THE TEXT BELOW IS PARTS 14 AND 15 OF A SERIES PREACHED BY PHIL SMULAND OF COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN BRIDGEWATER, VIRGINIA. THEY ARE FROM THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT: MATTHEW 5:27-30 Adultery, Lust, and the Principle of Mortification THE CONTEXT OF MATTHEW 5:21-26 1. We are in the third section of Christ's Sermon on the Mount. The True Christian's Conversion Experience. Mt 5:3-12. The True Christian's Task in the World. Mt 5:13-16. The True Christian's Righteousness. Mt 5:17-48. 2. Jesus presents true righteousness and challenges the Pharisees' false morality. vs. 21-48 He's not contrasting Himself with Moses or the Law. He came to fulfill the Law. His contrast is between true righteousness and the Pharisees' false righteousness. In the final analysis Christ is pointing us to God's holiness and our need for grace. 3. The Pharisees had a shallow understanding of "adultery." vs. 27. They focused on the externals only: Don't go to bed with a married person. Their understanding reigns today in our world -- even when it is violated. JESUS SHOWS THAT ADULTERY INCLUDES EVERY SEXUAL SIN INCLUDING OUR VERY THOUGHTS. VS 28 1. His understanding of adultery includes deeds, words, dress, and hearts. Deeds: Adultery, homosexuality, incest, bestiality, fornication, porn, lasciviousness (petting), defrauding. Ex 20:14; Lev 18:22-25; Lev 20:13; Rom 1:26-27; 1 Cor 6:9, 18; Gal 5:19; Eph 5:5. Words: Lewd language, sexual jesting, joking and innuendoes. Eph 5:4-5 Dress: Dress calculated to sensually arouse. 2 Kings 9:30; Prov 7 Heart: Lustful looks, impure thoughts, the intention to lustfully look. Mt 5:28; 2 Peter 2:14 Positively: Purity in relationships (1 Thess 4:4), in words (Eph 4:29), in dress (1 Peter 3:3-4), in heart (2 Tim 2:22) 2. His understanding of adultery teaches us much about all kinds of sin Sin begins in the heart Sin is a deceptive thing. Sin is a perverting and polluting thing. Sin is a destructive thing. Sin is a damning thing (to those not saved through Jesus Christ) WHO IS VIOLATED BY THIS SIN 1. It is against the Lord's little ones. Mt 18:6-7, 1 Thess 4:3-7 2. It is against your spouse. Prov 5:15-20; 6:24-35. 3. It is against your self. 1 Cor 6:18; Prov 6:24-29 4. It is against the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 1 Cor 3:16, 6:15, 6:19. HOW ONE IS VIOLATED BY THIS SIN 1. It is a thievish sin. Prov 6:24-35 2. It is a debasing sin. Jer 5:8 3. It is apolluting sin. Prov 23:27 4. It is a destroying sin. Rom 6:19-21; Prov 5:11; 6:26 5. It is a dishonoring sin. Prov 6:32, 33 6. It is an impairing sin. Hos 4:10. 7. It is a damning sin. 1 Cor 6:9f; Eph 5:5f, Gal 5:19f WHY OUR NATION HAS BEEN GIVEN OVER TO SEXUAL SIN 1. We have forsaken the Lord and His authority over us. We've denied Him. We've tried to make sex a secular subject. We've turned to oursleves for understanding We've retreated to ourselves when problems arose 2. The Lord has therefore cursed our people. Sexual sin is actually God's curse. Rom 1. Sexual sin is God's rejection. Prov 22:14. Sexual sin is God's judgment. Eccles. 7:26. WHAT THIS COMMANDMENT POSITIVELY TEACHES 1. God has absolute authority over marriage and sex. He (Christ!) is its creator. Gen 1,2; Mt 19:4-6 He has the absolute right to declare its nature and boundaries Gen 1,2; Prov 5-7; Song of Solomon; Eph 4; 1 Peter 3 No one else can speak authoritatively on this subject as He does. Prov 14:12; 2:1-5, 16-20 2. God has made marriage the exclusive sphere for sexual involvement Sexual activity is reserved only for those who are married. 1 Cor 7:9; 7:5 He forbids sex outside of marriage in any form. 1 Cor 6:9; Mark 7:21; Rom 1:29; Gal 5:19 3. God has made marriage and sex holy The are Divine gifts. Prov 5:18, 19; Heb 13:4. To forbid marriage (or sex within it) is sin. 1 Tim 4:3 4. God has many reasons for marriage. Partnership. Gen 2:18 Pleasure. Prov 5:18-19; 18:12 Procreation. Gen 1:28 Purity. 1 Cor 7:8,9 Picture. Eph 5:23-32. 5. God has determined who Christians should marry. Christians should marry only in the Lord. 1 Cor 7:39; 2 Cor 6:14-18. Marriage to one outside the Lord is severely condemned by God Gen 6:1-3; Gen 27. 6. God has defined marriage to be monogamous and lifelong. Marriage is between one man and one woman only. Gen 2:24; vs. 23 Divorce is unnatural and allowed only in certain cases. Mt 19:1-9; 5:27-32; 1 Cor 7:10-15. JESUS SHOWS THAT WE SHOULD TAKE EVERY STEP TO AVOID TEMPTATION (MORTIFICATION). VS 29-30. 1. He is not telling us to mutilate our bodies. (E.G. Origen) 2. He is showing us that our sin must be hated supremely. 3. He is showing us that our sin must be dealt with radically. 4. He is showing us that our sin must be denied sacrificially. 5. He is showing us that oru life, body, soul, is not our own. 6. This text shows our need for new birth before we can obey Him in this way. Mt. 5:3-12.