From: georgepwood.com…
Adultery in His Heart (Matthew 5.27–28)
In Matthew 5.27–28, Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
If adultery begins in the heart, then a lot of us are adulterers.
But we don’t like to think of ourselves as adulterers. We usually rationalize our lust—what a strong word!—with the phrase, “I was only looking,” as if looking were a morally harmless activity. …
Is it just me, or does is seem like sex is everywhere in our visual media? …
Consequently, we find ourselves in a bind: Jesus tells us not to look, but our culture is taking off its clothes everywhere we look. What should we do?
Martin Luther once said that you can’t stop a bird from flying overhead, but you can stop it from building a nest in your hair. In that spirit, I say, turn off the TV. Stop looking at those magazines (Maxim if you’re male, Cosmo if you’re female.) Avoid movies with gratuitous sex and nudity. And—here’s the important part—cultivate intimacy with your spouse.
You see, the main point of Jesus’ teaching isn’t just negative. Sure, he prohibits adultery and lust. But the prohibition is a negative means to a positive end….
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An Interesting Exercise
Although I agree with most of what this author says, which is why I’m posting this, he then says this positive end is a satisfying marriage. Though, this may be true, Jesus was specifically talking about something far more important here, the part that the author left out. Jesus was specifically warning about losing our salvation!
Jesus’ entire statement on adultery in Matthew 5 is this (the left out portion is bolded.):
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery;’ 28 but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. 30 If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.
It’s very common for Bible teachers to leave out key parts of texts. If you know what the Bible really says about who goes to heaven, you’ll recognize this type of censorship being applied to sermons and teachings.
It’s important to read the Bible ourselves to make sure that what we’re being taught is true. And we can do this.
An interesting exercise is to learn especially these scriptures which say who goes to heaven, and then watch what happens when preachers and Bible teachers get near them. Most avoid them like the plague. It’s often predictable….
Hopefully, this will change soon, and the whole gospel will be preached, not just parts.
Hell is a horrendous price — as well as we’re forfeiting the joy of the Lord while we’re on this planet!
We could be on Cloud 9, together — now!!
It’s up to us.
We must be free to be free!
Jeff
Related:
The Low-Cut Top Epidemic: May We Be Holy
All of my Lust Freedom! posts at ONEcanhappen
Who-Goes-To-Heaven Scriptures — Narrow is the Way | Who are the Children of God?
John Vian
Yes, freedom from sin is to put to death the old man. Circumcision of the heart is a painful process; however, worth every moment of it. I had to stop looking at women in order to grow anywhere with Jesus. I know that God hates sexual lust so I stopped and, by the grace of God, will stay stopped. Leviticus 18 deals with this and is just as valid today as it was when Moses read it to the Israelites. For those who think the Old Testament is out-dated, you need to think again…
PaulB
Jeff, very good topic. I truly believe that the whole Gospel is not being taught, including Christ as baptizer in the Holy Ghost. I find it interesting that the bible speaks of praying in the Holy Ghost and that by doing that you edify yourself. He who prays in an unknown tongue edifies himself.
That being said, if we would focus some significant time every day to praying in the Holy Ghost we would experience much greater freedom from the evils around us. Maturity is the ability to discern between good and evil. The body needs to utilize and seek after the enablement of the Holy Spirit and often it is the case that these fleshly side issues fall away. Renew your mind and edify your spirit, and eventually you will find the freedom you espouse.
Take courage you who have these types of battles, God has made the way known, pray with the Helper often and you will find freedom. Paul
Jeff Fenske
Paul,
I agree totally, and here is why.
Jesus basically is saying in this Matthew-5 passage that we need to do whatever we have to do in order to not lust, so we won’t lose our soul in Hell.
I wrote in I’ve finally shared much of what I know about and what can be done through the TREMENDOUS and mostly misunderstood and underused gift of tongues that I’m confident that I’d be dead now had I not known how to pray in tongues. But I also wouldn’t be able to swim upstream, against the tide that is overwhelming so many born-again believers.
Tongues is really a big deal! And I believe it’s primarily dealing with evil spirits so we can be free.
The charismatic movement has died down, to the Devil’s great delight. I think that much of the reason is if we don’t really have to be right with God and people, then why pursue the gifts of the Spirit? Why try to be one with each other in Christ if “I’m okay; you’re okay” — “Do what thou wilt” — which is pure Satanism? To a huge degree, “Do what thou wilt” / “Don’t worry, be happy (even when willfully lusting)” has taken over the church. It is the norm. “We’re free because of what Jesus did for us, not because we’re actually free.” Most people are so bound up.
But if only the overcomers go to heaven, then we need to do whatever we need to in order to overcome. So a lot of this comes back to the heretical teaching of once saved, always saved. We really do need to get our doctrine right, questioning what we’re taught.
Jesus said we must become like a child. We need to get off of our high horses and become willing to do whatever we need to in order to be free.
Speaking in tongues takes childlike faith. We need to trust Dadda. We can’t just do our own thing and expect to make it. We need to submit and be led by the Spirit to be a son of God, an heir (Romans 8). Jesus didn’t leave us as orphans, but most ‘Christians’ live as if He did.
Praying in tongues is so simple. It’s so non-cerebral (except I often focus my prayers and learn a lot). Perhaps it even seems foolish to some. “You pray in tongues? What are you, a nut?”
“No, a child of God about my Father’s business.” They made fun of Jesus too. We should fear God, not man.
Interestingly, now that America is falling and I’m being proven right, as well as people realize my prayers against demons in tongues work, I don’t get made fun of as much anymore.
I actually think it’s the demons in the people that scoff. Many of these same people who make fun inwardly respect us.
But regardless, we’re of a different kingdom. We shouldn’t care what people think, whether they’re ‘Christians’ or not. Some ‘Christians’ are actively anti-charismatic, still. They’ll even pray (James-3 curse) that people will not speak in tongues.
We need to not go by our feelings, but rather obey. The feelings will follow, especially when we get freed up through praying in tongues and come together in worship in Spirit and in truth.
In heaven, we won’t need to pray in tongues: “Tongues will cease” (1 Cor. 13). Now is the time to pray in tongues. And for those who neglect this gift, you’re wasting valuable time, perhaps even risking your soul because you refuse to “build up your faith by praying in the Holy Ghost.”
I said in my article on tongues that I knew Christianity would be tough, and that I needed to be equipped to be able to make it by praying in tongues. But I had no idea how true that idea really was, back in the ’70s.
I encourage everyone to make sure you learn how to speak in tongues just like I did. It was harder for me, because I didn’t have a good teacher until I moved to Alaska. But I lay it out in my article how to do it.
It’s really easy, and it’s for everybody, contrary to popular belief. The only born-again believers who don’t speak in tongues are those who won’t open their mouths and say whatever words the Holy Spirit gives them — no matter how goofy it sounds. Just trust and obey. It’s that simple.
But we must be like a child, willing to do what is strange to the world and to many ‘Christians’ who poo-pooh this great gift.
God bless, everyone!
May we be free, always!
Jeff : )