Lust
“Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”
- James 1: 14-15 Lust can often feel like a feeding frenzy, a strong animalistic urge to obtain satisfaction by any means necessary. Imagine for a moment what a shark must feel once he has picked up the scent of blood and begins to stealthily zero in on his prey, there is a moment of insanity that ensues. It is said that lust is about greed, a resilient yearning to please oneself. An alcoholic who takes his first drink after years of being sober is giving into the thirst, satisfying the urge to drink from the Devil’s cup, the ultimate example of how a weak mind can bend to the uncontrollable powers of desire. This emotion is an intense craving for something, a deep hunger, an insatiable sensation that must be fulfilled immediately. It can also be associated with obsession, for the mind of a stalker is habitually consumed with lust for the object of his affection. A man who secretly dreams of being with his best friend’s wife is a selfish man for he has allowed himself to become weak to the desires of the flesh. Christians consider lust to be sinful because their faith is based entirely on selflessness. They believe Jesus died on the cross to forgive them of their sins and that their purpose is to live life on Earth as righteously as possible. A scripture from Exodus 20:27 says, “You shall not covet your neighbors wife; you shall not covet your neighbor’s house or his field or his male slave or his female slave or his ox or his draft animal or any animal of his or whatever belongs to your neighbor.” It seems to be a prevalent disease in our culture to always want what you cannot have, but by desiring possessions that are not yours, you are committing one of the seven deadly sins. Lust is the powerful emotion behind the desires of an evil heart. Love at first sight is something that many, many people claim to have experienced. This tends to lead to confusion about the difference between lust and love. Ed Cole stated, “The desire to love is to give. The desire of lust is to get.” Meaning to love is a selfless act whereas to lust is merely to obtain self-pleasure. It