Concupiscence, an archaic term meaning to yearn or long for, often carries a broader implication than just sexual desire. It encompasses all manner of wrong desires, as seen in the writings of the apostle Paul, where sin is said to produce every kind of evil desire within a person. This craving for forbidden things is evident in various contexts, not limited to physical acts but extending to the very roots of sinfulness, including covetousness and idolatry. The underlying concept is an earnest desire, often for what God has prohibited, as illustrated by the actions of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They succumbed to craving the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, desiring not only food but also forbidden knowledge and understanding, despite God's clear command against it. Human nature resists denial, turning its desires toward acquiring what is prohibited. Such ungodly longing is described as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, summing up all evil desires as worldly lusts that are fleeting. God calls for a transformation, urging a shift from craving carnal, forbidden things to desiring spiritual, godly, and eternal matters, seeking always to resist and overcome these temptations through His strength and might.

Hungering and thirsting for righteousness means having an ardent desire to change and become like God. After recognizing what God is and what we are, we fervently want to rid our lives of sin and transform our base nature into His noble and perfect character. We feel a great eagerness to attain the glorious potential that God offers to those He has called. When we truly hunger and thirst for God, we will be diligent in prayer, study, fasting, and meditation. We will yield ourselves to God and be easily entreated by others. Despite our human nature fighting against us, we will make the changes needed to become God's children. When we hunger and thirst for righteousness, and God fills us, it benefits everyone. However, when God calls us, He does not automatically remove the wrong hungers we have acquired from living in this world. Deep-rooted desires can be difficult to overcome, and unless something forestalls the process, uncontrolled wrong hungers will seek satisfaction, often leading to detriment. Jesus Christ instructs us to deny ourselves, renouncing our own interests and subjugating everything to God's standards. We must bring under control every thought that opposes God and His way. We need to embrace the situations God has placed us in, bearing the troubles with faith in Him to bring us through. If we insist on preserving our way of life with all its wrong hungers, we will lose it eternally. But if we destroy those wrong desires and take control of our mind and emotions, God will save us eternally. Satan has filled this world with tempting hungers of lust, power, money, and fame, which seem inviting but are traps leading to sin, destruction, and eternal death. God allows us to make decisions and learn from them. The right decision is to yield ourselves under the mighty hand of God in faith that He will work in us. Once we yield, we can set our mind to overcome, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, and God will satisfy us.

Craving, at its core, reveals a profound lack of self-control, tempting us through constant exposure to gastronomic delights like restaurant dessert menus with enticing names such as Death by Chocolate and Praline Paradise. These allure even the strongest will in an affluent society where abundance is ever-present, making gluttony an easy trap to fall into. Advertisements, especially for food and drink, test our self-discipline relentlessly, with children alone encountering thousands of promotions for sweets and fast food annually. This excessive desire, when acted upon, leads to sin and ultimately to spiritual death, as it exhausts our perseverance for good and drains our resistance to evil. A person given to appetite lacks the willpower to resist cravings, willing to do anything to satisfy them, whether at an all-you-can-eat cafeteria or in the face of any indulgence. Such lack of restraint mirrors the inability to refuse liquor, showing that we are controlled by our desires rather than controlling them, which stands in direct opposition to what God desires for us. Gluttony marks the character of an evil person, and we are warned to avoid close associations with those who overindulge in eating and drinking, as familiarity with such behavior can wear down our own resolve. Beyond physical consumption, gluttony extends to an excessive craving for knowledge or theological details, where individuals become unbalanced by overstudying trivial subjects, missing vital spiritual instruction. This over-consumption of ideas, often justified by easy access to information, leads to weariness and distraction from the weightier matters of God's way of life. Similarly, craving material possessions or the belongings of others breaks commandments, as it reflects dissatisfaction with what we have and a desire for more, akin to Solomon's unchecked accumulation of wives. Spiritually, gluttony leads to rebellion and apostasy, as seen in Israel's history where indulgence made them forsake God, their Creator. The church faces similar temptations with new ideas that entice those weak in faith, repackaged by satan to draw them away from sound doctrine into empty chatter and ungodliness. Gluttony, whether in food, drink, possessions, or hobbies, is summarized as excessive desire followed by inappropriate action—too much, too quickly, too eagerly. Yet, God enjoys feasts and provides them for His church, teaching us to use His blessings with balance and restraint, setting a good example as Christians to bring glory to Him.