Message summary: Everyone is headed in one direction or the other. In which direction are you headed today? Let us beware of the peril of incremental immorality and faithfully live out our confession of faith.

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Incrementalism is often illustrated by the familiar "frog in a kettle of boiling water" illustration. A frog placed in cold water supposedly won’t jump out as long as the water is brought slowly to a boil since the frog becomes acclimated to the slowly rising water temperature. *¹

Incremental means happening gradually, in a series of small amounts.

The slide into sin, whether individually or as a culture, often takes place incrementally, that is small step by small step. Casting Crowns has a stirring song that deals with this called “Slow Fade” (see below for link). Surely as the prodigal left his father and childhood home he did not aspire to feeding pigs. People don’t have a deep longing to be moral reprobates or addicts. Countries don't aspire to being evil.

So often people will testify that they began with “just a little” tobacco, alcohol, or “harmless” weed. Consider other areas where this is true such as David's extended glance at the bathing beauty, Bathsheba. “Just a little won’t hurt” the devil continues to whisper since his first conversation with Eve. After all, the slide (original sin) began with just a little bite from the forbidden fruit.

We consider the lustful temptations common to all and the many times Brooksyne and I have counseled pastorally with those who have fallen into sin and now do so as chaplains when people confide in us for help.

It’s practically incomprehensible the degree and scope of moral decadence that is present today, both the culturally approved and culturally unapproved (which so often becomes “approved” over time). Practically every day there is some new acceptance, promotion or justification for some type of behavior that was once considered deviant. Five years ago could you imagine there would be drag queens in libraries, schools and even churches.*² What will the next frontier look like as those things once considered “deviant” are referred to as “good” by fallen humans? Can anyone deny there is an increase in wickedness? It seems there is a contest of depravity on many fronts.

The daily Scripture portion is longer than usual but provides fuller context. It’s a good portion to read aloud several times. Maybe you’d like to print it out and memorize it since it is a good passage for reference and biblical perspective during these challenging times.

Today let us focus on two verses that succinctly describe fallen humanity, which includes each of us since we were all ruined by the fall: “They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.”

“They” specifically describes the Gentiles but generally the entire human race. It describes all of us apart from the redemptive work of Christ. What we particularly want to focus on today is the last phrase, “a continual lust for more". This translates a word “pleonexia” which describes an insatiable craving greed, consuming ambition and/or giving rein to the appetites and desires which are against the laws of God and man. The picture is of indulging in self-gratification with no regard for others, willing to do almost anything in an attempt to gratify the flesh.

This “continual lust for more” began in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. God had provided enough, absolutely all they needed. In the midst of all the blessings and that which God permitted in Eden stood the forbidden tree. The crafty serpent enticed Adam and Eve that this forbidden fruit was a “gotta have”. Because they did not resist the temptation, their disobedience resulted in what theologians call “original sin”.

Since that time people have had the struggle of resisting the forbidden! Whatever level of wickedness temporarily “satisfies” the sinful cravings, it will eventually be insufficient. More will be needed. This can be seen in so many of Satan’s vices such as gambling, alcohol, drugs, pornography, and sexual immorality. Vices so often begin with a scaled down “harmless” introduction but will all too often become your master. It will take you where you never wanted to go, keep you longer than you planned to stay, and take more than you wanted to give. Does anyone really set goals for themselves to live in the gutter of sin?

Today as God’s standards of morality are mocked and shrugged aside we see this phenomenon of a “a continual lust for more” growing at a fevered pitch.

We frankly wonder what the next frontier will be when that which is presently considered deviant behavior becomes considered normal. It may be something we can hardly imagine but just consider where we are now and that which was unimaginable just a few years ago, by Christians and non-Christians alike.

The ungodly make big business out of every kind of impurity. Pornography, prostitution, vulgar media, intoxicants and every other kind of impurity make up one of the largest industries in our country. The vast majority of it is open, shameless, and legally protected. 

Many years ago a Christian leader observed that many of the books published in the United States rival the drippings of a broken sewer, but his words preceded the availability of the internet and other media. Now the drippings have become a steaming stream of debauchery.

With the flood of evil, pornography and various perversions sweeping over our land and around the world many of those who have partaken now have “a continual lust for more". Deeper and deeper depths of depravity can be expected along with the evil acts that accompany it. We should not be surprised.

Today’s message is a sobering assessment and actually may not be very encouraging. But the very next verse brings joy to our hearts today: “You, however, did not come to know Christ that way” (Ephesians 4:20).

Those that experience the life transforming power of Jesus Christ are different.

When we are saved the slide into decadence stops and the renewal begins. We are a new creation. Rather than having a continual lust for more wickedness we become seekers of God’s Kingdom with a continual desire for more righteousness, peace and joy.

Everyone is headed in one direction or the other. In which direction are you headed today? Let us beware of the peril of incremental immorality and faithfully live out our confession of faith.

Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)