The Life of Christ

• Both sides are addressed in order to help straighten out the situation as quickly as possible.

• More damage is done in the church by not addressing offenses than by any other means.

Mt. 5:27-28 “You have heard that it was said, ‘YO U SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY’; 28 but I say to you, that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.”

When it comes to adultery, there is a wide range of offense.

• On one end of the continuum is the very act, which brings with it the severest of consequences, even including potential divorce and family breakup (Mt. 5:32; 19:9).

• On the other far end of the continuum is the simple mental fantasy of adultery.

• Though the consequence of the latter differs greatly from the former, it still constitutes adultery.

The reason that non-physical adultery is accounted as such, even if only in our heart, is because God hears our heart just as He hears our audible words (Gen. 18:15).

• We remember Sarah’s protest that she didn’t laugh when she heard the Angel say that she would bear a son. Therefore, Sarah laughed within herself (Gen. 18:12)… But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh!” (Gen. 18:15).

• She laughed in her heart — not out of her mouth — and God heard it!

• It’s the same with adultery; if it is going on in our heart, God sees it!

This level of moral purity was never required in the Old Testament.

• And yet, it was the Old Testament saint named Job who provides timeless wisdom how to avoid adultery on any level.

• In Job 31:1 he says, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a young woman?”

• Jesus ’ admonition doesn’t say a man can’t admire a woman’s beauty; where the line is drawn, however, is to not allow his mind to imagine having sexual relations with her.

• Billy Graham said the first look is natural. It’s the second (or third) look with intent that we are accountable for.

Mt. 5:29-30 “And if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out, and throw it from you; for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off, and throw it from you; for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than for your whole body to go into hell.”

This is called a "Hebrewism,” an over exaggeration to emphasize a point.

• Jesus does not advocate dismembering our hand or plucking out eyes.

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