Pastor's Pen
November/December 2003
(Excerpts from the Sermon on the Mount)

1. Spiritual adultery (thought life) – verses 27-28
2. The seriousness of moral restraint – verses 29-30
3. Divorce and remarriage – verses 31-32

(Mat. 5:27-28) Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: V.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.

In order for us to distinguish between sins of the spirit and sins of the flesh, we must understand something about the Levitical offerings. The law of the offerings teaches us the difference between a "first degree" sin and a "second degree" sin.

There was a trespass offering, which specifically dealt with willful transgressions or trespasses. There was also a sin offering, which dealt more with the nature of sin. For example, at a baby’s dedication the mother offered a sin offering – which proves that we were born into this world with the sin nature: "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Psa 51:5)

There is a difference between the actual act and a sin in the mind (or spirit). To commit adultery is not the same as to think adultery. Yet, Jesus is showing us that the "New Covenant" demands a greater righteousness than the "Old Covenant." In fact, The whole sermon is bringing us to grips with heart issues. Like the previous text, maybe I haven’t literally killed anyone, but unjustified anger, or hatred or envy or lusts are all sins of the spirit. They declare: "It was in my heart to do so!"

We have heard statements like, "Well I thought it, so I might as well have done it!" Not so! James said, "When lust has conceived it bringeth forth death…" (Jas. 1:15). Yes, it begins in the heart, (and it is sin) but it is not a "first degree sin" until it takes place. Even in our penal system there are first, second and third degree crimes. It is the same idea. A first-degree crime is a willful, premeditated act. A second-degree crime may have been spontaneously provoked.

The Levitical law substantiates this point. In fact, there were greater degrees of sacrifice demanded from those who were of higher rank.

In the Old Testament, we often read a statement concerning the kings something like: "He did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart." Or, we might read where one of the "revivalist" kings cleansed the land from certain idols or pagan altars etc., but the "high places" still remained!

The high places (spiritually) speak of the hidden places of the mind, heart and spirit. They speak of the hidden lusts, or covetousness, or the sins of the spirit. The New Covenant deals with the sins of the spirit.

As we return to our text verses, (5:27-28) Jesus is bringing us to grips with (what I shall call) "second-degree" sin – sins of the spirit. "That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." He hasn’t physically committed the act, but this has been his meditation.

Job said that he made a covenant with his eyes, not to think (lustfully) upon a girl/woman (Job 31:1). Peter also made a statement that interprets this thought in 2 Pet. 2:14: "Having eyes full of adultery…." It is one thing to notice an attractive looking woman. It is another thing to look contemplatively and lustfully at her. Jesus calls this adultery of heart.

*May I also insert here, that it is also a sin for a woman to dress lewdly, or seductively? A woman cannot be innocent if she dresses in a fashion to provoke lust! Even nature teaches as much. The scripture teaches that a young woman should be "chaste" (Titus 2:5). The word "chaste" (hagnos) denotes modesty, innocence, and purity

We live in a lewd and adulterous society that has contaminated the world with its lewdness. Therefore, we as Christians must be distinctively different in our conduct and actions. We must pray for the grace to withstand and even shine forth in the midst of a perverse world. David prayed: "Create in me a clean heart, O God…" We are not born with one! The New Covenant promises the help of the Spirit to all who seek. (See Heb. 4:14-16.)

(Mat 5:29-30) 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. V.30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, 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.

Verses (29-30) show us the seriousness of moral conduct. These passages are not advocating dismembering our bodies, but as Jesus declares, it would be better to do so if "that member" were responsible for taking us to hell. I think this also helps us to understand that we are more responsible for the physical act (1^st degree) than the spiritual act. The spiritual act is a sin of the spirit – in the mind and heart. Had the Lord said: "If thine heart offend thee, cut it out," then we would all be dead!

*Please understand that we are not trying to excuse the sin nature. We are only trying to show that we are held more accountable for the physical act than the thought. The Old Covenant did not put major emphasis on the sins of the spirit because there was not a sacrifice sufficient enough to cleanse the soul and conscience. Had there been an emphasis on the sins of the spirit, that would only have brought them into greater condemnation. However, the "One Sacrifice" of the New Testament is powerful enough to purge the conscience – therefore it demands more! "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Heb. 9: 14)

"If thy right eye offend thee…" We must let the gravity of this statement grip our hearts. Sin can be stimulated by our physical senses. Our eyes must not intentionally be searching for something that is pornographic: magazines, videos, etc. It would be better not to have eyes, than to have eyes that have been the cause of taking us to hell!

"If thy right hand offend thee…" That statement tells us that there is a deliberate action taken (the hand that purchases the video… that turns on the television set, etc.). It would be better not to have a hand than to have a hand that facilitates evil and cause us to perish in hell. It takes a deliberate action to buy an immoral CD or video.

The Lord is telling the church that this "New Covenant" demands a higher moral conduct. The Lord desires us to "Be holy both in body and in spirit: (1 Cor. 7:34). It is really a heart issue. Wouldn’t it be terrible for someone to dismember his body only to discover that the thought is still in his heart?

One of the early monks Simeon Stylites became famous by chaining himself to the top of a pillar for thirty years. Well, certainly that kept him from committing certain physical sins, but the Lord wants to deal with the issues in our heart. We have to have a certain exposure to the world to reveal those issues. We can never be holy unless we’ve been tested!

Let us cry out for clean hands and a pure heart that we may ascend the Holy hill. We must have clean hands to serve the Lord!

*May I note that sometimes there needs to be deliverance. However, desire is still the prerequisite for deliverance. The Lord does not deliver those who are not especially interested in being delivered.

(Mat 5:31-32) It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: V.32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Again, Jesus is comparing the Old Covenant standard with the New Covenant standard. The law made various provisions for divorce, and the reason the law tolerated divorce (as Jesus later states) was for the hardness of their hearts (Matt 19:8). But now Jesus brings our focus to the higher New Covenant standard – "But I say unto you…"

Actually, Jesus is bringing things back to the original plan and purpose from the beginning. (See Mark 10:6-9.) God’s original plan for marriage was life-long commitment. There was no provision for divorce prior to the law: "But from the beginning it was not so" (Matt. 19:8).

The exception clause "saving for the cause of fornication" has been greatly misconstrued to mean a variety of things. Fornication is an act before marriage. Adultery is an act after marriage. The word "fornication" from the Greek translation (porneia) has other ramifications. However, Jesus did not preach in Greek, He preached in Aramaic/Hebrew. The word He used relates to an act before marriage!

We will cite the case in (Matt. 1:18-25) for an example: Joseph suspects that Mary has been unfaithful (fornication) during their (one year) espousal. He seeks to put away (divorce) his wife privately. The espousal was a binding contract, and Mary was counted as his wife, even though they had not yet come together. This is the only "exception" (other than death) that Jesus gave that would legitimize another marriage. If a man put away his wife for any other reason, and another took her to wife, both she and he would be in an adulterous relationship. This is further clarified in Mark 10:11-12. Also, the man who puts away his wife and marries another committeth adultery as well.

Sadly, the divorce/remarriage standard is no longer an issue in most of the church. The church basically accepts and condones remarriage. However, when revival comes, it will again become an issue because with revival comes conviction of the Word!

*There is not another case that could be cited in the New Testament to oppose the (above) example! The higher law of the New Covenant is: "Till death do us part."