Bible Passage: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” (Matthew 5:27-29 NIV)
Scripture Reading: Genesis 1:27-28; Psalm 139:13-14
In the beginning, God created us male and female (Genesis 1:27-28).
Each gender’s form was designed uniquely. With many similarities, there are also distinct complementary differences that allow them to join together as one and to create and support life.
There is nothing wrong with these bodies God made. They were created good.
However, complicating the matter is that men naturally find themselves sexually attracted to women’s bodies. This is normal and part of our biological design.
However, we are greater than our biological design; Jesus also calls men not to lust after women (Matthew 5:27-29).
In purity culture, the solution to this problem often emphasized putting the onus on the woman; it was her job to conduct herself and dress herself in such a manner that she “not cause a brother to stumble” into lusting after her (Romans 14:13). Feminine bodies were tempting, they were the problem, and women needed to take care of that.
Rather than men focusing on their lust, the burden was placed on women to do everything they could to stop men from looking and desiring.
And while a level of common-sense modesty is biblical and reasonable (1 Peter 3:3-4), one of the side effects of this teaching was that many young women grew up believing that their “tempting” bodies were something to be ashamed of.
Interestingly, when Jesus taught on lust, His solution didn’t focus on female action but on the man cutting off his own hand or plucking out his eye that caused him to lust (Matthew 5:29).
Jesus calls men to look at themselves first and foremost, rather than placing blame on women (Matthew 7:3-5). The battle over lust begins within us, not “out there.”
Purity culture got right that men shouldn’t lust after women, and that modesty is important.
It got off track when it overemphasized that women’s bodies were the problem and that the burden was on women to solve that.
Godly men can hold on to the good here and avoid the bad. We can train our brains, hearts, and eyes not to look at women inappropriately, and we can talk about what healthy modesty looks like.
And we can remember that lust doesn’t ultimately start “out there,” but “in here”—within ourselves. Women’s bodies are good and ultimately not the problem.
First things first—we confront the sin in ourselves.
Prayer: Father, forgive me for where I have lusted after women who are not my wife, and for any time that I have blamed them for my own sin. May my heart, mind, and eyes be pure before You, and may You transform me into a man pure and free from lust. Amen.
Reflection: What would it look like to deal with any lust within you? What are some steps you can take to that end?
Copyright © 2026 Impactus. All rights reserved.
About
