For some of us, the word debauchery makes us imagine sitting at our grandmother’s table and listening to her talk about “the debauchery of today’s youth” while we just try to enjoy our dinner. For others, it may be a negative word with a vague connotation and no clear definition.
Debauchery, as presented in the Bible, has largely fallen out of mainstream Christian consciousness. Instead of ignoring it, let’s press in and see if we can better grasp what the Bible says about debauchery.
What Does the Word Debauchery Mean?
The word translated as “debauchery” in the New Testament is the Greek asōtia, which can mean dissipation or wildness. According to Merriam-Webster, debauchery is defined this way: “extreme indulgence in bodily pleasures and especially sexual pleasures: behavior involving sex, drugs, alcohol, etc. that is often considered immoral.” A more archaic use of the word could also mean “seduction from virtue or duty.”
Another Greek word (aselgeia), often translated as “sensuality” in the ESV Bible, can be translated as “debauchery.”
If we look at the places in the New Testament where these two words appear, similar examples tend to show up. We see warnings against sexual impurity, drunkenness, pride, unrepentant hearts, and the like. At its core, debauchery is all about fulfilling a person’s carnal desires. It is an inherently selfish act or set of acts that lead to abuse of the good gifts God has given his creatures. Debauchery twists and distorts the gift of sex into orgies and one-night stands. It perverts the enjoyment of wine into an avenue for indulgence and lack of self-control.
When we think of debauchery in these terms, we see a picture of what our culture values: indulgence of every craving, unrestrained sexual activity, complete personal autonomy, and idolatry. The Bible depicts those who engage in debauchery as not caring about any moral standard, much less God’s standard. The worship of self first and foremost consumes them; meeting their whims matters most to them.
What Does the Bible Warn about Debauchery?
The Bible is very clear about the seriousness of indulging in debauchery. A life of debauchery is incompatible with the life Christians are called to live (Rom 13:12-14, 1 Peter 4:1-4, Eph 5:15-21). As followers of Christ, we are called to live differently than the rest of the world. We are told to be self-controlled and sober-minded (1 Peter 4:7). The Apostle Paul encourages his readers to “walk by the Spirit” so that they will not satisfy the evil desires that all believers still struggle with (Gal 5:16-17).
The Apostle Peter warns followers of Jesus that they will be criticized for not joining in debauchery with the rest of society. We see this kind of thing more and more in Western culture as values swing toward self-actualization and expression. It can be difficult not to conform to the pressure we feel at school, in our workplaces, online, and anywhere else we may be. However, Peter clarifies that those who indulge in debauchery will give an account before God (1 Peter 4:4-5).
The Apostle Paul reminds his readers that the wrath of God is coming against those who live debaucherous lives (Col 3:5-6). Elsewhere in Scripture, he explains that all the sins that fall under the umbrella of debauchery ultimately come from one place: hearts that hate God and refuse to acknowledge him as the Creator (Rom 1:18-23, 28-32).
On the rare occasion that our culture acknowledges the existence of God, it portrays him as a cosmic killjoy who makes up arbitrary rules and gets unreasonably mad if we break them. This is a horrible misrepresentation of our great God. God’s law is objective, consistent, and based on his own moral perfection. This means that God does not command anything he does not live up to. It also means that God’s law is not just about external compliance. His law has everything to do with the heart. Jesus’ teaching in the New Testament expounds on the laws given in the Old Testament, highlighting how important a person’s heart is (Mark 7:20-23; Matt 5:17-48).
As we said before, debauchery is inherently self-centered, displaying a heart that does not care about God or other people. When a person chooses to indulge in debaucherous activity, they are purposefully turning their back on God’s good design, which inevitably leads to self-destruction. This is why “the wrath of God is coming” for people who live like this.
Does the Bible Treat Debauchery as an Unforgivable Sin?
Based on what we saw in the previous section, debauchery is a sin, which means God will punish those who partake in it (1 Peter 4:4). However, the Bible does not treat it as unforgivable.
Many times, the Apostles describe the ways their audiences used to live like the world (Eph 2:1-3, Col 3:5-6). Then they describe how and why those Christians are no longer bound by sin, no longer bound to the punishment that comes with it (Eph 2:4-9, Col 3:7). The thing that took these readers from wicked, debaucherous sinners and turned them into forgiven saints was Jesus Christ.
In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Paul describes the lifestyles of people who will not enter the kingdom of God. Some of the sins he lists fall under the category of debauchery—like sexual immorality, drunkenness, adultery, and homosexuality. All these things separate people from God. However, in the next verse, Paul reminds his audience that they used to be just like that, but something changed them. He writes, “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God” (1 Cor 6:11). Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection saved those people from the penalty of sin, and is enough for you and me.
Debauchery is evil and grieves the heart of God. But God is merciful and compassionate. He extends grace to the humble and repentant. If your life has been characterized by debauchery, you are not beyond God’s forgiveness. If you turn away from your lifestyle of sin and trust Jesus Christ alone to save you from that penalty, you can be washed clean, just like the believers in the New Testament.
What Are Some Examples of What Debauchery Is Not?
When discussing such a sensitive yet serious topic, we can easily overcorrect our thinking and view certain activities as sinful even though they are not. In the spirit of being faithful to what the Bible says, let’s quickly clarify what debauchery is not.
1. Drinking alcohol in moderation: Christians tend to differ on this issue. Many have studied the Scriptures to find a clear yes or no answer to whether consuming alcohol is a sin. Unfortunately, the answer is not so tidy. It is clear that nowhere in Scripture does it say that drinking alcohol at all is sinful, let alone that it is a form of debauchery. However, drunkenness is very clearly labeled as debauchery. In addition, there are many considerations for Christians to take into account before enjoying an alcoholic beverage. As followers of Christ, we should each search the Scriptures (within proper context) to decide what is wise for us. We must also show grace and understanding toward our brothers and sisters who come to different conclusions than we do.
2. Dancing: Though it can be easy to associate dancing with debaucherous activity, we must be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Certain dances could be considered sinful due to their specific motions or intentions. However, that does not mean all dancing is sinful. King David danced before the Lord when the ark of the covenant was returned to Israel after being captured by the Philistines (2 Sam 6:14, 16). This dancing was accompanied by shouts and songs of praise, as well as burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord (2 Sam 6:5, 5:15, 6:17-18). In the Psalms, we see calls to worship God with dancing (Psalm 149:3; 150:3-5). As with many activities, the attitude of the heart is important when evaluating whether dancing is sinful. The Christian’s job is to exercise discernment in this area of life.
Though it may be an uncomfortable topic to consider, debauchery is an important biblical concept that applies to the current state of the world much more than we may think. As believers in Christ, let us be sober-minded and ready to exercise discernment when it comes to the things we see from the people around us so that we do not fall into temptation.
The only way to develop this kind of discernment is to spend time with the source of all wisdom, namely the Lord Jesus. As we spend more time with him, reading about him, talking about him, we will slowly see the world as he views it. Let us sit at the feet of our great God and Savior, which will prepare us to shine his light and hope in a dark world.
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/EvgeniyShkolenko
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