The lust of the flesh is part of worldliness, driven by the desire for worldly, selfish pleasures, which draw our hearts away from God and ultimately lead to death. The only way to overcome it is by abiding in God’s Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to take control of our lives.
Lust is an intense desire for an object or circumstance (e.g., sexuality, money, or power) to indulge or content oneself, often at the expense of others. At the heart of it, lust desires to take – in contrast to love, which desires to give.
Humans are created with appetite, a natural desire to satisfy a bodily need, which may become sinful lust if the desire is overwhelming toward the things God has forbidden.
In the Bible, the word “flesh” (Greek: sarx, Hebrew: basar) can carry neutral, literal meaning (for example, in Genesis 2:23-24), referring to the human body (i.e., the soft substance of the living body, which covers the bones and is permeated with blood).
Figuratively, “flesh” is also often used to carry negative meaning, referring to making actions or decisions according to self, done apart from faith, and proceeds out of the part of us that is not transformed by God.
What Does the Lust of the Flesh Mean?
According to Paul, we were all by nature children of wrath, who once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind (Ephesians 2:3). Our sinful nature is evidenced by our inclination toward seeking our own interests, to disobey and rebel against God, the Law Giver.
When we follow the desires of the flesh, the results are very clear: adultery (sexual immorality), impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.
Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21), because these all are against God’s holiness. A self-centered, carnal attitude is never part of His kingdom.
John wrote, “For everything in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — comes not from the Father but from the world” (1 John 2:16).
These worldly desires are not from God but are the results of sin, which “infected” this world through man’s disobedience, that is the desire to be independent, or to be like, the Creator, having the authority over one’s own life.
Worldliness is anything that draws our hearts away from God.
The lust of the flesh speaks of any wicked desires stirred by our physical or emotional needs, particularly the desire for pleasures.
The lust of the eyes speaks of any wicked desires stirred by the things that we see and covet, including the desires for passion and possessions.
The pride of life speaks of any wicked desires motivated by pride, power, prestige, and popularity (this includes the desire to comply with God’s laws through religious acts and self-righteousness).
What Are the Consequences of Lust?
From the context of the passage (1 John 2:15-17), it is clear that we cannot love both God and the world (including worldly things), just as we cannot live both in the Spirit and in the flesh (Galatians 5:16-17, Romans 8:13).
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish” (Galatians 5:16-17, NKJV).
For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live (Romans 8:13, NKJV).
Note that it is because of God’s love that He commands us not to love the world or live according to the flesh. He knows that the world and its desires pass away — in other words, the lust of the flesh ultimately leads to death — therefore, He wants us to live forever by doing His will (1 John 2:17).
As the psalmist wrote, “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail. But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:25-26, NKJV).
Overcoming the Lust of the Flesh
First, we need to remember what Jesus said to His disciples at the Garden of Gethsemane, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).
Here Jesus reveals that we need to be watchful and prayerful to overcome temptation. We need to be led and controlled by the Spirit in our prayers and actions.
Importantly, Paul also urges God’s people to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh (Romans 13:14). We must remain near to Jesus, continually abiding in God’s Word.
Let the Lord Jesus Christ be as near to you as the clothes you wear. Then you won't try to satisfy your selfish desires (Romans 13:14, CEV).
Perhaps, this is also what Jesus had in mind when He said,
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:53-56).
Moreover, Peter reminds us to be willing to suffer in the flesh so that we can live for the will of God (1 Peter 4:1-2). It is consistent with what Jesus has taught, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24).
Suffering in the flesh for Christ means that we are willing to deny ourselves, putting to death the deeds of our bodies (Romans 8:13).
The desire of the flesh and the desire of the Spirit is always “at war” in our lives — the winner is who we feed more. As we abide in God’s Word and allow God’s Spirit to take control of our lives, we will manifest the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and we can overcome the world (1 John 5:4-5).
For further reading:
What Is Sexual Immorality? Discover Its Meaning and Consequences
What Does it Mean ‘The Spirit Is Willing but the Flesh Is Weak’?
How Can Sex be a Sin and a Gift?
Why Should We Not Be Conformed to This World?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/anyaberkut
Philip Wijaya, Ph.D. currently lives in Vancouver, Canada with his wife, Sandra, and their daughter, Shalom. His interest in science and faith in God has motivated him to actively write in his personal blog (philipwijaya.com), in addition to his professional research work in the area of clean energy and chemical engineering. In his leisure time, he enjoys sports, football games, music, and traveling with family.
