The next subject that Jesus teaches us about is the 7th commandment, which is, “You shall not commit adultery.” (Matthew 5:27; Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18). Sexual immorality is one of the easily besetting sins of mankind. Once again, The Lord Jesus tells us the correct interpretation of the 7th commandment is violated when we lust or covet another person sexually outside of the covenant of marriage.
But the Scriptures condemn all sexual sin outside of the covenant of marriage. The Holy Spirit tells un in Hebrews 13:4 that “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” Contrary to secular opinion, the moral commandments of God are revelations of His deep love and care for His creation. I doubt that there is a person reading this devotional who has not experienced the pain and sorrow of sexual immorality either personally or by way of seeing its devastating effects on others. This sin, like all other sin, is not to be taken lightly!
The temptation of sexual sin is common to each one of us (1 Corinthians 10:13). Jesus instructs us to take deliberate action to deal with this sin. “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” (Matthew 5:29,30) Jesus is not telling us that self mutilation is the way to deal with sexual sin, because even blind people struggle with lust in their hearts. Jesus is talking about the need to kill the seed of sexual sin at the source of origin. The Apostle Paul put it this way: “Therefore put to death (mortify) your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” (Colossians 3:5) I believe it was one of the Puritans who said, “Either we kill sin or sin will kill us.”
It is by putting on the whole armor of God that we stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11). By yielding ourselves to the truth of God we escape the snares of sin (Romans 6:11-17). In our own strength we are no match for any sin, but as a regenerated (Titus 3:5) son of God (John 1:12-13), we have the power of God The Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; Ephesians 1:13) to enable us to walk in holiness (1 Thessalonians 4:7) and purity (1 John 3:3).
