Lust is not always wrong

Lust is one of the most misunderstood words in the Christian terminology and often abused. If I said I lusted, most people would assume that I had sinned. But the bible actually uses the word lust for good things. The Greek word "epithumeo" often gets translated into the English word "Lust" and sometimes "desire". Here are some verses with the same word "epithumeo" or lust.

Matt 13:17 "For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired (lusted) to see what you see..."

Luke 16:21 "and longing (lusting) to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man's table..."

Luke 17:22 "And He said to the disciples, the days shall come when you will long (lust) to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it."

I Timothy 3: 1 "This is a true saying, if a man desires the office of bishop, he desireth (lusts) a good work."

The word lust or desire appears many times in the bible, in both good and bad ways. Yes, it is possible to have evil desires (lusts), but it is also possible to have good desires (lusts). God created mankind with natural desires and He expects us to have those desires. The Bible actually warns of danger (sin) when men or women turn from those natural God given desires.

When the greek word epithumeo (lust) is used in the bible, it is often used to describe a strong desire. In Luke 16:21 it is used to describe the strong desire for food from a starving person (not the mild hunger pains ). It is an intense and powerful desire, something that almost captivates the person.

Desires come in many shapes and sizes. Desires come in varying degrees of intensity. I desire to eat 2-3 times per day, but that desire intensifies when I have gone 1-2 days without eating. Is it wrong to desire food? Was Jesus not tempted with his desire for food after fasting in the wilderness? Obviously, Jesus as a man had desires for food and had to eat, and those desires were not sin. So that raises the question, at what point does a healthy God given desire turn into an unhealthy and evil desire?