Too many people today do not understand the difference between lust and love. They believe that because they are attracted to someone that they are in love with them. As you can tell by the definition of lust, that lust is a strong desire. Since most people seem to live by their emotions today, from being politically correct, to do not say anything that might offend someone, to who cares what others think, the attitudes are all over the place and people do what is right in their own eyes. So if lusting after someone is something that they desire, then have at it. Well, the problem with lust is that it can turn into all sorts of evil. According to the Book of James we are drawn away by our own lusts (James 1:14). It says that after we are drawn away by our own lusts that the desire turns into sin, then sin leads to death. Now the word death in Greek means to be separated from. Our lust will separate us from God Himself if we let it.
God gave us desire so that we would have attraction to the opposite sex in order to pro-create, He actually told Adam and Eve to go multiply, that is, to go have sex. Yes, God created sex!!! He also created our sex drives, but when sin entered into the human race so did every perverted evil desire that man can think of. Now as you study lust you will see that this is exactly what we are doing in our society today. The youth has been inundated with sexual images all of their lives and now lust is such a natural thing for them, that they have fell in love with their very own images of themselves. Why do you think that we have selfies and selfy sticks. We have become a very vain society.
In the love study we will discuss the differences between lust and love, in this study I want to point out some very interesting facts about the root words that we can see being applied into our lives today as a society. When I write on this subject I take it very personally because of the devastation that I have personally witnessed throughout the years. Most men and women that are caught up in pornography are actually in bondage because of this lust, and that is how the Evil One continues to keep them in bondage. C.S. Lewis says in his Screwtape letters that the formula for keeping a Christian in bondage is an ever increasing craving for an ever diminishing pleasure. This is how the enemy keeps us in bondage in so many ways. Most people would actually call this addiction, I call it bondage, for that is what the Word of God (The Holy Bible) tells me it is.
There are eight different words used in Scripture that are translated into the English word lust. Each one of these words has a lot to say about itself. Some of them are Hebrew and some of them are Greek, but as you will see each one of them have significant differences that will fully open up your understanding to what lust is and how the enemy uses it in our lives. I will now attempt to dive in and give you a quick look at each of these eight words. I want you to actually read each and every one of these words in there context so that you will see them in application and you will see the do’s and don’ts of each of these passages in Scripture. In each of these definitions you will see the verse given first, then the word for lust in which you will see their definitions May the LORD bless you through this study and if you are suffering under the bondage of lust may the LORD release you from this bondage!!!!!!
The Eight Different Words in Hebrew and Greek (Definitions)
Chamad: to delight in- beauty, covet, delectable thing, pleasant thing, precious thing
Havvah: in the sense of eagerly coveting and rushing upon/falling, desire, also ruin, calamity, iniquity, mischief, mischievous thing, naughtiness, naughty, noisome, perverse thing or substance, very wickedness.
Epithumeo: to set the heart upon, that is to long for (rightfully or otherwise), covet, desire, lust after
Agabah: inordinate love (Excessive/Abstract)
Orexis: excitement of mind, that is, longing after, lust
Aselgeia: licentiousness (sometimes including other vices):–filthy, lasciviousness, wantonness.
Epithumia: a longing (especially for what is forbidden):–concupiscence, desire, lust (after).
Pathos: suffering (“pathos”), i.e. (subjectively) a passion (especially concupiscence):– (inordinate) affection, lust.
Webster’s Definition For Lust
Lust n. 1 a strong desire (a lust for success). 2 a strong sexual desire. v. to feel a strong desire (The tyrant lusted for more power).
Each Word For Lust Used In Scripture With Hebrew or Greek Definition
Pr 6:25 Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, Nor let her allure you with her eyelids.
- dmx chamad, khaw-mad’ (Proverbs 6:25/Lust) NKJV
a primitive root; to delight in:–beauty, greatly beloved, covet, delectable thing, (X great) delight, desire, goodly, lust, (be) pleasant (thing), precious (thing).
Pr 11:6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the unfaithful will be caught by [their] lust.
- hwh havvah, hav-vaw’ (Proverbs 11:6/Lust) NKJV
from 1933 (in the sense of eagerly coveting and rushing upon; by implication, of falling); desire; also ruin:–calamity, iniquity, mischief, mischievous (thing), naughtiness, naughty, noisome, perverse thing, substance, very wickedness.
Mt 5:28 “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
- epiyumew epithumeo, ep-ee-thoo-meh’-o (Mt 5:28/Lust)
from 1909 and 2372; to set the heart upon, i.e. long for (rightfully or otherwise):–covet, desire, would fain, lust (after).
Eze 23:11 ¶ “Now although her sister Oholibah saw [this], she became more corrupt in her lust than she, and in her harlotry more corrupt than her sister’s harlotry.
- hbge `agabah, ag-aw-baw’ (Eze 23:11/Lust) NKJV
from 5689; love (abstractly), i.e. amorousness:–inordinate love.
Ro 1:27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
- orexiv orexis, or’-ex-is (Romans 1:27/Lust)
from 3713; excitement of the mind, i.e. longing after:–lust.
Ro 13:13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
- aselgeia aselgeia, as-elg’-i-a (Romans 13:13/Lust)
from a compound of 1 (as a negative particle) and a presumed selges (of uncertain derivation, but apparently meaning continent); licentiousness (sometimes including other vices):–filthy, lasciviousness, wantonness.
1Co 10:6 ¶ Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.
- epiyumew epithumeo, ep-ee-thoo-meh’-o (1 Cor. 10:6/Lust)
from 1909 and 2372; to set the heart upon, i.e. long for (rightfully or otherwise):–covet, desire, would fain, lust (after).
Ga 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
- epiyumia epithumia, ep-ee-thoo-mee’-ah (Gal. 5:16/Lust)
from 1937; a longing (especially for what is forbidden):–concupiscence, desire, lust (after).
1Th 4:5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God;
- payov pathos, path’-os (1 Thess. 4:5/Lust)
from the alternate of 3958; properly, suffering (“pathos”), i.e. (subjectively) a passion (especially concupiscence):– (inordinate) affection, lust.
Jas 4:2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
- epiyumew epithumeo, ep-ee-thoo-meh’-o (James 4:2/Lust)
from 1909 and 2372; to set the heart upon, i.e. long for (rightfully or otherwise):–covet, desire, would fain, lust (after).
2Pe 1:4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption [that is] in the world through lust.
- epiyumia epithumia, ep-ee-thoo-mee’-ah (2 Pet. 1:4/Lust)
from 1937; a longing (especially for what is forbidden):–concupiscence, desire, lust (after).
2Pe 2:10 ¶ and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. [They are] presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries,
- epiyumia epithumia, ep-ee-thoo-mee’-ah (2 Pet. 2:10/Lust)
from 1937; a longing (especially for what is forbidden):–concupiscence, desire, lust (after).
1Jo 2:16 For all that [is] in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–is not of the Father but is of the world.
- epiyumia epithumia, ep-ee-thoo-mee’-ah (1 John 2:16/Lust)
from 1937; a longing (especially for what is forbidden):–concupiscence, desire, lust (after).
Other Key Words Used In Verses That Help Define Lust (Definitions)
- sarx sarx, sarx (1 John 2:16/Flesh)
probably from the base of 4563; flesh (as stripped of the skin), i.e. (strictly) the meat of an animal (as food), or (by extension) the body (as opposed to the soul (or spirit), or as the symbol of what is external, or as the means of kindred), or (by implication) human nature (with its frailties (physically or morally) and passions), or (specially), a human being (as such):–carnal(-ly, + -ly minded), flesh(-ly).
- oftalmov ophthalmos, of-thal-mos’ (1 John 2:16/Eyes)
from 3700; the eye (literally or figuratively); by implication, vision; figuratively, envy (from the jealous side-glance):–eye, sight.
- alazoneia alazoneia, al-ad-zon-i’-a (1 John 2:16/Pride)
from 213; braggadocio, i.e. (by implication) self-confidence:–boasting, pride.
- biov bios, bee’-os (1 John 2:16/Life)
a primary word; life, i.e. (literally) the present state of existence; by implication, the means of livelihood:–good, life, living.
1Jo 2:17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
- epiyumia epithumia, ep-ee-thoo-mee’-ah (1 John 2:17/Lust)
from 1937; a longing (especially for what is forbidden):–concupiscence, desire, lust (after).