Recalibrating the Heart

Recalculating Adultery

INTRODUCTION

ILL-- Discussion with my grandfather and my cousins. Pa’paw argued that things were not any worse today than they were in the past. He thought they were just more visible and accepted.

-Now I see he has a point-

-Roman world was full of temples where prostitutes were a part of worship.

-Today- we have the internet...

In 2013 —8 out of 10 (79%) men between the ages of 18 and 30 view pornography at least monthly

In 2025 - 87%

Not just men. 33% of women view pornography at least monthly.

It's killing the family. One of the key motivations for men to marry is taken away. Why settle down and be responsible to children if your sexual fantasies are already met.

Birth rates around the globe have tanked. U.S., China, India, and Europe have all dropped below population stability.

Jesus knew that his Kingdom must be marked with integrity above the world. Holiness!

Matthew 5:21–32 ESV

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. 31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

3 Truths Concerning Sin

1. Sin Begins with the Heart (21-22, 28)

Matthew 5:21–22 ESV

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

Old standard/ new more difficult standard.

What percent of Americans are murders?

.005%

What percent have struggled with anger?

70% struggle with anger daily.

Matthew 5:27–28 ESV

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

20-25% of Americans have cheated on their spouse.

Every American has struggled at some point with lust.

The Look

David and Bathsheba -vs- Joseph and Potipher's Wife

The Intent

David looked with lustful intent.

He was where he wasn't suppose to be...

Looking where he was forbidden to look.

Joseph's goal was integrity and purity.

2. Sin Awakens with Opportunity (29-30)

James 1:14–15 ESV

14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Opportunity is temptation

Matthew 5:29–30 ESV

29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

"causes you to sin"= leads to give into temptation.

"cut it off"= Jesus is not being literal. Jesus never asks us to mutulate our bodies. You can still lust if you are blind and crippled. His command is to take drastic measures to make sure we avoid temptations that lead to sexual sin.

Eye and hand- both part of adultery

Right eye and right hand- the more valuable.

APP-- Get rid of the things in your life that are a temptation no matter how valuable and important they are to you.

If you can't handle a smart phone- go back to a flip phone.

If you can't handle internet at home- learn to live without it. Local cable is still a thing.

Jesus is focusing on men in this instance. They are usually the ones who are tempted from sight.

Jesus' teaching here is liberating for women. God's way protects women.

Women are the victims of the sexual revolution. They become just flesh, used up and spit out by men who are after the sexual act, not a companion to bond emotionally with.

Women are the ones enslaved in sex trafficking

Women get left to be single moms. Leaves most single moms in lifelong poverty.

3. Sin Magnifies with Relationship (23-27,31-32)

Matthew 5:23–27 ESV

23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’

It affects all relationships

It affects the relationship between you and God.

It affects the relationship of those who you have sinned against.

It affects the relationship of those who live with the consequences of your win.\

It was also said."= a change in formula- connects it with previous verses.

They believed that divorce solved the adultery problem.

3 Steps of marriage for the Jews (Jacob and Rachel)

Contract- promise of dowry (7 years labor)- legally married

Consummation- at the appropriate time (spiritual and physical union)= 2 became one flesh

Celebration- After the consummation. Marriage supper.

Important to know these because Jesus referred to his relationship to the church in the same language in Revelation

Contract was made through the cross and our acceptance of the gift.

Consummation is his 2nd coming.

Then the celebration- like no other.- Marriage supper of the Lamb.

Revelation 19:7–9 ESV

7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. 9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

Marriage is a picture of Christ and His Church. It's the reason it is so important to us when the world perverts it.

PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH ME. I WANT TO TEACH THE BIBLICAL TRUTH. BUT I ALSO WANT YOU TO SEE GRACE AND MERCY. DIVORCE IS NOT THE UNPARDONABLE SIN. ITS ANOTHER SIN THAT SHOWS US THAT WE NEED JESUS.

If we allow the Holy Spirit to change our heart and we overcome anger and lust, most of our marriages would be a lot healthier.

How can you undo a marriage? - "certificate of divorce"

big debate among religious leaders of the day.

For what reasons can a person divorce their wife.

Jesus' reply-- A legal document can not void a spiritual covenant.

Covenant verses Contract

Covenant has a beginning and end that cannot change until it is fulfilled.

Contract can be quit if both sides agree.

Matthew 19:3–9 ESV

3 And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” 4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” 7 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” 8 He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”

Matthew 19:6 ESV

6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

"Sexual immorality" (porneaia)= a broader term for sexual sin of all kinds.

Jewish law required divorce in the case of adultery by the woman. Jesus equalizes the equation to men or women but does not require divorce.

"Jesus never commands divorce but only permits it if all attempts at reconciliation have failed because he recognizes that the adultery has already undermined one of the most fundamental elements of a marriage—sexual exclusivity" (NAC)

"Adultery"= How does divorce cause adultery?

Divorce creates adultery metaphorically through infidelity to the life-long covenant of marriage.

Literally it is adultery only in the remarriage. The whole purpose for divorce in their society was so you could remarry. It is adultery because a divorce voids the legality of remarrige but does not undo the spiritual union.

1 Corinthians 6:13–20 ESV

…The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 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, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

When does the union happen? It happens at the physical act.

The two become one flesh at the act until the death of one of the partners.

divorce does not fix the problem it is a symptom of the problem.

You can divorce because the covenant has been broken but divorce does not fix the covenant. There are still spiritual consequences to the broken covenant, especially as it relates to remarriage.

So, what if you have been divorced or committed adultery.

Another divorce does not fix the adultery problem. Going back to a previous marriage does not fix the adultery problem.

Salvation through Jesus Christ is the only fix as it is for any sin.

Jesus told woman caught in adultery, "Go and sin no more". From now on remain faithful.

God forgives our sin because of our accepting of the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

You do not have to live in guilt and shame.

You are called to live a changed life.

Jesus died on the cross to forgive even the worse of sins.

You do not have to carry the shame and regret.

You are forgiven. He does not count it against you any more.

Do not count it against yourself any more.

Repent- "Go and sin no more"- from this point forward live in purity.

CONCLUSION

Matthew 5:25–26 ESV

25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

Do not become a statistic in the midst of a secular society.

We are called to be different.

It begins at salvation.

It continues as a believer.

Have you allowed Christ to make you different?