Pacific Waves

Volume 1, Issue 3

Page 5

The sin begins not with the act but with the evil that is allowed in the heart. This is the great danger of pornography. It produces evil hearts. People lust and commit adultery in their hearts with the pictures or movies they see, and it is a short step to doing the act with another person, even a child.
     
How can we prevent this kind of lust from developing in us? Jesus used some startling pictures to help us see how ruthless we must be when we find this kind of evil within us: "Gouge out your eye and throw it away" and "Cut off your right hand and throw it away". He wanted us to know that we need to take drastic measures to conquer the lust that wants to grow in us, or it will end in hell.
     
It starts with doing something about the eye. You don't have to put out your eye if you control everything your eye looks at - pictures, TV, magazines, people. We have the power to shut off the channels through which temptation comes, or to close our eyes or look away, but do we? If we don't, soon the hand will follow where the eye has gone. We will not only end up in hell, Jesus said, but we may take others with us.
     
Lust leads to adultery which leads to divorce. The Law had regulations to prevent a man from just changing wives. Jesus said, "You shouldn't even be thinking about divorce except in the case of marital unfaithfulness." A man divorcing his wife also causes her to become an adulteress. Adultery is a general term used for any sexual act not within the marriage commitment. Jesus makes it clear that a

kingdom person must follow higher standards than the Law. He must not be angry without a cause; he must not lust in his heart; and he must not divorce his wife except in cases of marital unfaithfulness. How can we reach such high goals? If we find these sins in us, we need to repent and seek God's forgiveness. Giving our lives totally to Christ will give Him the opportunity to empower us to grow to become like Him. "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matt. 6:33)

Bible Study cont.

gift now pleasing to God.
God is pleased because reconciliation is one of His chief interests. That's why he sent Jesus - to reconcile us to Him.
     
Jesus' appeal is for us to take care of our disagreements quickly before they become a big issue that may end before the judge or in prison. As soon as we become aware of anger in our hearts we need to try to settle the problem with the person angry at us or the person at whom we are angry. We must nor commit murder...

or be angry without a cause.
     Next Jesus gives a deeper meaning to an old commandment: "Thou shalt not commit adultery". It is God's design that each man should have his own wife, be united to her and be faithful to her. (Gen. 2:24) But Jesus goes beyond the act to the motivating cause of the adultery. Why do people commit adultery? Because of the lust in their hearts. As Jesus looked into the murderous heart and found anger, He now looks into the adulterous heart and finds lust.

Juanita Simpson is a retired missionary still serving the Lord in Micronesia after 36 years of ministry.

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