The tendency of all human beings toward sin, as a result of Original Sin is called?

• A. Concupiscience
• B. Temptation
• C. Original sin
• D. Grace

Answer: (A)

Concupiscence is the inward tendency to sin that humans inherit as a result of Original Sin. It describes the pull toward disordered desires that remains in human nature, making temptation easier to yield to. Temptation, by contrast, is the invitation or lure to sin that can come from outside or inside; concupiscence is the predisposition that makes such temptation more likely. Original Sin explains why this inclination exists in the first place, but it is not the inclination itself. Grace is God’s help to do good and overcome sin, not the tendency toward sin. So the best term for the described tendency is concupiscence.