveness. Though it may initially feel like a punch to the gut to name the old Adam’s continuing influence on our desires and thoughts‚ such honesty is ultimately the way of true repentance and ongoing cleansing in Christ (1 John 1:7‚ 9). In these four ways‚ a more faithful doctrine of concupiscence can help our churches. It may feel counterintuitive. But‚ by God’s grace‚ recognizing and confessing the ways sin has corrupted our desires is a path toward empathy‚ compassion‚ and Christian hope.

When our kids are young‚ it seems like the world is their oyster. They play freely with their friends‚ ask questions without hesitation‚ and are full of energy—sometimes too much energy. They’re relatively easy to entertain‚ and they think we—their parents—are cool. But then the teenage years come. Our kids no longer think we’re cool. They want their distance‚ and their speech and mannerisms have an edge. They listen to different types of music and hang out in their rooms all day on the phone‚ playing video games with their friends. Some of this change is natural as kids grow up. But there are times when something seems off. What happens when teenage angst turns into serious anger problems? What happens when they hang out in their rooms all day on the phone playing video games without their friends? What happens when they quit activities they once enjoyed? Watching a child suffer from depression is a parent’s nightmare. We often try to fix the problem in the cleanest‚ most efficient way we know. We tell our kids to pray and read the Bible more‚ we give advice based on our experience‚ and we research a laundry list of helpful suggestions—but that doesn’t always solve the problem. Our suggestions can be met with pushback‚ our advice can fall on deaf ears‚ and our directives to pray and read the Bible can be met with derision and scorn. Watching a child suffer from depression is a parent’s nightmare. We often try to fix the problem in the cleanest‚ most efficient way we know. We may feel we’re at a loss and‚ more than that‚ like we failed. We may blame our spouses‚ the school system‚ our neighborhoods‚ or certain friends. We may ask‚ What if I hadn’t done this or that? As parents‚ especially Christian parents‚ we need to be equipped to manage our children’s depression from a biblical perspective. Here are three tips for parents whose teens may suffer from persistent sadness. Destigmatize I work in an Asian church context. While depression is being discussed more often‚ it still remains to some extent a taboo topic in my community. Older adults fear that any admission of mental illness will cause a teen they love to be viewed with suspicion by others or to be excluded from activities he or she enjoys. These extreme cases can lead parents to deny their children are anything but happy and healthy. But many people who live typical lives deal with depression. They’re our coworkers‚ friends‚ classmates‚ and family members. Every year‚ about 15 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds experience adolescent depression. When I learned about a close friend’s battle with depression‚ it helped me understand that person in a different way. Instead of seeing him antagonistically‚ my heart grew in compassion for him as a fellow sojourner in the faith who’s learning Christ’s grace is sufficient in his weakness. Parents would do well to understand that having depression doesn’t sentence a child to a miserable life or to being a pariah. Discern While older generations may be slow to recognize depression concerns‚ Gen Z can be too quick to do so. When your teen tells you he or she is depressed‚ it’s important to distinguish serious concerns from normal‚ everyday emotions. Not every bad day is a sign of depression‚ nor is every nervous feeling a sign of anxiety. Parents can harm their teens both by ignoring serious underlying issues and by overreacting to temporary emotions. In general‚ major depression includes “some of the following signs and symptoms‚ most of the day‚ nearly every day‚ for at least 2 weeks‚” according to the National Institute of Mental Health: persistent sad‚ anxious‚ or “empty” mood feelings of hopelessness or pessimism feelings of irritability‚ frustration‚ or restlessness feelings of guilt‚ worthlessness‚ or helplessness loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities decreased energy‚ fatigue‚ or feeling slowed down difficulty concentrating‚ remembering‚ or making decisions difficulty sleeping‚ waking early in the morning‚ or oversleeping changes in appetite or unplanned weight changes physical aches or pains‚ headaches‚ cramps‚ or digestive problems that do not have a clear physical cause and do not go away with treatment thoughts of death or suicide or suicide attempts If these signs are evident and persistent‚ parents should contact a professional therapist or psychologist and look at the possibility of beginning a medical treatment plan. There are plenty of Christian counselors who can help not only with treatment but with a biblical perspective on depression. Disarm A young adult I know has dealt with major depression. When giving her testimony‚ she said it annoyed her when her parents would tell her to “just pray.” Those words‚ said with the best of intentions‚ didn’t account for the complicated nuances of this young woman’s problems. She ended up feeling worse‚ and their relationship grew increasingly tense. As parents‚ we must ensure our words and actions don’t exacerbate our teens’ struggles when they’re experiencing crises. In the book of Job‚ three friends came to comfort Job after he suffered unfathomable calamities. They weren’t much help. They told Job his sin was causing his pain and that his fortunes would be reversed if he’d only repent. Job became defensive‚ and when the Lord intervened in chapter 38‚ he revealed suffering doesn’t always have a black-and-white explanation. Like Job’s friends‚ parents can struggle to establish a connection with their teen during a depressive episode. There are no formulas‚ no prescriptions. Yes‚ medications can help your child to think more clearly‚ but they don’t replace the support only a parent can provide‚ nor can they cure a sinful heart. Helping our children through depression will require compassion and sacrificial love we can’t produce ourselves—these are characteristics only found in our Savior. Helping our children through depression will require us to reach a level of compassion and sacrificial love we may have never known before—characteristics only found in our Savior. Our best tool to disarm our teens during a crisis of depression or anxiety is the gospel. Jesus‚ the Son of God‚ seated at his right hand in heaven‚ took on human nature and endured intense suffering.  In 1 Peter 2:23‚ we learn that “when he was reviled‚ he did not revile in return; when he suffered‚ he did not threaten‚ but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.” When we point our children to the example Jesus set in his suffering‚ we relieve ourselves from the impossible burden of being the fixer. Our children can instead fall into the much stronger arms of a God who can handle their darkest moments‚ their deepest fears‚ and their most troubling depressive episodes. There are no easy answers for depression. Some teens may require medication‚ others may not. Some may wrestle for a season‚ others for a lifetime. Some episodes have clear-cut causes‚ others don’t. But there’s a Savior who will be by our side‚ wrestling for us‚ even when we’ve lost the strength to fight.

What a way to kill putting a smooth 64 on the board

On this day 85 years ago‚ the commission for Major League Baseball met to establish some rules and agreed on the weight and dimensions of the standard baseball. It was to be 9 to 9.25 inches (229 to 235 mm) in circumference‚ with a weight of 5 to 5.25 ounces (0.142 to 0.149 kg)‚ and […] The post Good News in History‚ December 14 appeared first on Good News Network.

All the things we’ve learned about water during our school years seem so simple and logical‚ right? It always moves to find its lowest point. It makes up the majority of the human body. It makes up the majority of planet Earth! And it’s necessary to sustain and grow life for flora‚ fauna‚ and everything […] The post Ten Things You Never Knew about Water appeared first on Listverse.

Many filmmakers develop a brand. Audiences see a director’s name and know to expect a certain type of entertainment experience. When each movie master below leaped to something strikingly different‚ the result could be an artistic and commercial success or an equally splashy failure. Related: Top 10 Most Bizarre Movie Casting Ideas 10 Steven Spielberg […] The post 10 Directors Who Made Surprising Movie Mood Swings appeared first on Listverse.

If you are lucky‚ these villagers will save you a visit to the caves‚ which is more like saving your life. Here is how to get Cut Sapphire and Cut Ruby from villagers in LEGO Fortnite. LEGO Fortnite: How to get Cut Sapphire and Cut Ruby from villagers While visiting caves in LEGO Fortnite is a really fun and blood-pumping activity‚ the truth is that surviving inside them or even getting the materials you are looking for in them is pretty difficult. Talk about difficulty and extremely abysmal drop rates. Anyway‚ thankfully‚ there is a way you can slightly circumvent this and that is by using your villagers. Let’s get right to the point before we get to specifics. To get Cut Sapphire and Cut Ruby you will need to build a village and have a villager assigned to a Gem Cutter in the following biomes: Cut Sapphire: Frostlands. Cut Ruby: Dry Valley. Why does this work this way? Well‚ because Sapphires and Rubies grow in the caves located at the...

David Newman sent a text to a friend the morning of Saturday‚ Oct. 7. Something terrible had happened. Word quickly spread among Newman’s group of friends‚ who had known each other since high school. Newman‚ 25‚ had traveled the night before to the music festival in southern Israel‚ close to the border with the Gaza Strip. It was supposed to be a fun weekend with his girlfriend “celebrating life‚” something Newman‚ who served with the Israel Defense Forces‚ was good at and loved to do‚ friend Gidon Hazony recalls.  When Hazony learned that Newman‚ his longtime friend‚ was in danger‚ he and another friend decided they were “going to go down and try and save him.” Trained as a medic and armed with a handgun and bulletproof vest‚ Hazony started driving south from Jerusalem.  Hazony and his friend ended up joining with other medical personnel and “treated probably around 50 soldiers and civilians in total that day‚” Hazony recalls‚ but they kept trying to make it south to rescue Newman. But the two “never made it down to the party‚ and that’s probably for the best‚” Hazony says‚ “because that area was completely taken over by terrorists. And if we had gone down there‚ I think we would’ve been killed.”  Hazony later learned that Hamas terrorists had murdered Newman on Oct. 7‚ but not before Newman had saved nearly 300 lives‚ including the life of his girlfriend.  When the terrorists began their attack on the music festival‚ many attendees began running to their cars. But Newman and his girlfriend encountered a police officer who warned them to run the opposite direction because the terrorists were near the vehicles‚ says David Gani‚ another friend of Newman’s.  David Newman‚ left‚ with friends David Gani and Gidon Hazony. (Photos courtesy of Soldiers Save Lives) Newman “ran in the opposite direction with his girlfriend and whoever else he could kind of corral with him‚” Gani explains during an interview on “The Daily Signal Podcast.” “They saw two industrial garbage cans‚ big containers‚ and so David told everyone‚ ‘Hide‚ hide in those containers‚’” Gani says. “And so what he did over the course of the next few hours is‚ he would take people and … he was this big guy‚ and he would just chuck them in that container. And then he would go in‚ wait‚ wait till the coast is clear‚ and then he’d go back out‚ find more people‚ put them in there.”  David Newman with canine friends. Newman’s actions that day‚ and the atrocities Hazony and so many others in Israel witnessed Oct. 7‚ led Hazony‚ Gani‚ and several friends to quit their jobs and set up a nonprofit called Soldiers Save Lives. The organization is working to collect tactical and humanitarian aid for the Israel Defense Forces‚ or IDF.  According to the group’s website‚ Soldiers Save Lives has supplied over 20 IDF units and civilian response teams “with protective and self-defense gear.” Gani‚ board chairman‚ chief financial officer‚ and chief technology officer of Soldiers Save Lives‚ and Hazony‚ president of the organization‚ recently traveled to Washington‚ D.C.‚ to raise support and awareness for their mission to provide IDF troops with needed supplies. Gani and Hazony join this episode of “The Daily Signal Podcast” to explain how to partner with Soldiers Save Lives and to honor the legacy that Newman left behind.  Listen to the podcast below:  Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state.  The post Hamas Murdered Their Friend. Now‚ They Help Israeli Soldiers to Keep His Memory Alive appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Only 17 days remain in 2023‚ and members of Congress are preparing to leave Washington to return to their districts for Christmas. It has been a lively‚ and sometimes contentious‚ first session for the 118th Congress.  The removal in October of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy‚ R-Calif.‚ by his own party likely will be remembered as the most historic event to take place in Congress this year. McCarthy recently announced he will step down. Newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson‚ R-La.‚ remains in the “honeymoon” phase and is navigating Congress through the contentious waters of budgeting for fiscal year 2024. The appropriations fight will be the first priority for Congress in the new year‚ with deadlines looming in January and early February.  More aid for Ukraine in its war with Russia still is being debated as GOP lawmakers make it clear they won’t support additional funding without legislation to secure America’s southern border. The House passed a border security bill‚ known as HR 2‚ in May‚ but the Senate has failed to take up the legislation.  On this week’s edition of the “Problematic Women” podcast‚ Sarah Feldpausch‚ director of government relations for Heritage Action for America‚ joins the show to explain what Congress achieved this year and what tops its priority list when it returns to Washington in January.  Listen to the podcast below: Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Hits and Misses: What Congress Achieved in 2023‚ What’s Ahead for New Year appeared first on The Daily Signal.