1. James 1:14–15 (ESV)
  2. Application

Desires in the Christian

James 1:14–15 (ESV)

14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.

The sinful soul has got one desire and that is to please itself in the accomplishing and enjoyment of all sinful desires and pleasure. So, lust is the very character of the soul of the unregenerate, and lust is the remnant of sin that is yet in the regenerate. We can think of lust then as the flesh—that which is born of the flesh is flesh. We are all born with this fleshly sinful nature—the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the boastful pride of life. But in God's wisdom as he has regenerated us, he has left within us a remnant of sin and it resides in our lust. And these lusts work at a very base level of carnal pleasures and at high levels of pride and ambition and self-seeking and glory, but they are the unbalanced pursuit of that which is good and the greedy pursuit of that which is evil. Everyone of us has got this snake's den in our hearts that the Bible calls lust.1

Joseph A. Pipa