Loose conduct (Greek, a·selʹgei·a) denotes “licentiousness; wantonness; shameless conduct; lewdness of conduct.” The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon defines the Greek term as “unbridled lust, . . . outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence.” According to another lexicon, loose conduct is a form of behavior that “violates all bounds of what is socially acceptable.”

As the foregoing definitions show, “loose conduct” involves two elements: (1) The conduct itself is a serious violation of God’s laws, and (2) the attitude of the wrongdoer is disrespectful, insolent.

Therefore, “loose conduct” does not refer to bad conduct of a minor nature. It pertains to acts that are serious violations of God’s laws and that reflect a brazen or boldly contemptuous attitude​—a spirit that betrays disrespect or even contempt for authority, laws, and standards. Paul links loose conduct with illicit intercourse. (Romans 13:13, 14) Since Galatians 5:19-21 lists loose conduct among a number of sinful practices that would disqualify one from inheriting God’s Kingdom, loose conduct is grounds for reproof and possible disfellowshipping from the Christian congregation.

The Scriptural term “loose conduct” always involves serious sin, often sexual in nature. When trying to identify loose conduct, elders should look for brazenness, wantonness, filthiness, shamelessness, and what is shocking to public decency.