The three main areas of temptation are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
John lists all three in 1 John 2:16. Les Feldick teaches that every temptation that comes to a human being can be placed into one of these three categories, and he shows the same pattern in Eve's fall and in the temptations of Jesus.
1 John 2:16 — This is the exact verse that explicitly lists all three main areas of temptation.
Genesis 3:6 — Eve's temptation by the forbidden tree demonstrates all three areas: food for the flesh, pleasant to the eyes, and desired to make one wise.
First John 2:15–16 is the key passage. It says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." This is the only place in Scripture that frames temptation under these three exact headings. The same three elements appear in the account of Eve in Genesis 3:6: "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat." The tree appealed to a bodily appetite, to the eyes, and to the pride of wanting to be wise.
Les Feldick stresses that every temptation a person faces fits into one of three categories: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life. He points to 1 John 2:16 as the biblical checklist. The lust of the flesh, he says, means any appetite—not necessarily sexual sin. In Eve's case, that appetite was hunger: she saw the tree was good for food. Les also shows the lust of the eyes at work when Eve looked at the fruit and it seemed delicious. And the pride of life appears in Satan's promise that she could be like God. He then applies these same three categories to the temptations of Jesus, showing that Christ experienced temptation in every category that Satan can throw at us. For believers, Les says these three areas confront us almost daily, but God provides a way of escape, as Paul references in I Corinthians. The believer just has to look for that way.
Les uses Eve as the first biblical example. She was hungry, so the forbidden tree appealed to the lust of the flesh. It also looked beautiful and delicious to her eyes, which is the lust of the eyes. Then Satan added that she would be wise like God, which is the pride of life. Les says these are the same three areas every human being still faces.
Les says yes. In the temptations recorded in Matthew, Jesus was hungry, so Satan appealed to the lust of the flesh. The offer to cast Himself from the temple appealed to the eyes—a spectacular display for the crowd to see. The third temptation offered Him power over all the kingdoms, which is the pride of life and the craving for preeminence and power over people. Thus Christ was tempted in every category that mankind faces.
Les says these three areas of temptation come to believers and non-believers alike on almost a daily basis. But he draws comfort from Paul's words in I Corinthians: the Lord will show a way of escape. That escape is not always obvious—the believer must look for it—but it is promised.
Les points out that the Greek word for "world" in 1 John 2:15 is kosmos, from which we get the English word beginning with a 'c'—cosmic. This helps explain that John is talking about the world system, not just the physical earth, and everything in it that opposes the Father.
Did Adam Sin Out of Love? The Hebrew Servant Explained
Hello, and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has taught home-style Bible classes for twenty years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les' teaching is so interesting, people say the time seems to fly by. And now, here's Les Feldick.
Three Categories That Cover Every Temptation
Les teaches that every temptation, without exception, falls into one of three categories: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life. Jesus tasted every temptation in these categories.
Every Human Being Faces These Three Areas
Les says the three areas of temptation confront every human being almost every day, and Eve in Genesis 3 was the first to face them.
Defining Each Area Through Eve
Les defines the lust of the flesh as any appetite, not just sexual sin; in Eve's case it was hunger. The lust of the eyes was the fruit looking delicious, and the pride of life was the desire to be like God.
The Same Pattern in Jesus' Temptations
Les shows how the same three areas appear in Jesus' temptations: hunger (flesh), the temple spectacle (eyes), and power over the kingdoms (pride of life).
Power and Preeminence as Pride of Life
Les describes the pride of life as the desire to reach a place of preeminence and power over people. He also points to the believer's hope of a way of escape from these daily temptations.
Eve's Appetite, Eyes, and Pride
Les reconstructs Eve's situation: she was probably hungry, the fruit looked beautiful, and Satan promised she would be as God. He also clarifies that the lust of the flesh can include good desires in proper amounts.
Christ Covered All Temptations; Kosmos Defined
Les says Christ's three temptations cover everything Satan can throw at believers today, and he explains that the Greek word for world in 1 John 2:15 is kosmos.
1 John 2:15: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
This verse introduces the warning about loving the world and leads directly into the list of the three areas of temptation in the next verse.
1 John 2:16: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
This is the direct answer to the question: it names the three main areas of temptation.
Genesis 3:6: And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
This account shows Eve facing the same three areas of temptation: appetite, visual appeal, and the pride of becoming wise.
Les Feldick teaches that every temptation you face will fall into one of these three categories—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life. He says believers and non-believers alike are confronted with these areas almost daily, but God promises a way of escape if we look for it.
Les says Eve was hungry, so the forbidden tree appealed to her physical appetite. It also looked beautiful and delicious to her eyes, and Satan promised she would be wise like God. These three things correspond exactly to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
Yes. Les Feldick points to Jesus' temptations in Matthew: His hunger was the lust of the flesh, the appeal of a spectacular leap from the temple was the lust of the eyes, and the offer of power over the kingdoms was the pride of life. In these categories, Jesus tasted every temptation common to man.
Watch the Teaching: Did Adam Sin Out of Love? The Hebrew Servant Explained