‘“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”’ Matthew 5:27-28 (NIV).
Evil starts not in the act, but in the intention. Jesus emphasized in this verse that if the act is wrong, then so is the intention. Though the Old Testament law in Exodus 20:14 said that it was wrong for a person to have sex with someone other than his or her spouse, Jesus said that the desire to have sex with someone other than their spouse is also a sin.
Jesus taught that to be faithful to our spouse with our body but not with our mind is to break the trust so vital to a strong marriage. Jesus is not condemning natural interest in the opposite sex, we all have relationships with the opposite sex as neighbors, in business dealings or through conversations each day.
What Jesus is condemning however, is the filling of one’s mind with the desire to have sexual relations with those people.
Left unchecked, sinful desires and intentions will result in wrong actions and that is why to bring our thoughts under control and in line with what is right before God is imperative. To act upon evil intentions cause people to excuse sin rather than to stop sinning. It destroys marriages and is a deliberate rebellion against God’s Word.
Prayer:
‘Dear Lord, I have let my guard slip by allowing evil desires and thoughts to become acceptable when as Jesus taught, they are not. Forgive me. Help me to set a guard over my thoughts so that they will remain pure and right. Thank you.’
In Jesus’ Mighty Name,
AMEN!
Final Thoughts:
Let’s take a moment to think about our attitude towards evil desires. Do we think it is okay to have harmful or hurtful thoughts as long as they are not carried out? Jesus teaches something completely different.
The intention is just as wrong as the act itself. Perhaps it is time to reconsider our thinking and bring it in line with what Jesus says. What would it take for us to realign our attitudes to reflect the righteousness of our Father?
Be Greatly Blessed!
