Lust is a deadly sin that disorders sexual desire, turning it from a gift of love into selfish craving, threatening both soul and relationships.
Lust is an inordinate desire for sexual pleasure outside God’s design, reducing others to objects. It’s a sin that twists love into self-gratification (CCC 2351).
Lust seeks personal pleasure at another’s expense, while healthy attraction honors the person within God’s plan, like marriage. Lust is impatient and possessive. Attraction, when chaste, builds mutual respect and love. The Church sees lust as a distortion of this gift (CCC 2351).
Lust is deadly because it can rupture our bond with God by prioritizing flesh over spirit. It risks mortal sin when it fully rejects chastity and love for selfish ends. Jesus warns in Matthew 5:28 that lustful intent is adultery of the heart (CCC 1855).
Lust’s origins lie in Scripture, like the Tenth Commandment against coveting (Exodus 20:17), and Christ’s teachings on purity of heart. Early monks, such as Evagrius, flagged it as a temptation to spiritual ruin. St. Gregory the Great cemented it among the seven deadly sins for its power to enslave. It reflects a misuse of sexuality, meant for love and life. The Church built on this to guard human dignity (CCC 2520).
Lust shows in pornography use, casual hookups, or objectifying others for fleeting thrills. It’s the fantasy that dehumanizes, ignoring the soul behind the body (CCC 2354).
Lust clouds the soul, pulling it from God toward fleeting pleasure. It breeds shame or addiction, weakening prayer and trust in grace. Over time, it can numb conscience, as seen in David’s sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11). The Church calls it a thief of peace, disrupting communion with God. It replaces love’s self-gift with a selfish take. Only repentance restores the heart’s purity (CCC 2352).
Job 31:1 says, “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully,” showing its peril. Jesus in Matthew 5:28 equates lust with adultery in the heart. These call for mastery over desire, not slavery to it.
Lust reveals itself in obsessive thoughts, eyeing others as objects, or guilt after indulgence. It’s the urge that justifies sin over virtue. Examination of conscience spots it in patterns of fantasy or disrespect. The Church urges vigilance to catch it early (CCC 2351).
Chastity and purity of heart counter lust, redirecting desire toward love and respect. The Church teaches these restore dignity to self and others (CCC 2337).
Yes, lust can be conquered with grace, prayer, and discipline like fasting or avoiding triggers. Scripture, like 1 Corinthians 10:13, promises God provides a way out of temptation. Confession cleanses its stain, renewing the will. The Church encourages custody of the eyes and heart. Over time, love triumphs over lust’s pull (CCC 2520).