Is sinful desire itself sin? A debate on temptation

Matthew Roberts & John Stevens  |  Features
Date posted:  28 Feb 2025
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Is sinful desire itself sin? A debate on temptation

The Devil tries to tempt Jesus; detail from a stained window, c. 1170-80 AD (photo: Victoria & Albert Museum, London)

When we find ourselves wanting to sin, is that something which we should repent of, confess to God, and ask forgiveness for? Or is that only necessary if we give in to that desire? What does this have to do with our temptations, and Christ’s?

The issue of concupiscence – another name for ‘sinful desire’ or ‘lust’ – has become a matter of controversy recently, partly because of its relevance to sexual sin and the question of LGBTQ+ ‘identities’, though its implications are much wider. Here, John Stevens and Matthew Roberts argue for two different views, and each responds to the other.

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