Examples of Lust in the Bible: 3 Key Lessons

One of the great things about following Jesus is that He understands everything we’ve ever experienced. As the writer of Hebrews noted, He endured every temptation we face (Hebrews 4:15). The only difference is that He never sinned. To the contrary, He taught us how to avoid surrendering to temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13).

And that includes the struggle with the sin of lust. In fact, lust in the Bible is a common theme. Whether through narrative examples of people dealing with lust or through principles for avoiding lust in Proverbs or the Epistles, godly men can find help in the pages of Scripture and the power of the Holy Spirit.

There’s a lot we can learn from examining examples of lust in the Bible.

Key Takeaways

Lust is a counterfeit of love that replaces sacrifice with selfishness and ultimately damages our relationships and spiritual health.
The Bible identifies three main forms of lust—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of possessions—all of which distort our priorities and pull us away from God.
Scripture offers clear examples, from King David to Achan, showing how unchecked desires lead to devastating personal and relational consequences.
The antidotes to lust—humble service, contentment, and trust in God’s provision—must be practiced through intentional choices and spiritual discipline.
Basic spiritual habits like Bible study, prayer, and accountability are still the most effective tools for resisting temptation and pursuing purity.

What Love Really Is and How Lust Distorts It

When I think about examples of lust in the Bible, my first thought goes to one verse: “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” (1 John 2:16).

In context, John was encouraging his readers to understand the power of love. The love of God for us, and the love we show toward Him (and others), can transform us into the people He created us to become. It’s that important.

But, as with every good thing God provides, Satan offers a cheap imitation. In this case, he encourages lust instead of love. Where love is sacrificial, lust is selfish. Where love can heal relationships, lust destroys our connections with others. And where love produces peace and joy, lust nurtures guilt and shame.

Lust talks a good game, but it leaves only devastation in its wake. So, our first takeaway about lust in the Bible is that we need the wisdom to distinguish between the real thing (love) and the enemy’s counterfeit (lust).

How Lust Gets a Foothold in Our Lives

John’s message also helps us define lust. That makes it easier to know what’s real and what’s fake. He pointed out three areas where lust often gains a foothold in our lives: the desires (“desires” is often translated “lust”) of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life/possessions. These cover the three main forms or examples of lust in the Bible.

1. The Lust of the Flesh

Simply put, this is an appeal to our physical appetites. And while that could include things like overeating and substance abuse, most guys feel this tug in the area of sexual impurity. Whether it’s the temptation to flirt with a woman who’s not our wife or to spend time scanning pornography on the internet, the lust of the flesh in the form of sexual gratification can overwhelm our lives.

Think of it like a fishing lure. It might seem harmless at first—until the hook catches. From there, we are trapped. It’s so much easier to pursue purity in the first place by avoiding certain situations and particular websites. The alternative is devastating.

King David discovered this truth. While God considered David a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), he was still a man. So, when he gave in to his appetites and called for Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11, he opened himself to a landslide of pain and guilt. His lust turned homicidal when he had Bathsheba’s husband killed in battle, and his own sons suffered from relational dysfunctions in their lives.

Again, the Bible’s teaching on lust is plain: Lust promises diamonds, but it leaves us with coal dust.

2. The Lust of the Eyes

While the lust of the flesh deals with our physical appetites, the lust of the eyes relates to our hearts and our priorities. Our eyes see what the world has to offer, and we get distracted by whatever shiny new thing comes along. We forget about the things that matter most, and we compromise our values.

For a biblical example of this lust, we can travel all the way back to Eden in Genesis 3. While Adam and Eve confronted each element of lust to some degree, the fact that they “saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes” was a major tipping point for them (v. 6).

Centuries later, James and John approached Jesus with a request rooted in the lust of the eyes. They had followed the Master for a while, and they had visions of power and position. So, they thought nothing of demanding prime positions in the coming kingdom (Mark 10:35-45).

Jesus quickly shot them down with the only real cure for the lust of the eyes: humility. He reminded them (and the other jealous disciples) that He didn’t come to wield power. He came to serve others—and that service ultimately would lead to His death. Jesus never got distracted by the world, and He never lost sight of what was important because He was committed to humble service (Philippians 2:5-11).

Humble service is still the best way to avoid the lust of the eyes today.

3. The Pride of Possessions

In the opening line of his song “One Thing,” Rich Mullins stated, “Everybody I know says they need just one thing. And what they really mean is that they need just one thing more.” That’s a pretty solid summary of the pride of possessions. Whether we realize it or not, the lust for stuff is just as dangerous as the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes.

The pride of possessions is what leads men to spend long hours at the office instead of practicing a reasonable work-life balance. The pride of possessions is what robs us of contentment and peace as we fight to climb the ladder of success. And the pride of possessions is what makes us think that we can meet our own needs instead of trusting the only true Provider (Philippians 4:19).

In Joshua 6, God gave the Israelites their first major victory in the promised land when He caused the walls of Jericho to collapse. Most of the people obeyed God’s directions perfectly that day. But Joshua 7 reveals that one man—Achan—stole some items that God had devoted to Himself (Joshua 7:1). He fell victim to the lust for stuff, and it cost the nation and his family dearly.

Later, a man named Gehazi, a servant of the prophet Elisha, got greedy and manipulated his way to some nice clothes and a haul of silver (2 Kings 5:20-27). God struck him with leprosy for his troubles. In the New Testament, Ananias and Sapphira dropped dead because of lies rooted in the pride of possessions (Acts 5:1-11).

The Bible reminds us that the key to overcoming this aspect of lust is to rely fully on God. We need to remember that He owns it all (Psalm 24:1), and we are stewards of His resources. When we trust Him to provide for our needs and surrender what we have to Him, it’s much harder for the lust for stuff to take root in our hearts.

Stick to the Basics

The examples of lust in the Bible show us that this is not a new problem. It’s been around for centuries. But, as noted earlier, so have the cures in the form of spiritual disciplines. In fact, they might seem too simple to be effective. But they really work:

1. Study your Bible regularly. The lies that fortify lust can’t stand up to the light of God’s truth. As we find purpose and meaning for our lives through His Word, the allure of lust in all its forms fades.

2. Pray about it. As I said, Jesus knows about our struggles. No temptation we face catches Him by surprise. James told his readers that God longs to provide wisdom and help in every situation—if we are willing to ask (James 1:5). Prayer makes a difference.

3. Make yourself accountable. The familiar proverb reminds us that “iron sharpens iron” (Proverbs 27:17). Trying to fight this battle on your own will leave you dull and vulnerable. That’s why it’s important to surround yourself with godly men.

In short, stick to the basics. They have stood the test of time, and they still work today.