Temptation vs desire?

[schulze43]

One of my friends and I recently were discussing the difference between temptation and desire and we really couldn’t figure out how to differentiate between the two. The best we came up with would be that they go hand in hand, but the question that we were wondering is when does temptation turn into a sin through desiring to do something bad. For example if I am tempted to go out and have sex with someone and I want to do it but I say that I will not do it, was I merely tempted to do it or did I sin through my desire to do it?

any thoughts???

 

[Garyjohn2]

Hmm…good question!

I don’t know the answer for sure, but I think the desire is the temptation. Temptation is not wrong…we can’t completely avoid it. But resisting our inappropriate deisires…that is, not acting on them…is resisting temptation. No?

That being said, not all desire is wrong. Sometimes we desire good things. So, not all desires are temptations. Only the inappropriate ones.

 

[belmontmac]

Temptation is not sinful, we all are tempted, it becomes sinful when you say yes to the temptation, and either entertain the thought or go through with your desire(your example), and if you want to but don’t, well I believe that would be sinful.(in your example)

 

[Monica4316]

the way I’ve understood it, - if you feel a desire for something, but you don’t want to feel that way and you fight against it, you are resisting temptation.

 

[joplee]

I agree with Monica. In this case when talking about the temptation of lust, the temptation is that initial thought. Desire is when you become aware of the lustful thought and instead of trying to rid yourself of the thought (prayer works for me!) you allow that thought to play out in your mind. Temptation is not sin, desire would be.

 

[schulze43]

thanks for all the great answers those are all about the same as what me and my friend talked about but it is nice to know that we were in the right boat lol thanks everyone