공동체와 양육

A Christian's Righteousness, Prt 3 (Matt 5:31~37)

2018.04.15P. Stephen Cha

Jesus calls us to a righteousness that begins in the heart, where lust is already adultery and desire must be guarded. Sexual purity is grounded in marriage as God's covenant gift and in receiving his love, which satisfies the loneliness that often drives temptation.

Lust in the heart is already adultery

Jesus redefines adultery beyond the narrow act of sleeping with another person's spouse. The scribes measured sin by physical acts alone, but Jesus looks to the heart where lustful intent begins. Sexual immorality of every kind, including fornication, is sin that comes from within. A relationship outside marriage is wrong even when the couple is committed to each other, because neither the state nor God regards them as married. Sin must be addressed at its root in the heart, not only in outward behavior.

Sex is a covenant gift within marriage (31-32)

Sex is a gift God gives within commitment and covenant, meant for a husband and wife bound in marriage. Through becoming one flesh, a couple grows together physically, emotionally, and spiritually, opening and receiving each other in a deeply intimate way. Jesus also addresses divorce, which Moses permitted because of hardness of heart. He says the only ground for divorce is adultery, and even then the relationship can be rebuilt and restored rather than dissolved. Marriage is therefore a covenant to be honored.

Unguarded desire leads step by step into sin

David lowered his guard on a spring morning when he stayed home from battle and went up on the roof. He saw a woman bathing and let his gaze linger, then let his imagination run wild. Unguarded desire soon moves to action, and David's sin brought adultery, the death of Uriah, the loss of the child, and lasting consequences for his family. Jesus warns that such desire is serious, and that unchecked sin leads to more sin and ultimately to judgment. Job's covenant with his eyes shows that this struggle is ancient.

Guard your eyes, mind, and heart

Jesus calls for radical action, and the aim is not merely physical mutilation but dealing with the indwelling sin in the heart. Guard your eyes by being careful what you watch, especially online, where spam and unwanted sites can pull a lonely person in. Guard your imagination so it does not run toward forbidden thoughts, and turn away from temptation. Joseph models this by refusing Potiphar's wife, saying such an act is sin before God. Accountability partners and prayer help, but what matters most is the fear of God in the heart.

Loneliness is answered by Christ's presence

Many struggles are rooted in loneliness and in a heart that has not fully received God's love. Even a pastor can feel unseen and misunderstood, yet Jesus has promised to be with us until the end of the age. His love was shown fully at the cross, and when we come to him humbly and live as his beloved, our inner person grows stronger. Confidence in God's love, cultivated through daily prayer and his word, enables us to say no to temptation and bear fruit that blesses others.

Apply to Life

  • Let us examine our hearts and deal with lust before it takes root.
  • Let us honor marriage as a covenant and refuse any relationship outside it.
  • Let us guard our eyes, our screens, and our imagination.
  • Let us seek accountability and pray for one another in our struggles.
  • Let us come humbly to Christ and receive his love daily as his beloved.

This summary was made automatically from the sermon's captions and may differ from the sermon.

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