Lust is not merely sexual desire. It is wish to take, by force. It is moving from appreciation to lechery, from friendship to intimidation, from seduction to force.

Lust is not merely sexual. The commandment that covers lust is not that you will not commit adultery, but that you will not covet that which is your neighbours. You can drool over the new model car, computer or bike, or job, or house. And if you will lie cheat or steal you are falling into what Peter calls the corruption that is in this world because of lust.

2 Peter 1:3-10

3His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. 5For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, 6and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, 7and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. 8For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9For anyone who lacks these things is nearsighted and blind, and is forgetful of the cleansing of past sins. 10Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble.

Now Calvin comments

We have already explained that the design of the Apostle was, to set before us the dignity of the glory of heaven, to which God invites us, and thus to draw us away from the vanity of this world. Moreover, he sets the corruption of the world in opposition to the divine nature; but he shews that this corruption is not in the elements which surround us, but in our heart, because there vicious and depraved affections prevail, the fountain and root of which he points out by the word lust. Corruption, then, is thus placed in the world, that we may know that the world is in us.

But what are we to do instead? We are fallen. We are not perfect. Here Peter teaches clearly, but the application is difficult. We have faith. Add to that goodness, then knowledge (for a child-like faith is not one without wisdom or knowledge. We should not be left with the faith we had at Sunday School), then self control, then godliness, then mutual affection, then love.

There is a foundation, and there are stages in our growth. For the love at the end has to be disinterested. To make it personal, I work in a female-dominated field (health) and almost all the doctors in training I meet are women. I care for these people. I want the best for them. I have to disavow any desire — and a few are training later in live, are around my age, and are not boring (Sorry, but if you are under 30 you are. But it takes stages.

I trust God around faith, but my knowledge is incomplete, I am not that good at controlling myself (particularly around food), I do not think I reflect well the glory of God, and my motives in mutual affection are mixed. I am flawed.

But then Peter did not say that we would become objects of worship. He said we should be like him who taught us.