by Dave Brown
Ye often hear it said ...
Thou shalt not commit adultery ... (Mt. 5:27)
but Jesus went far beyond this (Mt. 5:28):
"But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her
hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."
This is not a popular teaching in our day and age. Our entertainment industry has become a virtual religion in itself, giving the highest accolades and worship to some whose public behavior is calculated to create the maximum lust in the hearts of others.
This is not an easy teaching even for those who are trying to do all that our Lord directs. But Jesus gave us further direction (Mt. 5:29): "And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast [it] from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell." This, of course, is not to be taken literally. Jesus is calling for the same discipline that the Apostle Paul described in 1 Cor. 9:27: "But I buffet my body daily, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."
With God's help we can keep all of His commands (Jn. 14:13). His way is best, for we know that if we keep ourselves from lust, we will also keep ourselves from adultery and fornication.