43.c. “Wilderness” – 7.j. Sinai – “You shall not commit adultery.”

 

Exodus 20:14  “You shall not commit adultery.

 Leviticus 18:20    And you shall not lie sexually with your neighbor’s wife and so make yourself unclean with her.

 Leviticus 20:10    “If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

 Proverbs 7:18-27   Come, let us take our fill of love till morning; let us delight ourselves with love.  For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey;  he took a bag of money with him; at full moon he will come home.”  With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him.  All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast  till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.  And now, O sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth.  Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths,  for many a victim has she laid low, and all her slain are a mighty throng.  Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.

 Jeremiah 5:8-9   They were well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for his neighbor’s wife.  Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the LORD; and shall I not avenge myself on a nation such as this?

 Malachi 3:5   “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.

 Matthew 5:27-28  “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’  But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

 Ephesians 5:3  But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.

 Hebrews 13:4  Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.

 James 4:4   You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Clearly, the act itself is condemned. God allows no justification for the ways that many often seek to justify extra-marital sex. It is not to be done, and when it is done it is sin and it damages. The New Testament clearly condemns adultery: Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication uncleanness, licentiousness (Galatians 5:19). The act is condemned, but not only the act itself. More than the act itself, Jesus carefully explained the heart of this commandment. It prohibits us from looking at a woman to lust for her, where we commit adultery in our heart or mind, yet may not have the courage or opportunity to do the act (Matthew 5:27-30). We aren’t innocent just because we didn’t have the opportunity to sin the way we really want to. (GUZIK)

Next to the duty of respecting a man’s life is placed that of respecting his domestic peace and honour. Adultery is an invasion of the household, a destruction of the bond which unites the family, a dissolution of that contract which is the main basis of social order. It was forbidden by all civilised communities, and in uncivilised ones frequently punished with death. (Ellicott)

We should be as much afraid of that which defiles the body, as of that which destroys it. Whatever tends to pollute the imagination, or to raise the passions, falls under this law, as impure pictures, books, conversation, or any other like matters. (Henry)

Here is mentioned one kind of uncleanness, as being eminently sinful, and unjust, and pernicious to human society. But under this are comprehended and forbidden all other kinds of filthiness, as bestiality, sodomy, whoredom, fornication, &c., and all means, occasions, and appearances of them. (Poole)

Lust of the flesh will drive a person to sin, if not in body, surely in mind. Take a look at what is condoned in current movies, taught in schools, and easily popping up on social media. In the guise of putting a stamp of approval on movies, books, pictures, etc…. we call it “Adult Entertainment”.  We even go so far as to ok it by stating a rating on public movies, “PG-13”, meaning the movie is acceptable to those 13 and older.  Hollywood markets lust like it was a dessert to be desired and a very normal act that is to be satisfied. I heard someone say that they were training their mind not to lust by counting to 5 when they were looking/lusting after a beautiful girl/woman and then they would discard it from their mind. Have you ever held your hand in a flame for 5 seconds without getting burned severely? It is far better to discern and discard the thought before 1/2 of a second.

Pornography will harm the heart, mind, and soul. It seems as though it is “OK” because it is called “Soft Porn”. We hear men say they are just looking through the window as if to admire the goods but have no intention of a purchase. This too allows lust to take root and fantasies abound. 

We even tolerate the lust of same-sex. We don’t call it out as a sin but rather call it out as an “Alternative Lifestyle”. It is to be tolerated and approved and allowed to go on unchallenged. 

Fleshly lusts can be defeated when your heart and mind are fixed on God’s Word with an unyielding desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all you think, say, and do.

Mind set on the flesh

“I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the LORD.”

John 7:7  The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.

1 John 4:5     They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.

Proverbs 8:36     but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.”

Romans 8:7    For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.

1 John 3:12-13     We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.  Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.

Malachi 3:5    “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.

Acts 7:51    “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.  Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered,  you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”  Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him.

Galatians 4:16    Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?

There is a difference between those who choose to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey God, and of those who openly choose not to.   It is very easy to see from the way they speak and act.  However I think there is a grey area that has a devastating affect on people.  This is where there is no clear distinction because the commitment of those claiming to be followers is complacent and those who do not claim to be followers have chosen a moral code (without God) to live by.  There is no difference between the lives of the two.  Neglect and complacency of God’s word will have an effect on the heart, mind, and soul.  To have a victorious life time has to be spent in His word with a heart and mind deep commitment to seek, know and follow God.  I wonder if we pick out the worst of humans and then look at ourselves in the mirror and say I am better than that – so I must be alright with God.  However we should be reading His word and seeking to understand what we are like in the mirror of what it is showing us.  If we don’t spend time in His word how will we reflect His joy, hope, strength, love, peace, kindness, generosity, power, faith……