Can lust be lawful? Can love be sinful?

[Bluejay4]

If I were to say, lust for God, would this be sin? Is lusting always sin?

[Mallz]

unless it's after your wife/husband (opposite sex to you) it's sin. Lust for God would be.. weird? (to me, because I don't have gay tendencies). And 'we' 'think' sex (as far as we can gather [def. non-conclusive]) is something for mortality (and humans for humans as designed). Also, our relationship with Him, sex isn't involved in it. Sex in human marriage is a foreshadowing of closeness/happiness to come in our wedding/relationship with Him. Also, lust (very strong sexual desires) is fairly superficial. I would be careful with it in marriage (and in general) because when dwelled in/ lived, it turns the relationship into one of gratification instead of love. And couples start masturbating each other instead of loving each other.
So... lust is good in marriage if it's not a defining aspect of it, and only to a human of your opposite sex. I'd recommending anyone 'feeling' lust for Him, to turn it into zeal by aligning ones self to His terms (recognizing how to be, and be towards Him).

[B. W.]

If I were to say, lust for God, would this be sin? Is lusting always sin?

What?

First you should define what you mean by Lust as that word has several different meanings and usages.

Lust can mean strong insatiable sexual desire to have...

Or it can refer to insatiable gluttony and addictions - lusting for drugs - food

Or it can mean a strong insatiable desire to have what another has

Or simply means an ardent enthusiasm, zest, relish

You need a context with your question so it can be answered.
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[Nessa]

unless it's after your wife/husband (opposite sex to you) it's sin. Lust for God would be.. weird? (to me, because I don't have gay tendencies). And 'we' 'think' sex (as far as we can gather [def. non-conclusive]) is something for mortality (and humans for humans as designed). Also, our relationship with Him, sex isn't involved in it. Sex in human marriage is a foreshadowing of closeness/happiness to come in our wedding/relationship with Him. Also, lust (very strong sexual desires) is fairly superficial. I would be careful with it in marriage (and in general) because when dwelled in/ lived, it turns the relationship into one of gratification instead of love. And couples start masturbating each other instead of loving each other.
So... lust is good in marriage if it's not a defining aspect of it, and only to a human of your opposite sex. I'd recommending anyone 'feeling' lust for Him, to turn it into zeal by aligning ones self to His terms (recognizing how to be, and be towards Him).

I think there is a difference between healthy sexual desire that can be satisfied than lusting after your spouse. To me lusting seems like a self centred thing - what can you do for me? perspective instead of a mutual, what can we do for each other. Im not sure Ive ever seen lust put in a positive light in the bible...

http://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-lust.html

[Philip]

Lust is merely an overwhelming desire for something or someone. Whether evil OR good, these can include material things, actions, power, physical satiation. It's just that lust is always, in the minds of many, mostly associated with sinful things. Yes, I DO lust for my wife , but also for other GOOD things. But we should most lust after - and continuously seek - an ever greater relationship with God. Lust can be good - just depends upon its object and the motivation behind it.

[Nessa]

Lust is merely an overwhelming desire for something or someone. Whether evil OR good, these can include material things, actions, power, physical satiation. It's just that lust is always, in the minds of many, mostly associated with sinful things. Yes, I DO lust for my wife , but also for other GOOD things. But we should most lust after - and continuously seek - an ever greater relationship with God. Lust can be good - just depends upon its object and the motivation behind it.

In that case, there should be at one one positive verse on lust in the bible about lust. Lust is talked about quite a bit in there

So God 'lusts' after us, in a non sexual way? Interesting

[Mallz]

I think words have lost too much of their meaning..
I'd rather use other words to describe those different things you mention, Philip.
I think most people would think towards something sexual if someone said 'lust'.
I would think lust is healthy in a marriage, though. Chemically it's felt for propagation, the reason we have marriage among other things. And intimate expression is supposed to be a special connection, a love only shared by two people (special and exclusive). And Proverbs 5:19 'Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.'

[Nessa]

I dunno.
Maybe I am looking at the word 'lust' in a narrow way that is not true to it's full meaning

[1over137]

If you love evil then it is sinful.

[1over137]

Lel me also throw a link here:
http://ecclesia.org/truth/covet.html

In the Hebrew, "lust" (#08378 ta'avah & #0183 'avah) is defined as "to desire eagerly, to long for, to wish, to crave, to covet, to yearn, to be eager to, to have an appetite for." Lust could be used rightly or wrongly. By itself it is neutral. Whether lust is good or bad should be determined only by your Maker, and not by mere, fallible, mortal man, who doesn’t even have a clean mind!

Positive examples of "lust" in the Bible are:

Deuteronomy 14:26 (lusteth) where God commanded the Israelites to turn the tithes into money and spend it on whatever their soul lusts for;
Psalm 21:2 (desire) where God satisfies your lusts if they are good and right for you;
Psalm 132:13 (desired) where the Lord himself lusted Zion for his habitation;
Proverbs 10:24 (desire) where the lust of the righteous shall be granted;
Proverbs 11:23 (desire) where the lust of the righteous is good, and this is in contrast to the lust of the wicked;
Proverbs 13:12 (desire) where lust will earn you the "tree of life", and not eternal torment in the lake of fire, as many Christians teach today; and
Isaiah 26:8 (desire) where the lust of our soul is to God’s name.

for further discussion...

[PaulSacramento]

Anything that is "self-centered" or based one putting our WANTS before others can be viewed as a sin.

[EssentialSacrifice]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ9cAgT9kjw
Can Lust be Lawful, Can Love be Sinful ? ... this is one train of thought from the early 70's. Thank you Todd