Is it Wrong to Lust?

by Sebastian R Fama

The Apostle Paul warns Christians to avoid lust: “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the heathen who do not know God” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5).

But wait! Didn’t God say to Eve: “Your desire shall be for your husband” (Genesis 3:16)? And did not Paul tell the Corinthians: “The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband” (1 Corinthians 7:3)? Yes, that is all true. But it has nothing to do with lust. Lust controls you and ultimately cannot be satisfied. Sexual desire does not control you and it can be satisfied.

After the fall, man’s nature was corrupted. Gods’ gifts were now subject to abuse. For instance, eating and enjoying food is a gift. But gluttony is a perversion of that gift (Proverbs 23:21). According to Psalm 104:15, wine is a gift from God. However, drunkenness is a perversion of that gift (Galatians 5:21). Likewise, sexual desire was created for husbands and wives for a particular purpose. And lust is a perversion of that gift (Matthew 5:28).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us: “Lust is disordered desire for or inordinate enjoyment of sexual pleasure. Sexual pleasure is morally disordered when sought for itself, isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes (CCC 2351).

Lust is selfish and objectifies the other. Sexual desire involves caring and intimacy. Intimacy between husband and wife is a profound expression of love. Lust, on the other hand, reduces sex to the level of animals. That is, to a mere bodily function.

Husbands and wives are to love each other. Among other things: “Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). In other words, love seeks the good of the other. Lust is all about self.

The Apostle John tells us that lust runs counter to the will of God: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of this world. And the world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:16-17).