A word study: immorality, impurity and sensuality. - 4/11/06

Immorality is a poor translation of the Greek word PORNEIA. Granted immorality may be PORNEIA, but in today’s English immorality may also be killing baby seals and driving an SUV. The better word to translate PORNEIA is fornication, for it leaves us in no doubt as to the kind of immorality that keeps one out of the kingdom of God – sexual intercourse with one whom you are not lawfully married to (cf., Arndt and Gingrich, 699-700; Thayer, 531-532).

The Greek word AKATHARSIA translated impurity (uncleanness, NKJV) was used in several different ways by the Greeks and in the sacred writings: 1) of physical and material dirt, 2) of physical, ritual and ceremonial impurity. When a person became unclean either in the physical, ritual or ceremonial sense, he could not approach God. He could not enter the temple, or share in its worship and 3) of moral impurity which is inconsistent with personal purity. The Lutheran commentator RCH Lenski says that in Galatians 5 AKATHARSIA is: “… broader [than fornication, KM] and includes not only the other sexual aberrations but all that leads to them – the whole mass of this filth.” (Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, 285) The Presbyterian commentator William Hendriksen says AKATHARSIA is a comprehensive word that “includes not only uncleanness in deeds, but also in words, thoughts, and desires of the heart.” (Galatians, 219) In his Greek-English Lexicon Thayer says AKATHARSIA is: “… unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, outrageousness, shamelessness …; wanton (acts or) manners, as filthy words, indecent bodily movements, unchaste handling of males and females, etc.” According to this, mutual masturbation (including oral sex) as well as certain kinds of dancing would fall under the category of AKATHARSIA; and so would filthy words and filthy thoughts.

Finally there is the third word - ASELGEIA - translated sensuality (NASB), lasciviousness (AV) and lewdness (NKJB) and debauchery (NIV). ASELGEIA is a love of sin so reckless and audacious that a man has ceased to care what God or man thinks of his actions. John MacArthur adds: (ASELGEIA) "refers to the person who is ... not shocked by his own sin--he has no sense of decency or shame." In his commentary Lenski says ASELGEIA is to have all restraint removed “…plunging onward like a runaway horse; it is here associated with sex. As uncleanness (AKATHARSIA, KM ) spreads in all directions, so this third rushes on through to the limit and lets no consideration halt its course.”

When used in connection with drink (cf., Rom 13:13, Gal 5:19-21, and 1 Pet 4:3) ASELGEIA refers to a person whose self-indulgence and lack of restraint gives way to ribald drunkenness. When used in connection with greed (PLEONEXIA) it is a greed which is out of control (cf., Mark 7:22, 2 Pet 2:2-3; Eph 4:19). When used in the context of sexual sins (as in our text in Gal 5:19, but see also 2 Pet 2:18; 2 Cor 12:21), the person given over to ASELGEIA - sensuality, lasciviousness - has "no more shame than an animal in gratifying his or her sexual desire." (John MacArthur)

I hope this brief study has been enlightening. I wish I would have had this information in my youth!

Kieran Murphy
Category: Godly Ethics