Read and Believe in Jesus.
“But I say to you….” Matthew 5:28a
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REVIEW – Last time, Jesus began a series of “heart understandings” about the Law. The overt action may be murder, but in the heart and the mouth is where it begins. Anger, insults, and degrading name calling is just the beginning. Jesus said these are just as worthy of judgment as the final act of murder.
HIS followers are to go and reconcile with the offended person before doing anything else. Only then can the law “clean” us to worship our holy God. He warned if we don’t come to terms with the other fellow (or gal), things will get very, very bad.
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Matthew 5:27-30.
As before, Jesus first calls their attention to the Law. “You have heard that it was said…” reminding them of the 8th commandment. (Exodus 20:14) “You shall not commit adultery.”
That’s pretty clear.
But once again, Jesus tells them, that this gross sin begins inside of us with the eyes and the mind (imagination). Inside, where no one else can see or condemn… except God.
“But I say to you… everyone who LOOKS at a woman (or man) (and this could also include pornography) with LUSTFUL INTENT has already committed adultery in his heart.”
A look, an imagining of sexual delight…or violence…and the sin is committed. The thought, the continual contemplating and adding to the scenario, is as the deed. Wow. And the longer it goes on, the worse it gets. Yes, you know it. Eventually the deed WILL be done, or at least attempted (with that person, or another one).
How serious does Jesus take this?
VERY!
He says if you find yourself looking with lustful delight, causing you to sin … gouge out your eye!!!
Now that is serious!
(And, if it keeps happening with the other eye, I think He might say, gouge that one out too!) What is being blind compared to being separated from the Holy God?
SIN IS SERIOUS. It is an affront to God. ESPECIALLY for a believer, a follower of Jesus.
“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.“ 1 Corinthians 6:18-20.
Jesus carries the remedy further with, “And if your right (dominant) hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to lose your members than your whole body … and go into hell.”
I believe Jesus could also mean by your ‘right hand’, that you are to eliminate every sinful deed you are prone to do or accomplish. It’s not just a leud man patting or pinching a woman’s bottom at the office. The “right” or dominate hand represents your strength. Cut it off if it causes you to sin!
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Matthew 5:31-32.
“It was also said,” (Jesus continues) “whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.”
God gave this provision to Israel for the welfare of women.
Husbands who no longer wanted their wives – for some little thing they did or didn’t do, or because the man had lusted after another, younger, prettier woman – could just kick them out to manage on their own. Often their father would not accept them back into the family house, and without resources, they would eventually die or become a prostitute.
To save them from this, Moses required unhappy husbands to write their wives a certificate of divorce. That way, she could legally become the wife of another man. It was a concession, and NOT God’s perfect plan. But it rescued the unwanted wives.
But notice Jesus’s heart-understanding of this concession. “But I say to you, that every man who divorces his wife – except on the ground of sexual immorality – makes her commit adultery.” (either by prostitution or marrying another man while still married to the unhappy one). A man was not to simply “divorce” his wife for every little thing that bothered him, or even something big. Reconciliation is always the first step.
It’s God’s way. After man sinned in the garden of Eden, God could have thrown us away and created a new world. But no, He provided a way (Jesus’ death) that we could be reconciled to Him.
Our Lord is so kind. For women (or men) today, this means that if divorce occurs because of unreconciled unfaithfulness (the first option is always to seek reconciliation, as with the first of Jesus’ saying about someone offending you), the divorced one is free to marry again.
It’s NOT God’s perfect way. There will be complications with possessions, finances, and the children (who are often hurt most). But God’s heart of love, SO loves His children, that He allows this, though I believe every divorce grieves Him.
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.Do you wonder, like me, how the people on the hillside received Jesus’ words. Were they confused, perplexed? Did the more learned of them go back in their minds to see the Torah’s writing, and nod at this new wisdom? Was there fear, or joy, in their heart? Did they now long for the kingdom of heaven this Jesus was preaching?
Or was that first stirring of disappointment rising. Reconciling? Sexual purity? What did that have to do with the Messiah freeing them from Rome?
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.(NOTE: for those who read my closing thought yesterday, yes I did go to my husband, confess my offense, and ask forgiveness. And he gladly, quickly, forgave me. What a relief! And my prayers to God came so much easier afterward! Thank You, Jesus. Your heart-teaching is what we need every day.)
