"But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her, has already committed adultery with her in his heart." v28 Matthew 5:27-29 NKJV
This is a most delicate area to discuss but it is one, that affects us all. Jesus was speaking as if to 'man', but this was a definite address to both sexes.
Just a glance at our text shows us that a person does not actually have to commit the act of a adultery in the flesh. Jesus tells us, that when we look at a man or a woman with lust in our hearts for them, we have already committed adultery with them. These are very strong words and some may argue that this is not really fair. After all, just to think about it is not as bad as actually doing it, is it? Yes it is, because it shows you the state of your heart.
Take a look at James:
'14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown, brings forth death.'
James 1:14-15. NKJV
It is the desire that becomes fired up as we look lustfully at another person. The root of lust is 'unsatisfied longing.' This unsatisfied state is the fact that a person has not had sexual relations with this person yet and the temptation is there to do so. When we internalise this lust, we can paint pictures of fantasy in our mind and the adulterous desire becomes even worse.
Andrew Womack says, 'Sin is conceived in your emotions,' and this is so true. Some people may fantasise about their desire until it actually becomes a reality and they commit physical adultery. Others may just keep it within their hearts. Whatever, they are both wrong in Jesus' eyes; He calls it adultery whatever we do.
To help avoid these lustful thoughts, which once they get a hold is so difficult to dismiss, we have to take control of the heart and body which begins with controlling our eyes. Jesus is not referring to self-mutilation in verse 29 when He says to pluck out the eye. No, He is saying that we need to take rigid, moral self-denial. This, as I've said, is very difficult to put into practice once the lust has formulated in our mind and become a stronghold; but it is achievable. It requires a renewing of our mind, which we discussed the other day. We have to take the old self, discard it and put on the new self. This takes a long time to perform - very possibly a lifetime' but it is so necessary.
Remember, all around us is temptation. Just switch on the TV and we can see sexual content every day of the week; today's music presents videos that leave nothing to the imagination and the general consensus is, 'It's ok to have some fun, you're a long time dead.' People are tempted at work by colleagues, at parties, in fact in most places. This is why, as a Christian we have to make a stand and decide that it is time to clean up our minds and our actions; and we have someone who is willing to help - Jesus.
Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard
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