Be Careful Little Eyes

Intro:

You have Heard

Matthew 5:27 ESV

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’

In the OT it was violating the marriage vow (or engagement) through a sexual relationship.

It was a capital offense.

It caused harm

Proverbs 6:23–35 ESV

For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life, to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes; for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts down a precious life. Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned? Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; none who touches her will go unpunished. People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry, but if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house. He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself. He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away. For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge. He will accept no compensation; he will refuse though you multiply gifts.

Sin against your own body

1 Corinthians 3:18–20 ESV

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”

Many interpretations of this command in the teachings of the Rabis made the guilt for the woman alone.

They “legally” saw wives as the husband’s property.

They say an adulterous wife as a breach of contract

As such, punishment had grown to just be applied to the woman.

Remember the woman caught in adultery brought to Jesus to test what He would do?

They didn’t bring the man.

Leviticus 20:10 ESV

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

Once again, they had twisted Scripture to give men a license to sin and put the blame all on the woman.

I say

Matthew 5:28 ESV

But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Jesus went far deeper than the physical act of adultery.

Jesus not only didn’t relax this command of God, He turned it internally.

Lust is the beginning of sin.

James 1:13–15 ESV

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

He identifies lustful thoughts as equal to the act of committing adultery.

Fantasies and imaginations can be just as damaging.

This is where the follower of Jesus can find guidance about media which we watch, read, and listen.

jUST ONE ASPECT: Pornagraphy

The porn industry makes up for an astounding percentage of the world’s generated income. Statistics according to toptenreviews.com reveal that the industry succeeds in making revenues of more than Microsoft, Google, Amazon, eBay, Yahoo, Apple and Netflix all combined. Stats say that “Every second, $3,075.64 is being spent on pornography” and “every second, 28,258 users are viewing pornography online.” According to various reports, the net worth of the porn industry is $97.06 billion.

How Online Pornography Affects Americans

About 200,000 Americans are classified as “porn addicts.”

40 million American people regularly visit porn sites.

35% of all internet downloads are related to pornography.

34% of internet users have experienced unwanted exposure to pornographic content through ads, pop up ads, misdirected links or emails.One-third of porn viewers are women.

By focusing on the data behind the creation and consumption of pornographic content, the dangers facing people can be easily overlooked. The sheer magnitude of available online pornography is merely one aspect of a larger issue that plagues society.

How Internet Pornography Usage Hurts Teens 

One area of study considered important among development experts is the effect of pornography on teens and young adults.

It increases the odds of teenage pregnancy. Teenagers with frequent exposure to sexual content on TV have a substantially greater likelihood of teenage pregnancy, and the likelihood of teen pregnancy was twice as high doubles when the quantity of sexual content exposure within the viewing episodes was high.viii

It hinders sexual development. Pornography viewing by teens disorients them during the developmental phase when they have to learn how to handle their sexuality and when they are most vulnerable to uncertainty about their sexual beliefs and moral values.

It raises the risk of depression. A significant relationship also exists among teens between frequent pornography use and feelings of loneliness, including major depression.

Family/Marital Pornography Stats

The negative effects of pornography do not end after development. They can be just as harmful to families and marriages.`

According to National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families, 2010, 47% of families in the United States reported that pornography is a problem in their home.xii

Pornography use increases the marital infidelity rate by more than 300%.xiii

40 percent of people identified as “sex addicts” lose their spouses, 58 percent suffer considerable financial losses, and about 33% lose their jobs.xiv

68% of divorce cases involve one party meeting a new paramour over the internet while 56% involve one party having an “obsessive interest” in pornographic websites.xv

The internet and the interconnectedness it offers society are beneficial in so many ways. Unfortunately, as a cybersecurity company, we know all too well about the drawbacks associated with the internet. We're here to help by facilitating conversation on online safety with the resources below, and by providing you with the home internet security tools to ensure malicious actors aren't able to seek you out online.

Our eyes can and often do lead us astray.

Solution:

Matthew 5:29–30 ESV

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. 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.

I believe Jesus wasn’t being literal here.

Jesus uses this very graphic exaggeration to emphasis how serious of a matter lust is.

It is better to lose a part of our body than to endure the consequences and guilt from sin.

He is saying that lust of the heart leads to further sin in the flesh and must be dealt with quickly

Pay the lesser cost to address the root of sin early rather than face the weight of a full consequence of sin.

He IS saying, remove the influences which feed lust. Do whatever it takes to correct your heart.

There are times when we must make definite, distinct and sometimes sudden sacrifices for the sake of our faith.

If it leads us to sin, cut it off!

We sacrifice a little now and go through the pains of that to avoid the far greater consequence of indulging our sin.

Adultery is a major cause of broken homes.

Sexual immorality causes grief in countless relationships.

Our entertainment often inspires lust

movies, music, books, etc.

Conclusion: