I have been doing a 10-day
study on Lust (I am on day 4 I think), and so far, it is giving me a
whole different approach and determination to overcome it. I want to share my
Bible study with you in hopes that you will have a different approach and
determination to overcome your struggles as well.
Matthew
5:27-30
“You have heard the commandment that says, you must not
commit adultery. But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has
already committed adultery with her in his heart. So, if your eye – even your
good eye – causes you to lust, 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. And if your hand – even your good 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 be thrown into hell.” (Matthew 5:27-30, NLT).
Before we start, I just want to say, “Please do not start
amputating yourself 😊.
Jesus is using “hyperboles,” which are exaggerations to further drive home his
point! So, please keep all your body parts.
1st we are going to look at the main players in
the passage. The Disciples – They are important here because they cannot
truly follow Jesus if they have a lustful mind and heart. Sin separates us from
God. Jesus – He is explaining to them that lust is not just committed by
the act itself. It starts in the heart and mind. A woman – We should not
look at a woman with lustful thoughts or in a way that would cause lustful
intent in either person. People referred to by Jesus – This is not just
a command for the disciples but applies to Everyone!
Next, I looked at important cross – references to this
passage from the Bible. Job 31:1 – “I made a covenant with my eyes not
to look with lust at a young woman.” This passage reminds me to be innocent
like Job was proclaiming. Innocent in action and thought. He had not committed the
act of adultery, but he had not lusted after a woman as well.
Exodus 20:17 –
“You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s
wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to
your neighbor.” Remember this was wrote a long time ago 😊 so today it may say, “vehicle or four-wheeler
rather than ox or donkey. I do not know though, out here where I live you see
quite a few donkeys. But this passage reminds me to fight against any desire
or obsession that compels me to violate the law of God!
Next, I made just a little summary thus far of what this
passage is speaking to me. Jesus is really speaking to the heart right here. The
Pharisees I am sure, taught that adultery was committed by the act. Basically,
we could run free with our thoughts if we just did not do it! Not true! Jesus
says, “That is exactly where it starts.” We need to start working with the seed
of the sin rather than wait until it has fully bloomed. It is much easier to
deal with early on, than before it becomes a full-blown problem!
So far, we see that
-
Jesus wants His followers to deal with sin
where it starts: the mind or emotions. Do not wait until it already has a
foothold on you.
-
We should be vigilant in avoiding sin,
making every effort possible to remain pure.
-
Sin must be avoided even if radical
sacrifice is required. It costs less to address the root of a sin early on than
to carry the weight of the consequences of the sin fully developed as well as
the weight of judgment before God.
-
The earlier sin is dealt with, the better.
-
Do what ever it takes to correct your
heart attitude.
The
Theological Principle that I picked from this passage is Desire – A
sense of longing for or wanting something. It may be a positive or negative
force in the human character, but sinful desire is characteristic of human
nature and must be overcome by the believer. God also expresses desires in
Scripture.
Following Jesus Christ means
putting to death sinful desires! Galatians 5:24 – “Those who belong
to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to
his cross and crucified them there.” We are not completely capable of that. I do
not know about you, but when I give Jesus a problem of mine, eventually, I end
up going back and getting it. It is through faith and faith alone. We participate
in Christ’s death and resurrection, leaving behind our determination toward
selfish desires.
Sinful
lust is condemned we see that in our passage in Matthew
5:27-30.
God
desires true worship – Hosea 6:6 – “I want you to show love,
not to offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt
offerings.” God does not want simply good actions from us. He wants our heart
and mind to be pure in our worship to Him.
Righteous
Desire
Desire
for God – Psalm 73:25 – “Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire
you more than anything on earth.”
Desire
for right living – Psalm 40:8 – “I take joy in doing your
will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.”
Desire
for wisdom – See 2 Chronicles 1:7-11.
So,
we see that God desires true worship and right living from us. That is not too
much to ask for is it? We sure do require a lot more from Him most of the time
than that.
My Application
This passage has made me realize just
how sinful I am on a whole different level. I am doing good with avoiding
certain sinful acts, but my thoughts have yet to line up. That is where I have
messed up before. You cannot stop a physical act of sin without 1st
stopping the thoughts of it. We must address the seed of sin before it has
become a full blossom!
Struggles with my Application
A lot of people will tell you that it
is fine to look if you do not touch. Do not believe this. It will lead to other
sin. Masturbation, porn, etc. And eventually, it will lead to adultery or immorality.
Sin separates us from God and alienates us from other relationships. Keep that
in mind as you are playing with dangerous thoughts.
My Conclusion
It does not matter if your outward
appearance and actions line up if your heart and mind are corrupt! Example –
look at the Pharisees!
Final Thoughts
This should make all of us evaluate
our relationship with God. We wonder sometimes why God seems so distant in our
lives. We need to not only examine our actions, but also look at our thoughts
and change some of them for the better.
Remember, “The world will tell you it
is ok to look as long as you do not touch.” Ask yourself, “Are you going to
listen to the world or to God?” Our actions start within our hearts and
mind. That is what Jesus is saying here. The Pharisees taught that adultery
was committed only by the physical act of it. Jesus says, “NO!” If you are
taking pleasure in lustful thoughts, you have already committed adultery in
your heart.
Our
thoughts and desires empower our outward actions!
This
concludes my Bible study! I hope that God speaks to you through this in some
way. I would love to hear about it 😊 Contact
me and share your thoughts with me. Be blessed, Chris
jellicochris@gmail.com
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