The Bible addresses the topic of lust in several passages, warning against its dangers and emphasizing the importance of purity in thought and action. Here are some key references:
1. **Matthew 5:27-28**: Jesus teaches that lustful thoughts are equivalent to committing adultery in the heart. He says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
2. **1 John 2:16**: This verse warns against the desires of the flesh. It states, “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.”
3. **James 1:14-15**: Here, lust is described as a dangerous temptation that leads to sin and ultimately death. It reads, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”
4. **Proverbs 6:25**: This verse cautions against allowing lust to take root in one’s heart, saying, “Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes.”
5. **Galatians 5:16-17**: This passage encourages believers to live by the Spirit and not to gratify the desires of the flesh. It states, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh.”
6. **Job 31:1**: Job makes a covenant with his eyes to avoid looking lustfully at a young woman, illustrating the commitment to purity. He says, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?”
7. **1 Thessalonians 4:3-5**: Paul instructs believers to abstain from sexual immorality, emphasizing that sanctification includes control over one’s body. It reads, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual 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 Gentiles who do not know God.”
These passages reflect the Bible’s overall view on lust, highlighting it as a serious temptation that can lead to sin and urging believers to seek purity and self-control.