Matthew 5:27-30
Jesus
Teaches about Lust
5:27
"You have heard that it was said, ' Do not commit
adultery.'
-
- 28
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman
lustfully has already committed adultery with
her in his heart.
-
- 29
If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it
out and throw it away. It is better for you to
lose one part of your body than for your whole
body to be thrown into hell.
-
30
And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it
off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose
one part of your body than for your whole body to
go into hell."
-
This
is the Word of the Lord ... It is meant to
change the way that we think, and the way that
we live.
Commentary
by Bob Pardue
Jesus Teaches about
Lust
Former President Jimmy Carter
once gave an interview about being a "born again"
Christian and the news picked up on one profound
statement he made; "I have sinned in my
heart."
This passage is not only
about sins of the flesh but sins of the
heart.
The Old Testament law said
that it is wrong for a person to have sex with
someone other than his or her spouse (Exodus
20:14). But Jesus said that the desire to
have sex with someone other than your spouse is
mental adultery and thus sin.
Jesus emphasized that if the
act is wrong, then so is the
intention.
To be faithful to your spouse
with your body but not your mind is to break the
trust so vital to a strong marriage.
Jesus is not condemning
natural interest in the opposite sex or even
healthy sexual desire, but the deliberate and
repeated filling of one's mind with fantasies that
would be evil if acted out.
... (.. 'the eye or the
hand)... Is Christ asking us to gouge out our
eye or cut off our hand? Of course not.
Jesus was speaking
figuratively and is not asking you to do yourself
harm. We sometimes tolerate sins in our lives that,
left unchecked, could eventually destroy
us.
Christ is stating here
sometimes it is better to experience the pain of
removal (getting rid of a bad habit or something we
treasure, for instance) than to allow the sin to
bring judgment and condemnation.
Examine your life for
anything that causes you to sin, and take every
step you can to remove it. God will
help.
Love in Christ
- Bob
If you have never made the
commitment to receive the love and life-changing
experience of Jesus Christ, please take a moment to
go
here and take the
first
steps to salvation.
Another Bible Study Lesson:
Jesus
Teaches About Anger And Personal
Relationships
.
Besides money
and finance, anger is probably one of the most
destructive forces when it comes to relationships,
friendships and even business success. One point to
remember as stated in this Baptist lesson is that,
once a temper is lost, the damage is already
done.
Verses about the destructive power of lust
are from Life Application Study Bible: New
International Version
Comments are welcome. Please email
me with any questions or comments you
may have.
|
