WEBVTT

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 It's so good to worship with you guys.

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 Sometimes when I worship, on Sunday mornings, I'm just overwhelmed by God's love for me.

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! And then as I look around, I'm overwhelmed by God's love for you.

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 You are so loved by God, and that's reason enough for me to well up with love for you.

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 And it's a privilege for me to be counted among you, to worship with you,

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 and to get to now preach God's word to you.

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 So please turn with me in your Bible to Matthew chapter 5, verse 27 to 32.

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 Let me pray before we read for God's help.

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 Heavenly Father,

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 You know all things.

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 You see all things.

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 And Your word searches our hearts.

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 And as we stand before a bracing, searching passage like this, Lord, we feel exposed, ashamed in our sin.

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 I ask, Father, that the conviction of sin would not lead us to wallow in guilt and shame,

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 but it would lead to godly grief and sorrow that leads to repentance,

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 to transformation, to growth, to holiness and purity.

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 And I ask, Father, that You would reveal more deeply the power of the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ,

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 so that we walk away from this place assured and rejoicing in the full forgiveness and freedom that is found in Him alone.

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 In Jesus' name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 If you are able, please stand as I read from Matthew 5, 27 to 32,

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 to honor God as we read from His word.

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 You have heard that it was said,

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 You shall not commit adultery.

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 But I say to you,

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 that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent

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 has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

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 If your right eye causes you to sin,

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 tear it out and throw it away.

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 For it is better that you lose one of your members

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 than that your whole body be thrown into hell.

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 And if your right hand causes you to sin,

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 cut it off and throw it away.

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 For it is better that you lose one of your members

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 than that your whole body go into hell.

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 It was also said,

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 Whoever divorces his wife,

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 let him give her a certificate of divorce.

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 But I say to you,

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 that everyone who divorces his wife,

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 except on the ground of sexual immorality,

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 makes her commit adultery.

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 And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

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 It's God's holy and authoritative word.

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 Please be seated.

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 An estimated 50 to 60% of married men

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 and 45 to 55% of married women commit adultery.

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 That means marital infidelity affects nearly half of all couples in the world

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 or in our country.

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 Nearly 50% of married couples get divorced

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 and over 70% of second marriages,

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 a second try,

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 and then divorce.

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 Adultery and divorce are both rampant in our sinful world.

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 And I don't think it should surprise any of us

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 that what is often at the heart

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 and at the root of divorce and adultery

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 is lust,

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 which is what Jesus addresses in this passage.

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 As the redeemed bride of Christ,

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 we must fight both the adultery of the body

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 and the adultery of the heart.

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 That's the main point of Jesus' teaching here.

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 And we're going to first talk about adultery through lust

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 in verses 27 to 30,

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 and then adultery through divorce

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 in verse 31 and 32.

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 In his overarching teaching about the Old Testament law

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 in the preceding passage in verses 17 to 20,

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 Jesus said,

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 I have not come to abolish the law,

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 but to fulfill them.

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 And for I tell you,

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 unless your righteousness exceeds

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 that of the scribes and the Pharisees,

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 you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

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 Then in the following six passages,

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 as I mentioned last week,

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 Jesus gives us a series of six antitheses

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 or contrasts where he uses the same formula.

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 You have heard that it was said,

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 and he will cite some Old Testament scripture

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 or how the Jews understood and interpreted that scripture,

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 and he will say,

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 but I say to you,

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 offering a contrast,

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 a better and a fuller exposition

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 and interpretation of that passage.

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 Jesus is showing us through this series

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 what true Christian obedience

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 and righteousness looks like.

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 This is the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees,

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 but your righteousness must exceed that,

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 and this is what Jesus shows us.

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 We looked at the first antithesis last week,

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 and we're looking at the second and third today,

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 and he begins with that same formula in verse 27.

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 You have heard that it was said,

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 you shall not commit adultery.

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 This time,

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 Jesus is citing the seventh of the Ten Commandments

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 from Exodus 20, verse 13,

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 and Deuteronomy 5, 17.

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 Adultery specifically refers to

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 a married person being involved

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 in some kind of sexual relations

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 with someone who is not his or her spouse,

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 or having sexual relations with someone

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 who is another person's husband or wife.

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 The Jews of Jesus' day

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 correctly understood adultery to be sinful,

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 and they believed that it was forbidden by God's word.

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 However, they defined adultery so narrowly

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 and thereby circumscribed and limited this law,

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 the scope of this law,

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 that it lost the true force and the heart

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 and the spirit of the law.

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 So in verse 28,

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 Jesus gets to the heart of the seventh commandment

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 and reveals its full scope when he says,

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 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman

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 with lustful intent

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 has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

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 The Greek word for lustful intent

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 simply means desire or longing.

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 It's a neutral word that can be used

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 for desire for good things

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 as well as desire for bad things.

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 When it refers to desiring and longing

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 for something that is forbidden,

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 something that belongs to another

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 and is not rightfully yours,

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 it is often translated in scripture as coveting.

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 And the Jews should have already known,

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 based on the Ten Commandments,

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 that lustful desire is also forbidden,

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 not just adultery,

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 because the Tenth Commandment

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 in the Ten Commandments

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 is you shall not covet,

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 and it says specifically,

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 you shall not covet your neighbor's wife

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 and vice versa,

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 your neighbor's husband also.

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 It is sinful to sleep

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 with your neighbor's wife or husband,

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 it's also sinful to desire

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 or long for your neighbor's wife or husband.

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 True obedience to God

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 is not only external,

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 but internal.

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 It entails not only keeping our bodies pure,

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 but keeping our hearts and minds pure,

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 because out of the heart,

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 Jesus says in Matthew 15, 19,

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 out of the heart comes evil thoughts,

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 adultery, sexual immorality.

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 They originate in the human heart.

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 Our sinful world appeals to this lust

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 in innumerable ways.

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 Sex appeal is a major selling point,

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 remains so to this day in advertising and media,

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 especially in fashion, lifestyle,

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 and entertainment industries.

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 Many influencers on social media

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 are not shy about selling their product

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 with visual appeal to get more clicks.

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 Dating apps pander to instant gratification,

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 and they promise casual encounters.

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 The global porn industry,

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 which some estimate to be worth

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 up to $287 billion,

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 which is more than Hollywood and NFL combined,

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 inflames people's lusts every day

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 to the tune of hundreds of millions

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 of daily visits to porn sites

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 and billions of visits per month.

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 Studies say that 78% of men

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 and 44% of women watch porn.

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 This is not a male-only problem.

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 It doesn't matter that it is

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 pornified cartoons or manga or anime

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 or a video game.

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 It has the same adulterating effect

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 on the human heart

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 and the same deadly consequences

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 in our lives.

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 It's a pernicious lie,

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 in fact, that porn is harmless.

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 It objectifies women primarily,

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 but also some men.

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 It promotes sexual degradation,

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 exploitation, and trafficking.

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 It distorts real-life intimacy

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 and relationships,

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 creates unrealistic expectations,

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 and makes it increasingly difficult

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 for people to have real intimacy

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 and real relationships.

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 It erodes trust.

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 It impairs people's capacity

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 for genuine sexual intimacy as well.

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 A study published in the journal

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 Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity

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 found that 70% of wives of sex addicts

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 could be diagnosed

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 with post-traumatic stress disorder.

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 Another study reports

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 that 56% of divorce cases

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 involved one party

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 having an obsessive interest

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 in pornographic materials.

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 In fact, when pornography

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 is involved in a marriage,

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 couples are twice as likely to divorce.

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 Jesus was right.

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 Lust is far from harmless.

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 And don't think that lust

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 always involves the eyes only.

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 Sometimes it takes place

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 entirely in the mind

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 and in the imagination.

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 Last year,

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 a New York Times article claimed

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 that a certain novel

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 which talks about

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 a middle-aged woman

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 committing adultery

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 and experimenting with open marriage

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 is the, quote,

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 talk of every group text

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 composed of women over 40.

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 I was a little skeptical.

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 So this week,

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 when I was preparing for this sermon,

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 I checked the Cambridge Public Library

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 for this book.

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 I did not check it out.

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 Don't worry.

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 Even if I don't want to,

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 I don't want anything to do with it.

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 But even if I wanted to check it out,

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 I couldn't check it out

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 because the library

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 has 260 hard copies.

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 260!

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 This is Cambridge Public Library,

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 not Boston Public Library.

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 Cambridge Public Library,

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 260 copies all checked out

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 with 349 people on the wait list.

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 This is our city.

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 There are 286 e-book copies

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 of this book all checked out.

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 957 people on that wait list.

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 157 audiobook copies of this book

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 all checked out.

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 501 people on that wait list.

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 And that's just in Cambridge,

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 a tiny city.

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 Also last year,

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 a popular collection

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 of female sexual fantasies

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 was published by an actress.

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 That kind of literature

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 that capitalizes on people's sinful lust

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 is on the rise.

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 Once again,

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 Jesus is here exposing

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 the pitfalls of legalism.

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 Legalism is concerned

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 with the letter of the law

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 and not with the spirit

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 or the heart of the law.

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 Both Jews and Romans

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 actually denounced adultery

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 because they saw it

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 as a violation

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 of man's property rights

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 and because they saw it

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 as a threat

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 to legitimate paternal lineage

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 because it might raise questions

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 about whether someone

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 is a true heir or not.

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 So they both opposed adultery.

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 However,

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 here's the catch.

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 A married man

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 was considered

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 to be adulterous

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 only if his female partner

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 was a free woman.

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 If he slept

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 with a slave woman,

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 a concubine,

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 or with a prostitute,

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 then there were no problems,

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 no legal ramifications.

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 He could do it

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 as many times

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 as he wanted.

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 Fourth century B.C.

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 Greek politician Demosthenes

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 famously captures this reality

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 in his saying.

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 He says,

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 we keep prostitutes

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 for pleasure.

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 We keep mistresses

00:13:48.819 --> 00:13:50.019
 for the day-to-day needs

00:13:50.019 --> 00:13:50.559
 of the body.

00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:51.720
 We keep wives

00:13:51.720 --> 00:13:52.899
 for the begetting of children

00:13:52.899 --> 00:13:53.699
 and for the faithful

00:13:53.699 --> 00:13:55.019
 guardianship of our homes.

00:13:57.720 --> 00:13:59.360
 The Jewish position

00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:00.159
 was unfortunately

00:14:00.159 --> 00:14:01.019
 not too dissimilar

00:14:01.579 --> 00:14:02.460
 at the time.

00:14:04.460 --> 00:14:05.259
 Do you see

00:14:05.259 --> 00:14:07.159
 how evil this is?

00:14:07.159 --> 00:14:10.500
 to justify

00:14:10.500 --> 00:14:11.419
 all manner

00:14:11.419 --> 00:14:12.360
 of sexual sin

00:14:12.360 --> 00:14:12.799
 and saying,

00:14:12.959 --> 00:14:13.179
 well,

00:14:13.419 --> 00:14:14.539
 it's not adultery.

00:14:14.620 --> 00:14:15.240
 I haven't really

00:14:15.240 --> 00:14:15.939
 crossed the line.

00:14:22.120 --> 00:14:23.000
 Related to this,

00:14:23.079 --> 00:14:23.559
 there was also

00:14:23.559 --> 00:14:24.879
 a gross double standard

00:14:24.879 --> 00:14:25.659
 at play.

00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:26.679
 While husbands

00:14:26.679 --> 00:14:27.139
 could sleep

00:14:27.139 --> 00:14:28.799
 with any many concubines

00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:29.620
 and prostitutes

00:14:29.620 --> 00:14:30.039
 as they want,

00:14:30.100 --> 00:14:30.939
 the wives could not

00:14:30.939 --> 00:14:31.779
 because of the fear

00:14:31.779 --> 00:14:32.939
 that they'll be impregnated.

00:14:32.940 --> 00:14:35.080
 For example,

00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:36.140
 in 1 Corinthians 6,

00:14:36.200 --> 00:14:36.800
 12-19,

00:14:36.920 --> 00:14:37.700
 Paul rebukes

00:14:37.700 --> 00:14:39.300
 reputedly Christian men

00:14:39.300 --> 00:14:41.440
 for sleeping

00:14:41.440 --> 00:14:42.380
 with prostitutes.

00:14:43.960 --> 00:14:45.300
 So-called Christians

00:14:45.300 --> 00:14:46.660
 were justifying

00:14:46.660 --> 00:14:47.760
 sleeping with prostitutes

00:14:47.760 --> 00:14:48.260
 saying,

00:14:48.760 --> 00:14:49.300
 food is meant

00:14:49.300 --> 00:14:49.820
 for the stomach

00:14:49.820 --> 00:14:50.760
 and stomach for food.

00:14:50.880 --> 00:14:51.180
 Likewise,

00:14:51.380 --> 00:14:52.160
 what they were implying

00:14:52.160 --> 00:14:52.740
 was the body

00:14:52.740 --> 00:14:53.480
 is meant for sex

00:14:53.480 --> 00:14:54.420
 and sex for the body

00:14:54.420 --> 00:14:55.200
 and that's what I'm doing.

00:14:55.300 --> 00:14:56.100
 I'm using what the body

00:14:56.100 --> 00:14:56.700
 was made for.

00:14:56.800 --> 00:14:57.260
 That's what God

00:14:57.260 --> 00:14:58.240
 created the body for.

00:14:59.460 --> 00:15:00.280
 There's nothing wrong

00:15:00.280 --> 00:15:00.660
 with that.

00:15:00.659 --> 00:15:03.019
 That's the kind

00:15:03.019 --> 00:15:04.139
 of promiscuous culture

00:15:04.139 --> 00:15:04.959
 into which Jesus

00:15:04.959 --> 00:15:06.059
 is speaking into.

00:15:06.899 --> 00:15:07.740
 And in John 8,

00:15:07.819 --> 00:15:08.059
 do you remember

00:15:08.059 --> 00:15:08.919
 the story in verses

00:15:08.919 --> 00:15:09.799
 1-11?

00:15:09.939 --> 00:15:10.519
 The scribes

00:15:10.519 --> 00:15:11.299
 and the Pharisees,

00:15:11.419 --> 00:15:12.699
 they catch somehow

00:15:12.699 --> 00:15:14.379
 a woman in the act

00:15:14.379 --> 00:15:15.000
 of adultery.

00:15:15.419 --> 00:15:16.219
 This woman is caught

00:15:16.219 --> 00:15:17.139
 in the act of adultery

00:15:17.139 --> 00:15:18.259
 and they bring her in

00:15:18.259 --> 00:15:19.600
 and then they say this

00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:20.399
 to trap Jesus.

00:15:20.519 --> 00:15:20.699
 They say,

00:15:20.919 --> 00:15:21.899
 now in the law of Moses,

00:15:22.259 --> 00:15:23.120
 Moses commanded us

00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:24.259
 to stone such woman.

00:15:24.579 --> 00:15:25.379
 What do you say?

00:15:26.360 --> 00:15:27.259
 If Jesus says,

00:15:27.679 --> 00:15:28.199
 stone her,

00:15:28.659 --> 00:15:29.639
 then they can get him

00:15:29.639 --> 00:15:30.519
 in trouble with the

00:15:30.519 --> 00:15:31.559
 Romans who did not

00:15:31.559 --> 00:15:32.279
 give the Jews

00:15:32.279 --> 00:15:33.419
 the right to capital

00:15:33.419 --> 00:15:33.899
 punishment.

00:15:34.519 --> 00:15:35.299
 But if he said,

00:15:35.379 --> 00:15:36.259
 no, don't stone her,

00:15:36.319 --> 00:15:37.360
 then they could paint him

00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:38.559
 as someone who abolishes

00:15:38.559 --> 00:15:39.819
 and nullifies the law

00:15:39.819 --> 00:15:41.460
 of God as a law breaker.

00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:42.179
 So they're just trying

00:15:42.179 --> 00:15:42.879
 to trap him.

00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:45.720
 But when you read

00:15:45.720 --> 00:15:46.179
 that story,

00:15:46.259 --> 00:15:47.199
 have you ever wondered,

00:15:47.980 --> 00:15:48.919
 where is the man?

00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:52.019
 Because it takes two

00:15:52.019 --> 00:15:53.220
 people to commit adultery.

00:15:54.379 --> 00:15:55.559
 And she was caught

00:15:55.559 --> 00:15:56.460
 in the act.

00:15:57.019 --> 00:15:57.620
 The man must have

00:15:57.620 --> 00:15:58.340
 been right there.

00:15:58.340 --> 00:16:01.100
 You only bring

00:16:01.100 --> 00:16:01.840
 the woman

00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:04.019
 to charge

00:16:04.019 --> 00:16:06.320
 before Jesus.

00:16:09.420 --> 00:16:10.100
 Rampant

00:16:10.100 --> 00:16:12.660
 promiscuity,

00:16:15.660 --> 00:16:16.840
 adultery,

00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:18.460
 a double standard

00:16:18.460 --> 00:16:18.840
 at work.

00:16:19.040 --> 00:16:19.759
 That's the problem

00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:20.740
 with legalism.

00:16:21.300 --> 00:16:22.100
 You can be

00:16:22.100 --> 00:16:23.639
 a legalistic Christian

00:16:23.639 --> 00:16:24.379
 that obeys

00:16:24.379 --> 00:16:25.120
 God's law

00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:26.320
 in all of its

00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:27.340
 outward forms,

00:16:27.659 --> 00:16:28.740
 yet without ever

00:16:28.740 --> 00:16:29.720
 having love

00:16:29.720 --> 00:16:30.399
 for God

00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:31.060
 in your heart.

00:16:34.679 --> 00:16:35.960
 Legalism is concerned

00:16:35.960 --> 00:16:36.879
 with legality

00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:37.539
 out of

00:16:37.539 --> 00:16:39.060
 self-preservation,

00:16:39.500 --> 00:16:40.879
 out of self-interest.

00:16:41.460 --> 00:16:42.220
 In contrast,

00:16:42.379 --> 00:16:43.299
 true Christian obedience

00:16:43.299 --> 00:16:43.879
 is concerned

00:16:43.879 --> 00:16:45.259
 with pleasing God.

00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:47.320
 What is God's will?

00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:48.799
 What tends

00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:49.740
 to God's glory?

00:16:51.879 --> 00:16:52.940
 Legalism is concerned

00:16:52.940 --> 00:16:53.660
 with the limits

00:16:53.660 --> 00:16:54.640
 and the lines

00:16:54.640 --> 00:16:55.940
 of obedience,

00:16:56.480 --> 00:16:57.320
 of God's commands.

00:16:57.700 --> 00:16:58.360
 True obedience

00:16:58.360 --> 00:16:58.860
 is concerned

00:16:58.860 --> 00:16:59.640
 with the heart

00:16:59.640 --> 00:17:00.600
 and the spirit

00:17:00.600 --> 00:17:01.420
 of God's commands.

00:17:04.580 --> 00:17:05.240
 Once again,

00:17:05.299 --> 00:17:05.680
 when it comes

00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:06.620
 to sexual immorality,

00:17:06.920 --> 00:17:07.640
 too many Christians

00:17:07.640 --> 00:17:08.240
 ask,

00:17:09.019 --> 00:17:10.420
 where are the lines?

00:17:10.920 --> 00:17:11.840
 Where are the limits

00:17:11.840 --> 00:17:13.620
 of God's commands?

00:17:14.120 --> 00:17:14.820
 So that I can

00:17:14.820 --> 00:17:15.820
 edge as close

00:17:15.820 --> 00:17:16.420
 as I can

00:17:16.420 --> 00:17:17.840
 to that line

00:17:17.840 --> 00:17:18.720
 without crossing it.

00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:24.360
 how physically

00:17:24.360 --> 00:17:24.900
 intimate

00:17:24.900 --> 00:17:25.700
 can I get

00:17:25.700 --> 00:17:26.519
 with my boyfriend

00:17:26.519 --> 00:17:26.960
 or girlfriend

00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:27.680
 without crossing

00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:28.079
 the line?

00:17:30.819 --> 00:17:32.000
 Is kissing okay?

00:17:32.759 --> 00:17:33.819
 Is petting okay?

00:17:34.259 --> 00:17:34.920
 Can I cuddle

00:17:34.920 --> 00:17:35.900
 and sleep next to them

00:17:35.900 --> 00:17:36.440
 as long as we're

00:17:36.440 --> 00:17:37.220
 not having intercourse?

00:17:37.620 --> 00:17:38.539
 Can I cohabit

00:17:38.539 --> 00:17:38.860
 with them

00:17:38.860 --> 00:17:39.600
 as long as we have

00:17:39.600 --> 00:17:40.319
 separate rooms?

00:17:41.059 --> 00:17:41.940
 Why would you

00:17:41.940 --> 00:17:43.200
 invite temptation

00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:44.400
 into your life?

00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:46.880
 Why would you

00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:48.180
 inflame the lusts

00:17:48.180 --> 00:17:48.800
 that are already

00:17:48.800 --> 00:17:49.560
 strong enough

00:17:49.560 --> 00:17:50.160
 in your life?

00:17:53.519 --> 00:17:54.500
 How many times

00:17:54.500 --> 00:17:54.920
 have people

00:17:54.920 --> 00:17:56.140
 said this kind of things,

00:17:56.220 --> 00:17:56.820
 these kinds of things

00:17:56.820 --> 00:17:57.259
 to themselves?

00:17:57.820 --> 00:17:58.360
 Well, I've been

00:17:58.360 --> 00:18:00.019
 exchanging suggestive texts

00:18:00.019 --> 00:18:00.920
 with my co-worker,

00:18:01.060 --> 00:18:02.000
 but we haven't actually

00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:02.800
 done anything.

00:18:06.660 --> 00:18:08.019
 I haven't committed adultery.

00:18:10.080 --> 00:18:11.140
 I've been exchanging

00:18:11.140 --> 00:18:12.080
 long glances

00:18:12.080 --> 00:18:12.960
 and flirting

00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:13.759
 with this woman

00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:14.379
 at the gym,

00:18:14.599 --> 00:18:15.859
 but nothing ever

00:18:15.859 --> 00:18:17.240
 really happened.

00:18:20.920 --> 00:18:22.180
 Adultery of the heart

00:18:22.180 --> 00:18:22.700
 happened,

00:18:22.859 --> 00:18:23.460
 Jesus says.

00:18:30.539 --> 00:18:31.400
 Have you ever

00:18:31.400 --> 00:18:32.079
 scrolled through

00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:33.319
 suggestive photos

00:18:33.319 --> 00:18:34.119
 and videos

00:18:34.119 --> 00:18:34.900
 on Instagram

00:18:34.900 --> 00:18:35.599
 and TikTok

00:18:35.599 --> 00:18:36.319
 skirting

00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:37.619
 on the edges

00:18:37.619 --> 00:18:38.539
 of propriety

00:18:38.539 --> 00:18:42.900
 without going

00:18:42.900 --> 00:18:43.920
 into full-blown porn

00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:44.280
 and then

00:18:44.280 --> 00:18:45.860
 justifying yourself

00:18:45.860 --> 00:18:46.100
 saying,

00:18:46.220 --> 00:18:46.300
 well,

00:18:46.340 --> 00:18:46.920
 it's not porn.

00:18:50.519 --> 00:18:51.900
 The idolatry,

00:18:52.120 --> 00:18:53.019
 the adultery

00:18:53.019 --> 00:18:53.700
 of the heart

00:18:53.700 --> 00:18:54.240
 has already

00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:55.060
 taken place

00:18:55.060 --> 00:18:56.120
 in your heart

00:18:56.120 --> 00:18:57.360
 when you look

00:18:57.360 --> 00:18:57.940
 at others

00:18:57.940 --> 00:18:59.000
 with lustful

00:18:59.000 --> 00:18:59.800
 longing.

00:18:59.799 --> 00:18:59.919
 love.

00:18:59.919 --> 00:19:00.659
 If coveting

00:19:00.659 --> 00:19:06.440
 is sin,

00:19:07.559 --> 00:19:08.639
 if lustful

00:19:08.639 --> 00:19:09.180
 desire

00:19:09.180 --> 00:19:10.240
 is sin

00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:10.700
 in and of

00:19:10.700 --> 00:19:11.299
 itself,

00:19:13.500 --> 00:19:14.839
 I'm about to say

00:19:14.839 --> 00:19:15.139
 something

00:19:15.139 --> 00:19:16.779
 controversial here,

00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:18.700
 but I wouldn't say it

00:19:18.700 --> 00:19:19.500
 if I weren't fully

00:19:19.500 --> 00:19:20.539
 convinced that this is

00:19:20.539 --> 00:19:21.639
 exactly what God's

00:19:21.639 --> 00:19:22.039
 Word teaches.

00:19:23.579 --> 00:19:25.220
 If lustful desire

00:19:25.220 --> 00:19:25.700
 is sinful

00:19:25.700 --> 00:19:26.319
 in and of itself,

00:19:26.440 --> 00:19:27.259
 then that means

00:19:27.259 --> 00:19:28.579
 homosexual desire

00:19:28.579 --> 00:19:31.460
 and all kinds

00:19:31.460 --> 00:19:32.099
 of other

00:19:32.099 --> 00:19:32.920
 deviant sexual

00:19:32.920 --> 00:19:33.420
 desires

00:19:33.420 --> 00:19:35.099
 are also sinful.

00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:41.039
 I singled this out

00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:42.079
 because I have noticed

00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:43.599
 a misguided tendency

00:19:43.599 --> 00:19:45.200
 among Christian leaders

00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:46.799
 and Christian authors

00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:50.079
 to separate

00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:51.339
 homosexual acts

00:19:51.339 --> 00:19:52.240
 from homosexual

00:19:52.240 --> 00:19:52.960
 desires

00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:54.160
 and to justify

00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:55.000
 the desires

00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:55.920
 as long as

00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:56.379
 they are not

00:19:56.379 --> 00:19:57.180
 acted on.

00:19:57.259 --> 00:20:01.299
 That's a grave

00:20:01.299 --> 00:20:01.859
 mistake.

00:20:03.720 --> 00:20:04.140
 Sure,

00:20:04.220 --> 00:20:05.180
 is there a difference

00:20:05.180 --> 00:20:05.960
 between temptation

00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:06.460
 and sin?

00:20:06.539 --> 00:20:06.859
 Of course,

00:20:06.940 --> 00:20:07.359
 there's a difference

00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:07.960
 between temptation

00:20:07.960 --> 00:20:08.259
 and sin.

00:20:08.299 --> 00:20:09.019
 We can be tempted

00:20:09.019 --> 00:20:10.500
 from the outside in.

00:20:11.099 --> 00:20:11.980
 It's not your fault

00:20:11.980 --> 00:20:12.819
 that you're driving by

00:20:12.819 --> 00:20:13.619
 and there's a billboard

00:20:13.619 --> 00:20:14.400
 with a naked woman

00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:14.740
 on it.

00:20:19.579 --> 00:20:20.519
 In that case,

00:20:20.640 --> 00:20:21.519
 that outside in

00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:21.960
 temptation,

00:20:22.119 --> 00:20:22.799
 Martin Luther's

00:20:22.799 --> 00:20:23.700
 proverb applies,

00:20:24.059 --> 00:20:24.759
 you cannot prevent

00:20:24.759 --> 00:20:25.180
 the birds

00:20:25.180 --> 00:20:27.019
 from flying in the air

00:20:27.019 --> 00:20:27.639
 over your head

00:20:27.639 --> 00:20:28.440
 but you can certainly

00:20:28.440 --> 00:20:29.000
 prevent them

00:20:29.000 --> 00:20:29.920
 from building a nest

00:20:29.920 --> 00:20:30.480
 in your hair.

00:20:31.480 --> 00:20:32.099
 When you're tempted

00:20:32.099 --> 00:20:33.000
 from the outside in,

00:20:33.059 --> 00:20:33.740
 don't linger

00:20:33.740 --> 00:20:35.960
 on that temptation.

00:20:37.500 --> 00:20:38.559
 Don't let that

00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:39.220
 temptation take

00:20:39.220 --> 00:20:40.519
 residence in your heart.

00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:42.420
 Flee.

00:20:43.819 --> 00:20:44.639
 But that's not

00:20:44.639 --> 00:20:45.339
 the only kind

00:20:45.339 --> 00:20:45.799
 of temptation.

00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:46.420
 There is another

00:20:46.420 --> 00:20:47.240
 kind of temptation.

00:20:47.240 --> 00:20:48.079
 temptation that is

00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:49.859
 from the inside out.

00:20:52.279 --> 00:20:53.839
 James 1, 14-16

00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:54.180
 says,

00:20:54.359 --> 00:20:55.160
 but each person

00:20:55.160 --> 00:20:55.720
 is tempted

00:20:55.720 --> 00:20:57.019
 when he is lured

00:20:57.019 --> 00:20:57.960
 and enticed

00:20:57.960 --> 00:21:00.680
 by his own desire.

00:21:02.779 --> 00:21:03.259
 Then,

00:21:03.500 --> 00:21:03.859
 desire,

00:21:04.019 --> 00:21:04.720
 when it has conceived,

00:21:04.859 --> 00:21:05.940
 gives birth to sin

00:21:05.940 --> 00:21:06.440
 and sin,

00:21:06.519 --> 00:21:07.359
 when it's fully grown,

00:21:07.480 --> 00:21:08.660
 brings forth death.

00:21:10.620 --> 00:21:11.579
 When we are

00:21:11.579 --> 00:21:12.620
 sexually tempted

00:21:12.620 --> 00:21:14.099
 from the inside out,

00:21:14.200 --> 00:21:15.140
 the old theologians

00:21:15.140 --> 00:21:15.779
 used to call that

00:21:15.779 --> 00:21:16.779
 concupiscence,

00:21:16.779 --> 00:21:18.200
 it betrays

00:21:18.200 --> 00:21:19.399
 our sin nature.

00:21:20.440 --> 00:21:21.019
 It reveals

00:21:21.019 --> 00:21:22.019
 that our desires

00:21:22.019 --> 00:21:22.559
 themselves

00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:23.460
 are not aligned

00:21:23.460 --> 00:21:24.519
 with God's will.

00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:25.899
 These desires

00:21:25.899 --> 00:21:27.259
 incubate

00:21:27.259 --> 00:21:28.119
 and ultimately

00:21:28.119 --> 00:21:29.279
 give birth to sin

00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:30.039
 which eventually

00:21:30.039 --> 00:21:30.740
 when fully grown

00:21:30.740 --> 00:21:31.519
 leads to death.

00:21:32.399 --> 00:21:33.139
 If that's the case,

00:21:33.160 --> 00:21:34.240
 should we not resist

00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:35.299
 these desires?

00:21:36.399 --> 00:21:37.500
 Should we not fight

00:21:37.500 --> 00:21:38.599
 these desires

00:21:38.599 --> 00:21:39.819
 instead of coming

00:21:39.819 --> 00:21:40.759
 to terms with it?

00:21:44.079 --> 00:21:45.039
 Why do people,

00:21:45.240 --> 00:21:46.759
 why do some Christians

00:21:46.759 --> 00:21:48.400
 call themselves

00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:49.740
 gay Christians

00:21:49.740 --> 00:21:52.119
 or same-sex attracted

00:21:52.119 --> 00:21:52.740
 Christians,

00:21:52.920 --> 00:21:53.740
 SSA Christians?

00:21:55.420 --> 00:21:56.379
 The fact that

00:21:56.379 --> 00:21:57.220
 so many Christians

00:21:57.220 --> 00:21:58.039
 in the world

00:21:58.039 --> 00:21:59.420
 consider that to be okay

00:21:59.420 --> 00:22:00.900
 shows just how much

00:22:00.900 --> 00:22:02.420
 homosexuality has become

00:22:02.420 --> 00:22:03.000
 normalized

00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:05.619
 and how worldly

00:22:05.619 --> 00:22:06.579
 the Christians have become.

00:22:06.579 --> 00:22:10.619
 I've never met Christians

00:22:10.619 --> 00:22:11.759
 who identify themselves

00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:13.839
 as adultery-attracted

00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:14.259
 Christians

00:22:14.259 --> 00:22:17.639
 or fornication-attracted

00:22:17.639 --> 00:22:18.059
 Christians

00:22:18.059 --> 00:22:20.500
 or BDSM-attracted

00:22:20.500 --> 00:22:20.859
 Christians

00:22:20.859 --> 00:22:22.159
 or zoophilic

00:22:22.159 --> 00:22:22.519
 Christians

00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:23.480
 or pedophilic

00:22:23.480 --> 00:22:23.859
 Christians

00:22:23.859 --> 00:22:25.019
 who would identify

00:22:25.019 --> 00:22:26.099
 with such things.

00:22:26.939 --> 00:22:27.759
 Why would we

00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:28.779
 identify ourselves

00:22:28.779 --> 00:22:29.279
 with something

00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:29.839
 that is something

00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:30.639
 that is disordered

00:22:30.639 --> 00:22:31.379
 and displeasing

00:22:31.379 --> 00:22:31.899
 to God?

00:22:31.900 --> 00:22:37.519
 Because humanity

00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:38.200
 is fallen

00:22:38.200 --> 00:22:39.480
 and depraved,

00:22:39.680 --> 00:22:40.680
 we have all kinds

00:22:40.680 --> 00:22:41.880
 of ungodly desires

00:22:41.880 --> 00:22:42.460
 that rise

00:22:42.460 --> 00:22:43.480
 from within our hearts

00:22:43.480 --> 00:22:44.840
 and these desires

00:22:44.840 --> 00:22:46.000
 can feel

00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:47.300
 very natural

00:22:47.300 --> 00:22:50.900
 but that does not mean

00:22:50.900 --> 00:22:51.560
 that they are

00:22:51.560 --> 00:22:52.360
 right.

00:22:52.359 --> 00:22:58.099
 when we're tempted

00:22:58.099 --> 00:22:58.839
 by those desires

00:22:58.839 --> 00:22:59.779
 we need to struggle

00:22:59.779 --> 00:23:00.379
 against them

00:23:00.379 --> 00:23:01.659
 fight against them

00:23:01.659 --> 00:23:03.899
 not accept them

00:23:03.899 --> 00:23:04.779
 and make peace

00:23:04.779 --> 00:23:05.139
 with them

00:23:05.139 --> 00:23:06.379
 and declare proudly

00:23:06.379 --> 00:23:07.399
 that that's a part

00:23:07.399 --> 00:23:08.639
 of who we are.

00:23:12.899 --> 00:23:14.719
 Making sexual orientation

00:23:14.719 --> 00:23:15.500
 or preference

00:23:15.500 --> 00:23:17.519
 a part of your identity

00:23:17.519 --> 00:23:20.899
 is Sigmund Freud's idea.

00:23:20.900 --> 00:23:22.940
 It's not a biblical idea.

00:23:31.780 --> 00:23:32.780
 Lustful desires

00:23:32.780 --> 00:23:34.080
 not only lustful acts

00:23:34.080 --> 00:23:34.780
 are sin.

00:23:35.400 --> 00:23:36.240
 D. Marlon Jones

00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:37.040
 is helpful here.

00:23:37.240 --> 00:23:37.920
 He says in his book

00:23:37.920 --> 00:23:38.680
 studies in the Sermon

00:23:38.680 --> 00:23:39.080
 on the Mount

00:23:39.080 --> 00:23:40.500
 but let me say a word

00:23:40.500 --> 00:23:41.759
 about the subtlety of sin.

00:23:42.320 --> 00:23:43.500
 Sin is this terrible thing

00:23:43.500 --> 00:23:44.440
 which so deludes

00:23:44.440 --> 00:23:45.240
 and fools us

00:23:45.240 --> 00:23:46.140
 as to make us feel

00:23:46.140 --> 00:23:46.940
 quite happy

00:23:46.940 --> 00:23:48.019
 and contented

00:23:48.019 --> 00:23:48.880
 so long as we have

00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:50.019
 not committed the act.

00:23:50.900 --> 00:23:51.940
 Yes, I say

00:23:51.940 --> 00:23:52.620
 I was tempted

00:23:52.620 --> 00:23:53.480
 but thank God

00:23:53.480 --> 00:23:54.300
 I did not fall.

00:23:54.860 --> 00:23:55.740
 That is all right

00:23:55.740 --> 00:23:56.759
 up to a point

00:23:56.759 --> 00:23:58.440
 so long as I am not

00:23:58.440 --> 00:23:59.960
 too content with that.

00:24:00.400 --> 00:24:01.880
 If I am merely satisfied

00:24:01.880 --> 00:24:02.380
 with the fact

00:24:02.380 --> 00:24:03.680
 that I did not do the thing

00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:04.580
 I am all wrong.

00:24:04.920 --> 00:24:05.900
 I ought to go on

00:24:05.900 --> 00:24:06.380
 and ask

00:24:06.380 --> 00:24:07.980
 but why did I

00:24:07.980 --> 00:24:09.540
 want to do it?

00:24:09.539 --> 00:24:17.759
 legalists are always

00:24:17.759 --> 00:24:19.180
 trying to circumscribe

00:24:19.180 --> 00:24:20.740
 and limit God's word

00:24:20.740 --> 00:24:21.779
 so that they can claim

00:24:21.779 --> 00:24:22.539
 I have kept it

00:24:22.539 --> 00:24:24.039
 I did not cross the line

00:24:24.039 --> 00:24:25.119
 I did not do the thing

00:24:25.119 --> 00:24:29.259
 but that betrays

00:24:29.259 --> 00:24:30.420
 the minimal obedience

00:24:30.420 --> 00:24:31.180
 mindset that I have

00:24:31.180 --> 00:24:31.839
 been talking about

00:24:31.839 --> 00:24:32.399
 rather than the

00:24:32.399 --> 00:24:33.399
 maximal obedience

00:24:33.399 --> 00:24:34.319
 mindset.

00:24:35.259 --> 00:24:36.220
 It betrays the fact

00:24:36.220 --> 00:24:36.920
 that they do not

00:24:36.920 --> 00:24:37.980
 actually see God

00:24:37.980 --> 00:24:39.640
 is good and benevolent

00:24:39.640 --> 00:24:40.500
 and that he has

00:24:40.500 --> 00:24:41.539
 their good interest

00:24:41.539 --> 00:24:42.000
 in mind

00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:43.120
 rather they see God

00:24:43.120 --> 00:24:44.519
 is stingy and begrudging

00:24:44.519 --> 00:24:45.559
 always trying to

00:24:45.559 --> 00:24:46.099
 stifle them

00:24:46.099 --> 00:24:46.819
 and deprive them

00:24:46.819 --> 00:24:47.460
 of the good things

00:24:47.460 --> 00:24:48.360
 that the world offers.

00:24:48.359 --> 00:24:51.500
 I have used this

00:24:51.500 --> 00:24:52.319
 illustration before

00:24:52.319 --> 00:24:53.219
 but if we see

00:24:53.219 --> 00:24:54.159
 God's word

00:24:54.159 --> 00:24:54.899
 and his commands

00:24:54.899 --> 00:24:56.299
 as a straight jacket

00:24:56.299 --> 00:24:59.000
 intended to stifle us

00:24:59.000 --> 00:25:00.179
 and restrict us

00:25:00.179 --> 00:25:02.039
 then we are

00:25:02.039 --> 00:25:02.619
 going to try

00:25:02.619 --> 00:25:03.559
 to wiggle out of it

00:25:03.559 --> 00:25:04.859
 as much as we can

00:25:04.859 --> 00:25:05.500
 and to push

00:25:05.500 --> 00:25:06.359
 the boundaries

00:25:06.359 --> 00:25:07.559
 as much as we can

00:25:07.559 --> 00:25:08.779
 and sneak out of it

00:25:08.779 --> 00:25:09.899
 as often as we can

00:25:09.899 --> 00:25:10.919
 because we don't see

00:25:10.919 --> 00:25:11.899
 God's word

00:25:11.899 --> 00:25:12.559
 as good.

00:25:14.479 --> 00:25:15.599
 But if you see

00:25:15.599 --> 00:25:16.119
 God's word

00:25:16.119 --> 00:25:16.779
 and God's command

00:25:16.779 --> 00:25:18.179
 as a life jacket

00:25:18.180 --> 00:25:23.140
 I'm clasping

00:25:23.140 --> 00:25:23.980
 all the straps

00:25:23.980 --> 00:25:26.380
 keeping it tight

00:25:26.380 --> 00:25:27.720
 keeping it right

00:25:27.720 --> 00:25:28.360
 at the center

00:25:28.360 --> 00:25:30.920
 fitting snugly

00:25:30.920 --> 00:25:32.299
 into God's plan

00:25:32.299 --> 00:25:32.940
 and God's will

00:25:32.940 --> 00:25:33.720
 because I know

00:25:33.720 --> 00:25:35.360
 it's for my good

00:25:35.360 --> 00:25:36.080
 because I know

00:25:36.080 --> 00:25:37.660
 it's for my salvation

00:25:37.660 --> 00:25:38.539
 because I know

00:25:38.539 --> 00:25:39.799
 it's to preserve me.

00:25:39.799 --> 00:25:48.819
 So instead of flirting

00:25:48.819 --> 00:25:49.519
 with sin

00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:50.579
 and skirting

00:25:50.579 --> 00:25:51.680
 the edges

00:25:51.680 --> 00:25:52.639
 of God's will

00:25:52.639 --> 00:25:53.859
 I want to encourage you

00:25:53.859 --> 00:25:54.379
 and exhort you

00:25:54.379 --> 00:25:55.460
 to seek to live

00:25:55.460 --> 00:25:56.559
 at the center

00:25:56.559 --> 00:25:57.339
 of God's will.

00:25:57.339 --> 00:26:05.559
 for those of us

00:26:05.559 --> 00:26:06.079
 who do want

00:26:06.079 --> 00:26:06.419
 to strive

00:26:06.419 --> 00:26:07.139
 for that maximal

00:26:07.139 --> 00:26:08.019
 purity and obedience

00:26:08.019 --> 00:26:09.439
 Jesus gets very practical

00:26:09.439 --> 00:26:10.599
 in verse 29 and 30.

00:26:11.599 --> 00:26:12.720
 If your right eye

00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:13.599
 causes you to sin

00:26:13.599 --> 00:26:14.240
 tear it out

00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:15.139
 and throw it away

00:26:15.139 --> 00:26:16.199
 for it is better

00:26:16.199 --> 00:26:16.779
 that you lose

00:26:16.779 --> 00:26:17.500
 one of your members

00:26:17.500 --> 00:26:18.459
 and that your whole body

00:26:18.459 --> 00:26:19.359
 be thrown into hell

00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:20.639
 and if your right hand

00:26:20.639 --> 00:26:21.500
 causes you to sin

00:26:21.500 --> 00:26:22.119
 cut it off

00:26:22.119 --> 00:26:22.879
 and throw it away

00:26:22.879 --> 00:26:23.639
 for it is better

00:26:23.639 --> 00:26:24.179
 that you lose

00:26:24.179 --> 00:26:25.019
 one of your members

00:26:25.019 --> 00:26:26.099
 and that your whole body

00:26:26.099 --> 00:26:27.019
 go into hell.

00:26:27.019 --> 00:26:30.240
 The word

00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:31.379
 causes you to sin

00:26:31.379 --> 00:26:32.019
 is a translation

00:26:32.019 --> 00:26:32.440
 of a word

00:26:32.440 --> 00:26:33.139
 that literally means

00:26:33.139 --> 00:26:33.839
 to cause someone

00:26:33.839 --> 00:26:34.599
 to stumble

00:26:34.599 --> 00:26:36.200
 which is a recurring word

00:26:36.200 --> 00:26:37.220
 in the gospel of Matthew.

00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:38.440
 In this context

00:26:38.440 --> 00:26:40.019
 it means to make someone

00:26:40.019 --> 00:26:40.859
 stumble

00:26:40.859 --> 00:26:42.000
 into sin

00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:42.900
 in such a way

00:26:42.900 --> 00:26:44.539
 that they fall

00:26:44.539 --> 00:26:45.799
 into perdition

00:26:45.799 --> 00:26:47.240
 into hell

00:26:47.240 --> 00:26:50.460
 fall away from

00:26:50.460 --> 00:26:52.519
 the saving purposes

00:26:52.519 --> 00:26:53.019
 of God.

00:26:54.279 --> 00:26:55.119
 Jesus says

00:26:55.119 --> 00:26:55.940
 it's better for you

00:26:55.940 --> 00:26:56.279
 to lose

00:26:56.279 --> 00:26:57.500
 one of your members

00:26:57.500 --> 00:26:58.359
 of your body

00:26:58.359 --> 00:26:59.339
 than for your whole body

00:26:59.339 --> 00:27:00.200
 to be thrown into hell.

00:27:00.279 --> 00:27:01.059
 The word for hell

00:27:01.059 --> 00:27:02.259
 is not the word

00:27:02.259 --> 00:27:03.139
 for Hades

00:27:03.139 --> 00:27:04.339
 or that shadowy

00:27:04.339 --> 00:27:05.019
 realm of death

00:27:05.019 --> 00:27:05.859
 that is sometimes

00:27:05.859 --> 00:27:06.599
 mistranslated

00:27:06.599 --> 00:27:06.940
 as hell

00:27:06.940 --> 00:27:07.579
 in the New Testament.

00:27:08.019 --> 00:27:08.879
 This is the word

00:27:08.879 --> 00:27:09.539
 Gehenna

00:27:09.539 --> 00:27:10.440
 which is referring

00:27:10.440 --> 00:27:11.619
 to the valley

00:27:11.619 --> 00:27:12.119
 of Hinnom

00:27:12.119 --> 00:27:12.859
 which comes from

00:27:12.859 --> 00:27:14.099
 the valley of Hinnom

00:27:14.099 --> 00:27:14.799
 the word from

00:27:14.799 --> 00:27:15.500
 Gehenna

00:27:15.500 --> 00:27:17.099
 because that was

00:27:17.099 --> 00:27:17.480
 the area

00:27:17.480 --> 00:27:18.759
 where sacrifices

00:27:18.759 --> 00:27:19.779
 human sacrifices

00:27:19.779 --> 00:27:20.599
 to Molech

00:27:20.599 --> 00:27:21.059
 the idol

00:27:21.059 --> 00:27:22.279
 of the Old Testament.

00:27:23.720 --> 00:27:24.420
 And because it was

00:27:24.420 --> 00:27:26.299
 such a desecrated area

00:27:26.299 --> 00:27:27.680
 tradition says

00:27:27.680 --> 00:27:28.619
 that people

00:27:28.619 --> 00:27:29.200
 in Jerusalem

00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:30.279
 went outside

00:27:30.279 --> 00:27:31.279
 to the valley

00:27:31.279 --> 00:27:31.640
 of Hinnom

00:27:31.640 --> 00:27:32.299
 and burned

00:27:32.299 --> 00:27:33.400
 all their garbage

00:27:33.400 --> 00:27:33.740
 there.

00:27:34.140 --> 00:27:35.059
 So there was always

00:27:35.059 --> 00:27:36.420
 stink and fire

00:27:36.420 --> 00:27:37.079
 and smoke

00:27:37.079 --> 00:27:38.160
 rising up from the place

00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:38.839
 which made it

00:27:38.839 --> 00:27:40.180
 an apt picture

00:27:40.180 --> 00:27:41.099
 of the eternal

00:27:41.099 --> 00:27:41.660
 destruction

00:27:41.660 --> 00:27:42.960
 and the eternal

00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:43.860
 fires of hell

00:27:43.860 --> 00:27:44.440
 that await

00:27:44.440 --> 00:27:45.120
 the devil

00:27:45.120 --> 00:27:45.900
 and his minions

00:27:45.900 --> 00:27:46.900
 and those humans

00:27:46.900 --> 00:27:47.620
 who follow him.

00:27:50.160 --> 00:27:51.140
 So this is meant

00:27:51.140 --> 00:27:51.960
 to be a shocking

00:27:51.960 --> 00:27:52.460
 statement.

00:27:53.140 --> 00:27:53.700
 Jesus is talking

00:27:53.700 --> 00:27:54.460
 about lust

00:27:54.460 --> 00:27:56.519
 right?

00:27:58.200 --> 00:27:59.360
 So many of you

00:27:59.360 --> 00:28:00.440
 in accountability groups

00:28:00.440 --> 00:28:01.000
 have confessed

00:28:01.000 --> 00:28:01.900
 the sin of lust.

00:28:02.360 --> 00:28:02.860
 Jesus is saying

00:28:02.860 --> 00:28:03.759
 if you don't fight

00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:04.880
 this tooth and nail

00:28:04.880 --> 00:28:07.480
 your whole body

00:28:07.480 --> 00:28:07.880
 is going to be

00:28:07.880 --> 00:28:08.840
 thrown into hell.

00:28:11.660 --> 00:28:12.540
 Are you catching

00:28:12.540 --> 00:28:13.180
 the drama

00:28:13.180 --> 00:28:15.180
 of what Jesus

00:28:15.180 --> 00:28:15.660
 is saying?

00:28:17.540 --> 00:28:18.560
 Too many Christians

00:28:18.560 --> 00:28:19.380
 think that

00:28:19.380 --> 00:28:20.680
 the fight against sin

00:28:20.680 --> 00:28:21.920
 is a friendly

00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:23.120
 risk-free

00:28:23.120 --> 00:28:24.200
 wrestling match

00:28:24.200 --> 00:28:26.460
 between friends

00:28:26.460 --> 00:28:27.340
 or something like that.

00:28:27.460 --> 00:28:28.460
 They think that

00:28:28.460 --> 00:28:29.180
 there are no

00:28:29.180 --> 00:28:30.300
 real consequences.

00:28:31.840 --> 00:28:32.160
 Sure,

00:28:32.580 --> 00:28:33.680
 sin might hurt me

00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:35.140
 and affect my life

00:28:35.140 --> 00:28:35.840
 here and there

00:28:35.840 --> 00:28:37.519
 but I'm saved

00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:39.180
 and I'm eternally secure.

00:28:39.180 --> 00:28:42.920
 sin, however,

00:28:43.019 --> 00:28:44.039
 is under no such

00:28:44.039 --> 00:28:44.620
 delusion.

00:28:46.080 --> 00:28:46.860
 Sin knows

00:28:46.860 --> 00:28:47.720
 that it's in a

00:28:47.720 --> 00:28:48.299
 death match

00:28:48.299 --> 00:28:48.740
 with you.

00:28:53.220 --> 00:28:54.019
 It's trying to

00:28:54.019 --> 00:28:55.080
 choke you to death

00:28:55.080 --> 00:28:56.799
 when sin gets

00:28:56.799 --> 00:28:57.700
 a stranglehold

00:28:57.700 --> 00:28:58.440
 on the so-called

00:28:58.440 --> 00:28:59.000
 Christian

00:28:59.000 --> 00:29:01.240
 and then the

00:29:01.240 --> 00:29:01.799
 Christian starts

00:29:01.799 --> 00:29:02.120
 to wonder,

00:29:02.259 --> 00:29:02.920
 oh, ouch, ouch,

00:29:03.019 --> 00:29:03.539
 that actually

00:29:03.539 --> 00:29:04.120
 really hurts.

00:29:05.220 --> 00:29:06.120
 That's a little

00:29:06.120 --> 00:29:06.840
 overaggressive,

00:29:06.880 --> 00:29:07.299
 don't you think?

00:29:07.380 --> 00:29:07.539
 I mean,

00:29:07.600 --> 00:29:08.100
 it's a friendly

00:29:08.100 --> 00:29:08.840
 wrestling match

00:29:08.839 --> 00:29:09.720
 and then

00:29:09.720 --> 00:29:10.319
 eventually,

00:29:10.419 --> 00:29:10.699
 eventually,

00:29:10.859 --> 00:29:11.720
 your very life

00:29:11.720 --> 00:29:12.659
 breath is ebbing

00:29:12.659 --> 00:29:13.399
 out of you.

00:29:18.939 --> 00:29:19.720
 17th century

00:29:19.720 --> 00:29:20.399
 English pastor

00:29:20.399 --> 00:29:21.039
 John Owen

00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:21.899
 famously said,

00:29:22.099 --> 00:29:23.339
 be killing sin

00:29:23.339 --> 00:29:24.319
 or sin

00:29:24.319 --> 00:29:25.559
 will be killing you.

00:29:26.619 --> 00:29:27.679
 If you make

00:29:27.679 --> 00:29:28.819
 peace with sin,

00:29:30.139 --> 00:29:31.079
 you're no longer

00:29:31.079 --> 00:29:32.220
 repenting of sin,

00:29:32.279 --> 00:29:32.779
 you're no longer

00:29:32.779 --> 00:29:34.000
 resisting sin.

00:29:34.319 --> 00:29:35.599
 The final result

00:29:35.599 --> 00:29:36.539
 is not

00:29:36.539 --> 00:29:38.279
 less sanctification,

00:29:38.839 --> 00:29:40.299
 it's eternal

00:29:40.299 --> 00:29:41.439
 damnation.

00:29:50.439 --> 00:29:51.119
 Why?

00:29:51.240 --> 00:29:51.859
 Not because

00:29:51.859 --> 00:29:52.459
 true Christians

00:29:52.459 --> 00:29:53.240
 can lose their

00:29:53.240 --> 00:29:53.639
 salvation,

00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:55.279
 but because all

00:29:55.279 --> 00:29:56.139
 true Christians

00:29:56.139 --> 00:29:57.359
 persevere in faith

00:29:57.359 --> 00:29:57.819
 and obedience

00:29:57.819 --> 00:29:58.740
 until the end.

00:29:59.480 --> 00:30:00.459
 That's how we know

00:30:00.459 --> 00:30:00.980
 they are true

00:30:00.980 --> 00:30:01.379
 Christians.

00:30:01.679 --> 00:30:02.139
 You know them

00:30:02.139 --> 00:30:03.000
 by their fruit

00:30:03.000 --> 00:30:05.059
 because the fight

00:30:05.059 --> 00:30:05.639
 for holiness

00:30:05.640 --> 00:30:06.759
 is the fight

00:30:06.759 --> 00:30:07.620
 for faith

00:30:07.620 --> 00:30:08.400
 because if you

00:30:08.400 --> 00:30:09.200
 really believe

00:30:09.200 --> 00:30:09.940
 God's promises

00:30:09.940 --> 00:30:10.820
 and God's word

00:30:10.820 --> 00:30:11.720
 that it is true

00:30:11.720 --> 00:30:12.240
 and good

00:30:12.240 --> 00:30:12.860
 and beautiful,

00:30:12.860 --> 00:30:13.820
 then it's going

00:30:13.820 --> 00:30:14.680
 to show in your

00:30:14.680 --> 00:30:15.040
 life.

00:30:17.520 --> 00:30:18.200
 Pastor John

00:30:18.200 --> 00:30:19.400
 Piper wrote

00:30:19.400 --> 00:30:20.000
 about this in his

00:30:20.000 --> 00:30:20.240
 book,

00:30:20.340 --> 00:30:21.000
 Future Grace.

00:30:21.160 --> 00:30:21.460
 He says,

00:30:21.460 --> 00:30:22.620
 A few years ago,

00:30:22.660 --> 00:30:23.500
 I spoke to a high

00:30:23.500 --> 00:30:24.279
 school student body

00:30:24.279 --> 00:30:25.000
 on how to fight

00:30:25.000 --> 00:30:25.360
 lust.

00:30:25.700 --> 00:30:26.400
 One of my points

00:30:26.400 --> 00:30:26.940
 was called,

00:30:27.299 --> 00:30:28.160
 Ponder the eternal

00:30:28.160 --> 00:30:28.980
 danger of lust.

00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:30.240
 I quoted the words

00:30:30.240 --> 00:30:30.960
 of Jesus that it's

00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:31.740
 better to go to heaven

00:30:31.740 --> 00:30:32.500
 with one eye than

00:30:32.500 --> 00:30:33.279
 to hell with two

00:30:33.279 --> 00:30:34.319
 and said to the

00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:34.819
 students that their

00:30:34.819 --> 00:30:35.860
 eternal destiny was

00:30:35.860 --> 00:30:36.539
 at stake in what

00:30:36.539 --> 00:30:37.240
 they did with their

00:30:37.240 --> 00:30:37.880
 eyes and with the

00:30:37.880 --> 00:30:38.299
 thoughts of their

00:30:38.299 --> 00:30:38.799
 imagination.

00:30:39.500 --> 00:30:40.180
 After my message,

00:30:40.259 --> 00:30:40.819
 one of the students

00:30:40.819 --> 00:30:41.240
 asked,

00:30:41.600 --> 00:30:42.480
 Are you saying then

00:30:42.480 --> 00:30:43.140
 that a person can

00:30:43.140 --> 00:30:43.960
 lose his salvation?

00:30:45.500 --> 00:30:46.680
 This is exactly the

00:30:46.680 --> 00:30:47.460
 same response I got

00:30:47.460 --> 00:30:48.140
 a few years ago

00:30:48.140 --> 00:30:49.120
 when I confronted a

00:30:49.120 --> 00:30:49.680
 man about the

00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:50.380
 adultery he was

00:30:50.380 --> 00:30:50.759
 living in.

00:30:51.019 --> 00:30:51.920
 I pled with him to

00:30:51.920 --> 00:30:52.920
 return to his wife.

00:30:53.220 --> 00:30:53.660
 Then I said,

00:30:53.720 --> 00:30:53.980
 You know,

00:30:54.080 --> 00:30:54.960
 Jesus says that if

00:30:54.960 --> 00:30:55.900
 you don't fight this

00:30:55.900 --> 00:30:56.759
 sin with the kind of

00:30:56.759 --> 00:30:57.519
 seriousness that is

00:30:57.519 --> 00:30:58.539
 willing to gouge out

00:30:58.539 --> 00:30:59.120
 your own eye,

00:30:59.180 --> 00:31:00.160
 you will go to hell.

00:31:00.920 --> 00:31:01.680
 As a professing

00:31:01.680 --> 00:31:01.960
 Christian,

00:31:02.039 --> 00:31:02.700
 he looked at me in

00:31:02.700 --> 00:31:03.720
 utter disbelief as

00:31:03.720 --> 00:31:04.240
 though he had never

00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:04.960
 heard anything like

00:31:04.960 --> 00:31:05.820
 this in his life and

00:31:05.820 --> 00:31:06.060
 said,

00:31:06.400 --> 00:31:07.120
 You mean you think

00:31:07.120 --> 00:31:07.960
 a person can lose

00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:08.480
 his salvation?

00:31:09.960 --> 00:31:11.000
 So I have learned

00:31:11.000 --> 00:31:12.000
 again and again

00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:12.860
 from first-hand

00:31:12.860 --> 00:31:13.740
 experience that there

00:31:13.740 --> 00:31:14.680
 are many professing

00:31:14.680 --> 00:31:15.920
 Christians who have

00:31:15.920 --> 00:31:16.840
 a view of salvation

00:31:16.840 --> 00:31:17.940
 that disconnects it

00:31:17.940 --> 00:31:19.080
 from real life and

00:31:19.079 --> 00:31:20.099
 that nullifies the

00:31:20.099 --> 00:31:20.619
 threats of the

00:31:20.619 --> 00:31:21.819
 Bible and puts the

00:31:21.819 --> 00:31:22.579
 sinning person who

00:31:22.579 --> 00:31:23.159
 claims to be a

00:31:23.159 --> 00:31:24.240
 Christian beyond the

00:31:24.240 --> 00:31:25.240
 reach of biblical

00:31:25.240 --> 00:31:25.720
 warnings.

00:31:26.519 --> 00:31:27.659
 I believe this view

00:31:27.659 --> 00:31:28.419
 of the Christian life

00:31:28.419 --> 00:31:29.779
 is comforting thousands

00:31:29.779 --> 00:31:31.220
 who are on the broad

00:31:31.220 --> 00:31:32.119
 way that leads to

00:31:32.119 --> 00:31:32.639
 destruction.

00:31:33.639 --> 00:31:34.939
 The main concern of

00:31:34.939 --> 00:31:35.899
 this book is to show

00:31:35.899 --> 00:31:36.799
 that the battle against

00:31:36.799 --> 00:31:38.240
 sin is a battle

00:31:38.240 --> 00:31:40.279
 against unbelief or

00:31:40.279 --> 00:31:41.279
 the fight for purity

00:31:41.279 --> 00:31:42.799
 is a fight for faith

00:31:42.799 --> 00:31:43.759
 in future grace.

00:31:43.759 --> 00:31:47.220
 the great error that I

00:31:47.220 --> 00:31:48.180
 am trying to explode is

00:31:48.180 --> 00:31:48.940
 the error that says

00:31:48.940 --> 00:31:49.900
 faith in God is one

00:31:49.900 --> 00:31:50.680
 thing and the fight for

00:31:50.680 --> 00:31:51.440
 holiness is another

00:31:51.440 --> 00:31:51.819
 thing.

00:31:52.079 --> 00:31:52.960
 The battle for obedience

00:31:52.960 --> 00:31:54.119
 is optional because only

00:31:54.119 --> 00:31:55.339
 faith is necessary for

00:31:55.339 --> 00:31:56.519
 final salvation.

00:32:01.099 --> 00:32:03.000
 Jesus is being totally

00:32:03.000 --> 00:32:05.279
 serious in verse 29 and

00:32:05.279 --> 00:32:05.539
 30.

00:32:07.079 --> 00:32:08.400
 He's not being literal

00:32:08.400 --> 00:32:10.540
 but he nevertheless is

00:32:10.540 --> 00:32:11.540
 totally serious.

00:32:13.580 --> 00:32:14.420
 It's better to enter

00:32:14.420 --> 00:32:16.240
 heaven with one eye than

00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:17.140
 hell with two.

00:32:17.660 --> 00:32:18.800
 It's better to enter

00:32:18.800 --> 00:32:21.000
 heaven a cripple than

00:32:21.000 --> 00:32:22.620
 hell with two whole

00:32:22.620 --> 00:32:22.940
 legs.

00:32:23.700 --> 00:32:24.759
 How do we know Jesus is

00:32:24.759 --> 00:32:25.620
 not being literal here

00:32:25.620 --> 00:32:26.460
 because some people in

00:32:26.460 --> 00:32:27.220
 church history have

00:32:27.220 --> 00:32:28.120
 actually interpreted this

00:32:28.120 --> 00:32:28.880
 literally and have

00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:29.560
 carried out these

00:32:29.560 --> 00:32:29.880
 commands?

00:32:31.480 --> 00:32:32.259
 Yeah, do you think you're

00:32:32.259 --> 00:32:33.100
 serious about following

00:32:33.100 --> 00:32:33.340
 Jesus?

00:32:33.340 --> 00:32:33.440
 Jesus?

00:32:33.440 --> 00:32:39.259
 We know it's not

00:32:39.259 --> 00:32:40.480
 literal because in verse

00:32:40.480 --> 00:32:42.940
 28 Jesus told us that

00:32:42.940 --> 00:32:43.799
 he's concerned about

00:32:43.799 --> 00:32:45.019
 what's going on in our

00:32:45.019 --> 00:32:46.720
 hearts, not just what we

00:32:46.720 --> 00:32:48.559
 do with our bodies, with

00:32:48.559 --> 00:32:49.940
 lustful desires and not

00:32:49.940 --> 00:32:51.420
 merely with lustful acts.

00:32:51.759 --> 00:32:53.340
 We can't physically remove

00:32:53.340 --> 00:32:54.519
 lust from our hearts, can

00:32:54.519 --> 00:32:54.680
 we?

00:32:57.240 --> 00:32:58.299
 I wish we could.

00:32:58.420 --> 00:32:58.940
 I wish they had

00:32:58.940 --> 00:32:59.600
 surgeons for that.

00:32:59.660 --> 00:33:00.360
 I'd be the first to line

00:33:00.360 --> 00:33:00.539
 up.

00:33:03.440 --> 00:33:07.259
 Literally gouging out our

00:33:07.259 --> 00:33:08.279
 eyes will not stop us

00:33:08.279 --> 00:33:09.259
 from lusting.

00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:10.779
 I've used the example of

00:33:10.779 --> 00:33:11.900
 Ray Charles before, the

00:33:11.900 --> 00:33:13.140
 famous soul musician from

00:33:13.140 --> 00:33:13.799
 the 20th century.

00:33:13.920 --> 00:33:16.559
 He was blind, but he was

00:33:16.559 --> 00:33:18.420
 famous, famously a

00:33:18.420 --> 00:33:18.880
 womanizer.

00:33:20.259 --> 00:33:21.740
 He had no eyes to gouge

00:33:21.740 --> 00:33:24.340
 out, but he was full of

00:33:24.340 --> 00:33:24.720
 lust.

00:33:26.259 --> 00:33:27.519
 Married and divorced twice,

00:33:27.640 --> 00:33:28.759
 many affairs, fathered a

00:33:28.759 --> 00:33:30.299
 total of 12 children by 10

00:33:30.299 --> 00:33:31.180
 women, 10 different

00:33:31.180 --> 00:33:31.460
 women.

00:33:31.460 --> 00:33:35.039
 All that to say, Jesus is

00:33:35.039 --> 00:33:36.019
 not telling us to mutilate

00:33:36.019 --> 00:33:37.059
 our flesh literally.

00:33:37.600 --> 00:33:39.160
 He's being figurative, but

00:33:39.160 --> 00:33:40.220
 his command is no less

00:33:40.220 --> 00:33:41.319
 real and bracing.

00:33:41.440 --> 00:33:42.900
 He's telling us to remove

00:33:42.900 --> 00:33:45.620
 decisively the things that

00:33:45.620 --> 00:33:46.740
 cause us to fall, the

00:33:46.740 --> 00:33:48.279
 sources of temptations in

00:33:48.279 --> 00:33:48.840
 our lives.

00:33:51.319 --> 00:33:53.500
 Don't read things or scroll

00:33:53.500 --> 00:33:55.039
 through things or watch

00:33:55.039 --> 00:33:56.319
 things that you know will

00:33:56.319 --> 00:33:58.460
 inflame your lusts.

00:33:58.460 --> 00:34:01.700
 Well, but everybody's

00:34:01.700 --> 00:34:02.759
 watching that and talking

00:34:02.759 --> 00:34:03.400
 about that.

00:34:04.700 --> 00:34:06.120
 Everyone who is cultured

00:34:06.120 --> 00:34:07.640
 and educated reads and

00:34:07.640 --> 00:34:08.480
 watches that.

00:34:09.800 --> 00:34:11.780
 Well, then be content to be

00:34:11.780 --> 00:34:13.260
 considered ignorant and

00:34:13.260 --> 00:34:15.240
 uncultured and uneducated.

00:34:15.239 --> 00:34:20.159
 Be content to be excluded and

00:34:20.159 --> 00:34:20.879
 left out of those

00:34:20.879 --> 00:34:21.439
 conversations.

00:34:21.679 --> 00:34:22.619
 That's the hot topic and

00:34:22.619 --> 00:34:23.699
 trending for everybody else.

00:34:26.619 --> 00:34:28.419
 Be content to be not in the

00:34:28.419 --> 00:34:28.699
 know.

00:34:28.959 --> 00:34:29.919
 It's better for you to lose

00:34:29.919 --> 00:34:31.139
 one part of your body than

00:34:31.139 --> 00:34:32.139
 for your whole body to be

00:34:32.139 --> 00:34:32.799
 thrown into hell.

00:34:35.479 --> 00:34:37.059
 If your smartphone causes you

00:34:37.059 --> 00:34:38.219
 to sin, get a dumb phone.

00:34:39.939 --> 00:34:41.859
 If you're working from home is

00:34:41.859 --> 00:34:43.259
 ripe for temptations, go to a

00:34:43.259 --> 00:34:44.419
 co-working space or to a

00:34:44.420 --> 00:34:45.099
 public library.

00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:46.639
 If your boyfriend or

00:34:46.639 --> 00:34:47.800
 girlfriend is causing you to

00:34:47.800 --> 00:34:48.840
 sin, break up with that

00:34:48.840 --> 00:34:49.200
 person.

00:34:50.680 --> 00:34:51.980
 Seek counsel from a pastor.

00:34:53.659 --> 00:34:55.360
 If there's a flirty co-worker

00:34:55.360 --> 00:34:56.780
 that is tempting you, ask me

00:34:56.780 --> 00:34:57.460
 move to a different

00:34:57.460 --> 00:34:59.039
 department or quit the job and

00:34:59.039 --> 00:35:00.180
 move to a new job.

00:35:02.639 --> 00:35:04.019
 Well, that's kind of drastic.

00:35:04.159 --> 00:35:05.099
 No, that's so inconvenient.

00:35:06.059 --> 00:35:07.220
 Of course it's inconvenient.

00:35:07.940 --> 00:35:09.680
 Losing your eye and your hand is

00:35:09.680 --> 00:35:10.360
 also inconvenient.

00:35:12.320 --> 00:35:13.800
 That's exactly Jesus' point.

00:35:13.800 --> 00:35:14.960
 Why does he specifically say

00:35:14.960 --> 00:35:15.800
 right hand?

00:35:17.220 --> 00:35:19.400
 Because the right hand is, for

00:35:19.400 --> 00:35:20.480
 most people, the dominant

00:35:20.480 --> 00:35:20.920
 hand.

00:35:21.240 --> 00:35:22.580
 It's the more useful, more

00:35:22.580 --> 00:35:23.600
 needful hand.

00:35:24.180 --> 00:35:25.120
 And right eye, I think, is

00:35:25.120 --> 00:35:26.660
 just paralleling that.

00:35:27.640 --> 00:35:28.920
 He says, even if it's your

00:35:28.920 --> 00:35:30.140
 right hand, the thing that you

00:35:30.140 --> 00:35:31.580
 need the most to get around and

00:35:31.580 --> 00:35:32.460
 to do the things you need to

00:35:32.460 --> 00:35:34.340
 do, even if it's one of those

00:35:34.340 --> 00:35:35.519
 most important things in your

00:35:35.519 --> 00:35:37.019
 life, dear things in your life,

00:35:37.260 --> 00:35:38.420
 precious things in your life,

00:35:38.640 --> 00:35:40.980
 get rid of it if it's leading

00:35:40.980 --> 00:35:41.619
 you to sin.

00:35:49.000 --> 00:35:50.539
 Because isn't our eternal

00:35:50.539 --> 00:35:51.900
 well-being more important than

00:35:51.900 --> 00:35:52.820
 our temporal well-being?

00:35:54.760 --> 00:35:55.940
 What good is it for a man to

00:35:55.940 --> 00:35:57.420
 gain the whole world yet forfeit

00:35:57.420 --> 00:35:57.860
 his soul?

00:35:57.860 --> 00:36:02.940
 In 2019, a Nebraskan farmer

00:36:02.940 --> 00:36:04.820
 named Kurt Kaser was working on

00:36:04.820 --> 00:36:06.039
 his farm when he accidentally

00:36:06.039 --> 00:36:09.460
 stepped into a running machine.

00:36:09.780 --> 00:36:11.059
 I think it was a cornhopper.

00:36:11.099 --> 00:36:11.920
 I don't know exactly how that

00:36:11.920 --> 00:36:13.300
 works, but it was sucking him in

00:36:13.300 --> 00:36:15.059
 slowly, and the machine was

00:36:15.059 --> 00:36:17.460
 running, and he was stuck, and he

00:36:17.460 --> 00:36:18.360
 had no family around.

00:36:18.420 --> 00:36:19.300
 He knew it would be a while

00:36:19.300 --> 00:36:20.780
 before anybody came to the farm,

00:36:20.780 --> 00:36:22.980
 and he knew that not before

00:36:22.980 --> 00:36:23.980
 long he would die.

00:36:28.240 --> 00:36:29.760
 So he made a quick decision.

00:36:29.920 --> 00:36:31.060
 He took the pocket knife out,

00:36:31.140 --> 00:36:33.760
 and he amputated his own leg and

00:36:33.760 --> 00:36:34.960
 freed himself from the machine.

00:36:37.780 --> 00:36:38.840
 Do you think that's crazy?

00:36:40.040 --> 00:36:41.720
 That is the only sensible thing to

00:36:41.720 --> 00:36:42.560
 do in that situation.

00:36:42.880 --> 00:36:43.200
 Why?

00:36:43.860 --> 00:36:45.400
 Because he wanted to live.

00:36:46.860 --> 00:36:48.120
 Do you want to live?

00:36:48.840 --> 00:36:50.400
 Do you want to live forever?

00:36:50.780 --> 00:36:52.320
 Do you want to have eternal life?

00:36:52.720 --> 00:36:54.460
 Do you want to be in the kingdom

00:36:54.460 --> 00:36:55.340
 of heaven and have eternal

00:36:55.340 --> 00:36:56.360
 fellowship with God?

00:36:56.940 --> 00:36:58.860
 Gouge out that eye.

00:37:00.100 --> 00:37:01.380
 Cut off that hand.

00:37:06.519 --> 00:37:08.080
 1 Corinthians 6, 9-10 says,

00:37:08.120 --> 00:37:09.080
 Do you not know that the

00:37:09.080 --> 00:37:10.380
 unrighteous will not inherit the

00:37:10.380 --> 00:37:10.980
 kingdom of God?

00:37:11.240 --> 00:37:12.260
 Do not be deceived.

00:37:12.400 --> 00:37:13.620
 Neither the sexually immoral,

00:37:13.620 --> 00:37:15.900
 nor idolaters, nor adulterers,

00:37:16.200 --> 00:37:17.980
 nor men who practice homosexuality,

00:37:18.040 --> 00:37:19.760
 nor thieves, nor the greedy,

00:37:19.900 --> 00:37:20.620
 nor drunkard, nor redeemed,

00:37:20.780 --> 00:37:22.980
 revilers, nor swindlers will inherit

00:37:22.980 --> 00:37:23.940
 the kingdom of God.

00:37:25.040 --> 00:37:27.240
 If you have come to terms with

00:37:27.240 --> 00:37:28.620
 your sexual immorality,

00:37:28.920 --> 00:37:30.780
 if you have reached a ceasefire,

00:37:31.340 --> 00:37:32.740
 and you're not fighting sin

00:37:32.740 --> 00:37:33.540
 anywhere in your life,

00:37:33.580 --> 00:37:34.660
 you're not killing sin,

00:37:34.720 --> 00:37:36.340
 you're no longer repenting of your sin,

00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:39.060
 if you have troves of porn

00:37:39.060 --> 00:37:40.580
 downloaded on your hard drive,

00:37:41.460 --> 00:37:46.240
 if you know that you are in sexual sin,

00:37:46.320 --> 00:37:47.560
 but you're not willing to change

00:37:47.559 --> 00:37:48.279
 anything about it,

00:37:48.299 --> 00:37:49.299
 you're staying in it,

00:37:49.759 --> 00:37:52.219
 then you will not inherit

00:37:52.219 --> 00:37:52.980
 the kingdom of God.

00:37:57.659 --> 00:37:58.679
 Put to death, therefore,

00:37:58.799 --> 00:37:59.799
 what is earthly in you,

00:38:00.179 --> 00:38:01.659
 sexual immorality, impurity,

00:38:01.799 --> 00:38:02.679
 passion, evil, desire,

00:38:02.799 --> 00:38:04.239
 covetousness, which is idolatry,

00:38:04.360 --> 00:38:05.219
 Colossians 3, 5.

00:38:05.299 --> 00:38:05.960
 Cut it off.

00:38:08.500 --> 00:38:09.900
 Before I move on to the next point,

00:38:09.900 --> 00:38:11.340
 I want to share a potential objection

00:38:11.340 --> 00:38:12.679
 that some people might raise.

00:38:13.079 --> 00:38:13.900
 D. Martin Lloyd-Jones

00:38:13.900 --> 00:38:15.519
 is insightful on this point again.

00:38:16.619 --> 00:38:16.880
 He says,

00:38:16.940 --> 00:38:18.360
 but someone may ask at this point,

00:38:18.460 --> 00:38:19.119
 are you not teaching

00:38:19.119 --> 00:38:21.539
 a kind of morbid scrupulosity?

00:38:22.840 --> 00:38:24.160
 Is not life going to be

00:38:24.160 --> 00:38:25.280
 rather wretched and miserable?

00:38:26.360 --> 00:38:27.280
 Well, there are people

00:38:27.280 --> 00:38:28.280
 who become morbid,

00:38:28.519 --> 00:38:29.579
 but if you want to know

00:38:29.579 --> 00:38:30.720
 the difference between them

00:38:30.720 --> 00:38:31.619
 and what I am teaching,

00:38:31.760 --> 00:38:32.920
 think of it in this way.

00:38:33.740 --> 00:38:35.840
 Morbid scrupulosity

00:38:35.840 --> 00:38:37.780
 is always concerned about itself,

00:38:38.320 --> 00:38:39.680
 its state and condition,

00:38:39.800 --> 00:38:41.300
 and its own achievements.

00:38:42.460 --> 00:38:43.220
 True holiness,

00:38:43.219 --> 00:38:43.839
 on the other end,

00:38:43.879 --> 00:38:44.579
 is always concerned

00:38:44.579 --> 00:38:45.799
 about pleasing God,

00:38:46.279 --> 00:38:47.199
 glorifying Him,

00:38:47.319 --> 00:38:48.439
 and ministering to the glory

00:38:48.439 --> 00:38:49.199
 of Jesus Christ.

00:38:50.199 --> 00:38:51.579
 If you and I keep that

00:38:51.579 --> 00:38:52.419
 ever in the foreground

00:38:52.419 --> 00:38:53.079
 of our minds,

00:38:53.279 --> 00:38:54.439
 we need not be very worried

00:38:54.439 --> 00:38:55.500
 about becoming morbid.

00:38:55.919 --> 00:38:57.439
 All that will be at once avoided

00:38:57.439 --> 00:38:58.799
 if we do it for His sake

00:38:58.799 --> 00:38:59.919
 instead of spending

00:38:59.919 --> 00:39:00.799
 the whole of our time

00:39:00.799 --> 00:39:02.319
 feeling our spiritual pulse

00:39:02.319 --> 00:39:03.879
 and taking our spiritual temperature.

00:39:05.399 --> 00:39:06.199
 You guys understand?

00:39:08.859 --> 00:39:10.179
 It's very wise counsel

00:39:10.179 --> 00:39:10.799
 from the doctor.

00:39:11.139 --> 00:39:13.019
 If you have an overactive conscience,

00:39:13.219 --> 00:39:14.959
 and you suffer from scrupulosity,

00:39:15.459 --> 00:39:17.159
 get your mind off of yourself

00:39:17.159 --> 00:39:18.199
 and onto Christ

00:39:18.199 --> 00:39:19.039
 and onto God.

00:39:20.719 --> 00:39:21.459
 That's the key.

00:39:23.679 --> 00:39:24.919
 Now to my second point,

00:39:25.039 --> 00:39:26.179
 adultery through divorce.

00:39:26.379 --> 00:39:27.079
 This is a shorter point.

00:39:27.159 --> 00:39:28.239
 The topic of divorce

00:39:28.239 --> 00:39:28.859
 and remarriage

00:39:28.859 --> 00:39:29.879
 is more fully addressed

00:39:29.879 --> 00:39:31.239
 later on in Matthew 19,

00:39:31.639 --> 00:39:33.459
 so I'll reserve detailed treatment

00:39:33.459 --> 00:39:34.500
 until that point.

00:39:34.879 --> 00:39:35.179
 However,

00:39:35.219 --> 00:39:35.899
 I do want to note

00:39:35.899 --> 00:39:36.459
 the connections

00:39:36.459 --> 00:39:37.959
 between verse 31 and 32

00:39:37.960 --> 00:39:39.559
 and verses 27 to 30.

00:39:40.179 --> 00:39:40.519
 Technically,

00:39:40.659 --> 00:39:41.760
 they are separate passages.

00:39:41.900 --> 00:39:42.460
 They're distinct

00:39:42.460 --> 00:39:43.380
 and tip that cease.

00:39:43.920 --> 00:39:44.280
 However,

00:39:44.380 --> 00:39:44.900
 they're related.

00:39:45.720 --> 00:39:46.400
 Follow along with me

00:39:46.400 --> 00:39:47.500
 in verse 31 and 32.

00:39:48.079 --> 00:39:48.940
 It was also said,

00:39:49.019 --> 00:39:50.159
 whoever divorces his wife,

00:39:50.240 --> 00:39:50.800
 let him give her

00:39:50.800 --> 00:39:51.960
 a certificate of divorce.

00:39:52.519 --> 00:39:53.440
 But I say to you

00:39:53.440 --> 00:39:53.940
 that everyone

00:39:53.940 --> 00:39:54.900
 who divorces his wife,

00:39:54.960 --> 00:39:55.900
 except on the ground

00:39:55.900 --> 00:39:56.760
 of sexual immorality,

00:39:56.900 --> 00:39:58.360
 makes her commit adultery.

00:39:58.699 --> 00:39:59.720
 And whoever marries

00:39:59.720 --> 00:40:00.380
 a divorced woman

00:40:00.380 --> 00:40:01.320
 commits adultery.

00:40:02.180 --> 00:40:03.260
 Jesus is here

00:40:03.260 --> 00:40:04.860
 alluding to Deuteronomy 24,

00:40:05.000 --> 00:40:05.660
 1 to 4,

00:40:05.840 --> 00:40:06.800
 which talks about

00:40:06.800 --> 00:40:07.760
 writing a certificate

00:40:07.760 --> 00:40:08.320
 of divorce

00:40:08.320 --> 00:40:08.960
 for the woman

00:40:08.960 --> 00:40:09.519
 in the event

00:40:09.519 --> 00:40:10.059
 that the husband

00:40:10.059 --> 00:40:11.180
 is divorcing her.

00:40:12.220 --> 00:40:13.660
 But Jesus presents

00:40:13.660 --> 00:40:14.740
 a contrast,

00:40:14.920 --> 00:40:15.519
 an antithesis.

00:40:15.620 --> 00:40:15.820
 He says,

00:40:15.980 --> 00:40:17.120
 but I say to you

00:40:17.120 --> 00:40:18.420
 that everyone

00:40:18.420 --> 00:40:19.519
 who divorces his wife,

00:40:19.559 --> 00:40:20.400
 except on the ground

00:40:20.400 --> 00:40:21.360
 of sexual immorality,

00:40:21.660 --> 00:40:23.559
 makes her commit adultery.

00:40:25.019 --> 00:40:26.400
 To simplify it,

00:40:26.860 --> 00:40:27.760
 read that verse

00:40:27.760 --> 00:40:29.860
 without the exception clause.

00:40:30.039 --> 00:40:30.920
 Cover up the exception clause

00:40:30.920 --> 00:40:31.480
 with your finger

00:40:31.480 --> 00:40:33.280
 and try reading it.

00:40:34.700 --> 00:40:36.320
 Everyone who divorces his wife

00:40:36.320 --> 00:40:38.519
 makes her commit adultery.

00:40:39.720 --> 00:40:40.639
 And whoever marries

00:40:40.639 --> 00:40:41.240
 a divorced woman

00:40:41.240 --> 00:40:42.139
 commits adultery.

00:40:42.280 --> 00:40:43.019
 How is that so?

00:40:44.519 --> 00:40:46.119
 Usually we only call it adultery

00:40:46.119 --> 00:40:47.820
 if someone who is still married

00:40:47.820 --> 00:40:48.519
 is involved.

00:40:49.039 --> 00:40:51.000
 When a divorced person

00:40:51.000 --> 00:40:52.079
 marries another partner,

00:40:52.200 --> 00:40:53.280
 we call it remarriage.

00:40:55.700 --> 00:40:56.820
 But Jesus says

00:40:56.820 --> 00:40:57.940
 that this is tantamount

00:40:57.940 --> 00:40:58.619
 to adultery.

00:40:58.740 --> 00:40:58.940
 Why?

00:41:00.920 --> 00:41:02.380
 The assumption is

00:41:02.380 --> 00:41:03.380
 that the first marriage

00:41:03.380 --> 00:41:04.280
 is still binding

00:41:04.280 --> 00:41:06.019
 because it's a covenant

00:41:06.019 --> 00:41:07.300
 that God has brought together.

00:41:08.240 --> 00:41:08.920
 Jesus' teaching

00:41:08.920 --> 00:41:09.960
 is consistent elsewhere.

00:41:10.240 --> 00:41:10.599
 For example,

00:41:10.760 --> 00:41:11.760
 in Luke 16, 18,

00:41:12.240 --> 00:41:13.480
 everyone who divorces his wife

00:41:13.480 --> 00:41:14.099
 and marries another

00:41:14.099 --> 00:41:14.840
 commits adultery.

00:41:16.300 --> 00:41:17.340
 And he who marries a woman

00:41:17.340 --> 00:41:18.159
 divorced from her husband

00:41:18.159 --> 00:41:18.940
 commits adultery.

00:41:20.079 --> 00:41:21.320
 Almost identical formulation

00:41:21.840 --> 00:41:22.800
 in Mark 10, 11.

00:41:22.980 --> 00:41:23.920
 Jesus is essentially

00:41:23.920 --> 00:41:24.980
 forbidding divorce.

00:41:24.980 --> 00:41:27.960
 Why?

00:41:28.699 --> 00:41:29.320
 Once again,

00:41:29.360 --> 00:41:30.280
 it gets to the heart

00:41:30.280 --> 00:41:31.019
 of God's law.

00:41:31.639 --> 00:41:32.619
 Rather than merely observing

00:41:32.619 --> 00:41:33.579
 the letter of God's law,

00:41:33.659 --> 00:41:34.300
 in those days,

00:41:34.400 --> 00:41:35.420
 men often divorced

00:41:35.420 --> 00:41:36.179
 their wives

00:41:36.179 --> 00:41:37.360
 for frivolous reasons.

00:41:38.320 --> 00:41:39.159
 One prominent

00:41:39.159 --> 00:41:40.280
 Jewish school of thought

00:41:40.280 --> 00:41:40.940
 associated with

00:41:40.940 --> 00:41:41.920
 Rabbi Hillel

00:41:41.920 --> 00:41:43.139
 taught that a man

00:41:43.139 --> 00:41:44.360
 may justly divorce

00:41:44.360 --> 00:41:45.000
 his wife

00:41:45.000 --> 00:41:46.760
 for something as trivial

00:41:46.760 --> 00:41:48.260
 as spoiling a meal.

00:41:49.500 --> 00:41:50.699
 I'm divorcing you today

00:41:50.699 --> 00:41:51.880
 because you burnt my toast.

00:41:51.880 --> 00:41:54.260
 Legitimate.

00:41:55.180 --> 00:41:56.019
 That's what they said.

00:41:59.800 --> 00:42:00.240
 Josephus,

00:42:00.360 --> 00:42:01.700
 first century Jewish historian,

00:42:01.860 --> 00:42:03.260
 writes in a cavalier manner

00:42:03.260 --> 00:42:04.500
 about his divorce.

00:42:04.640 --> 00:42:04.840
 He says,

00:42:05.200 --> 00:42:06.260
 at this time of my life,

00:42:06.320 --> 00:42:07.240
 I sent away my wife

00:42:07.240 --> 00:42:07.900
 being displeased

00:42:07.900 --> 00:42:08.500
 with her behavior

00:42:08.500 --> 00:42:09.440
 and then I took a wife,

00:42:09.500 --> 00:42:10.360
 a woman from Crete.

00:42:13.800 --> 00:42:15.280
 What often underlies

00:42:15.280 --> 00:42:17.380
 such casual divorces

00:42:17.380 --> 00:42:18.380
 and remarriages?

00:42:21.019 --> 00:42:21.420
 Lust.

00:42:21.880 --> 00:42:26.099
 Men in those days

00:42:26.099 --> 00:42:27.059
 and both men and women

00:42:27.059 --> 00:42:27.700
 nowadays

00:42:27.700 --> 00:42:29.539
 game the system

00:42:29.539 --> 00:42:30.800
 by marrying,

00:42:31.300 --> 00:42:31.740
 divorcing,

00:42:32.160 --> 00:42:32.619
 remarrying,

00:42:33.420 --> 00:42:34.019
 divorcing,

00:42:34.320 --> 00:42:34.760
 remarrying,

00:42:35.320 --> 00:42:35.860
 divorcing,

00:42:36.260 --> 00:42:36.740
 remarrying

00:42:36.740 --> 00:42:38.720
 as often as their

00:42:38.720 --> 00:42:39.760
 fantasies

00:42:39.760 --> 00:42:40.660
 and fascinations

00:42:40.660 --> 00:42:41.480
 change,

00:42:42.660 --> 00:42:43.400
 thereby fulfilling

00:42:43.400 --> 00:42:44.360
 the lust of their hearts

00:42:44.360 --> 00:42:45.039
 without ever getting

00:42:45.039 --> 00:42:45.940
 into legal trouble.

00:42:47.840 --> 00:42:49.240
 But Jesus here

00:42:49.240 --> 00:42:50.980
 exposes the evil of that.

00:42:52.720 --> 00:42:54.140
 Why then did Moses

00:42:54.140 --> 00:42:55.260
 allow people to divorce?

00:42:55.559 --> 00:42:56.280
 Jesus answers

00:42:56.280 --> 00:42:57.160
 that exact question

00:42:57.160 --> 00:42:58.440
 in Matthew 19.8.

00:42:58.820 --> 00:42:59.079
 He says,

00:42:59.300 --> 00:42:59.920
 because of your

00:42:59.920 --> 00:43:01.119
 hardness of heart,

00:43:01.500 --> 00:43:02.320
 Moses allowed you

00:43:02.320 --> 00:43:03.340
 to divorce your wives,

00:43:03.440 --> 00:43:04.140
 but from the beginning

00:43:04.140 --> 00:43:05.019
 it was not so.

00:43:05.660 --> 00:43:06.760
 Divorce was intended

00:43:06.760 --> 00:43:07.260
 to be

00:43:07.260 --> 00:43:09.039
 a temporary provision

00:43:09.039 --> 00:43:09.780
 for a broken

00:43:09.780 --> 00:43:10.980
 and fallen world.

00:43:11.619 --> 00:43:12.619
 It was a concession

00:43:12.619 --> 00:43:13.320
 to the hardness

00:43:13.320 --> 00:43:14.300
 of the human heart,

00:43:14.640 --> 00:43:15.860
 intended to mitigate

00:43:15.860 --> 00:43:16.940
 human failure

00:43:16.940 --> 00:43:18.160
 and not to establish

00:43:18.160 --> 00:43:19.220
 the divine ideal

00:43:19.219 --> 00:43:19.819
 or standard.

00:43:23.819 --> 00:43:25.599
 If you have

00:43:25.599 --> 00:43:27.000
 a neighborhood

00:43:27.000 --> 00:43:28.459
 full of drug addicts

00:43:28.459 --> 00:43:30.139
 and because you

00:43:30.139 --> 00:43:30.539
 don't want them

00:43:30.539 --> 00:43:31.279
 to die from

00:43:31.279 --> 00:43:32.699
 contaminated syringes,

00:43:32.779 --> 00:43:33.500
 you put some

00:43:33.500 --> 00:43:34.379
 clean syringes

00:43:34.379 --> 00:43:35.319
 over there for people,

00:43:35.899 --> 00:43:36.899
 can those people say,

00:43:37.099 --> 00:43:37.119
 like,

00:43:37.159 --> 00:43:38.219
 oh, I'm following the law

00:43:38.219 --> 00:43:39.000
 because I use

00:43:39.000 --> 00:43:39.759
 clean syringes

00:43:39.759 --> 00:43:40.659
 every single time?

00:43:41.480 --> 00:43:41.759
 No,

00:43:41.879 --> 00:43:42.559
 you're doing

00:43:42.559 --> 00:43:43.319
 illegal drugs.

00:43:43.320 --> 00:43:47.620
 It's intended

00:43:47.620 --> 00:43:48.440
 to mitigate

00:43:48.440 --> 00:43:49.380
 human failure.

00:43:50.059 --> 00:43:51.059
 That's what divorce is.

00:43:51.519 --> 00:43:52.920
 Not the actual standard

00:43:52.920 --> 00:43:53.660
 that you're supposed

00:43:53.660 --> 00:43:54.200
 to keep.

00:43:55.019 --> 00:43:56.260
 What's the actual standard?

00:43:56.420 --> 00:43:56.940
 Jesus says,

00:43:57.080 --> 00:43:58.360
 he quotes Genesis 2,

00:43:58.440 --> 00:43:59.500
 24 in Matthew 19,

00:43:59.580 --> 00:44:00.160
 5 to 6.

00:44:00.539 --> 00:44:01.100
 Therefore a man

00:44:01.100 --> 00:44:02.120
 shall leave his father

00:44:02.120 --> 00:44:02.460
 and mother

00:44:02.460 --> 00:44:03.280
 and hold fast

00:44:03.280 --> 00:44:03.840
 to his wife

00:44:03.840 --> 00:44:04.500
 and the two

00:44:04.500 --> 00:44:05.640
 shall become one flesh.

00:44:05.860 --> 00:44:06.800
 So they are no longer

00:44:06.800 --> 00:44:08.059
 two but one flesh.

00:44:08.480 --> 00:44:08.980
 What therefore

00:44:08.980 --> 00:44:10.140
 God has joined together,

00:44:10.240 --> 00:44:11.720
 let not man separate.

00:44:11.719 --> 00:44:13.819
 God is the one

00:44:13.819 --> 00:44:14.639
 who joins a man

00:44:14.639 --> 00:44:15.299
 and woman together

00:44:15.299 --> 00:44:16.259
 in a covenant of marriage

00:44:16.259 --> 00:44:17.579
 and is not for man

00:44:17.579 --> 00:44:18.500
 to break it apart.

00:44:20.559 --> 00:44:21.619
 That still leaves

00:44:21.619 --> 00:44:22.639
 the exception clause

00:44:22.639 --> 00:44:24.159
 to make sense of.

00:44:25.139 --> 00:44:26.159
 But I say to you

00:44:26.159 --> 00:44:26.599
 that everyone

00:44:26.599 --> 00:44:27.319
 who divorces his wife

00:44:27.319 --> 00:44:28.739
 except on the ground

00:44:28.739 --> 00:44:29.519
 of sexual morality

00:44:29.519 --> 00:44:30.719
 makes her commit adultery.

00:44:31.559 --> 00:44:32.719
 The exception clause,

00:44:32.879 --> 00:44:33.759
 I think,

00:44:34.519 --> 00:44:35.339
 according to my best

00:44:35.339 --> 00:44:36.339
 interpretation at this point,

00:44:36.719 --> 00:44:37.259
 is there to

00:44:37.259 --> 00:44:38.239
 exempt the husband

00:44:38.239 --> 00:44:39.159
 from the guilt

00:44:39.159 --> 00:44:40.179
 of making his wife

00:44:40.179 --> 00:44:40.799
 commit adultery.

00:44:41.719 --> 00:44:43.239
 In this culture,

00:44:43.699 --> 00:44:44.759
 in this part

00:44:44.759 --> 00:44:45.500
 of the ancient world,

00:44:46.039 --> 00:44:46.679
 divorced women

00:44:46.679 --> 00:44:47.619
 would usually have

00:44:47.619 --> 00:44:49.000
 no recourse for survival.

00:44:49.839 --> 00:44:50.639
 They would be forced

00:44:50.639 --> 00:44:51.179
 to remarry

00:44:51.179 --> 00:44:52.079
 so that they could

00:44:52.079 --> 00:44:53.439
 be provided for.

00:44:54.539 --> 00:44:56.019
 And so when a husband

00:44:56.019 --> 00:44:58.379
 unjustly divorces her,

00:44:58.599 --> 00:44:59.279
 he would be guilty

00:44:59.279 --> 00:45:00.299
 of making her

00:45:00.299 --> 00:45:01.099
 commit adultery

00:45:01.099 --> 00:45:03.359
 because he forced her

00:45:03.359 --> 00:45:03.919
 into that.

00:45:04.980 --> 00:45:06.179
 But if the husband

00:45:06.179 --> 00:45:07.339
 divorced his wife

00:45:07.339 --> 00:45:09.359
 due to her own infidelity,

00:45:09.360 --> 00:45:11.300
 then he does not

00:45:11.300 --> 00:45:12.300
 bear that guilt

00:45:12.300 --> 00:45:13.340
 of making her

00:45:13.340 --> 00:45:14.420
 commit adultery

00:45:14.420 --> 00:45:15.620
 because she was

00:45:15.620 --> 00:45:16.300
 already one.

00:45:19.480 --> 00:45:20.960
 So sexual immorality

00:45:20.960 --> 00:45:21.840
 or infidelity

00:45:21.840 --> 00:45:22.760
 does become

00:45:22.760 --> 00:45:23.660
 a sort of

00:45:23.660 --> 00:45:24.880
 grounds for divorce,

00:45:25.160 --> 00:45:25.740
 though nowhere

00:45:25.740 --> 00:45:26.300
 in the Bible

00:45:26.300 --> 00:45:27.340
 does Jesus ever

00:45:27.340 --> 00:45:28.400
 command divorce

00:45:28.400 --> 00:45:29.599
 in such situations,

00:45:29.760 --> 00:45:30.500
 and there can still

00:45:30.500 --> 00:45:31.200
 be forgiveness

00:45:31.200 --> 00:45:32.420
 and reconciliation

00:45:32.420 --> 00:45:33.860
 even after sins

00:45:33.860 --> 00:45:35.620
 as deeply damaging

00:45:35.620 --> 00:45:36.940
 as adultery.

00:45:36.940 --> 00:45:39.700
 Let me add one

00:45:39.700 --> 00:45:41.159
 slight qualification here

00:45:41.159 --> 00:45:42.059
 because I have met

00:45:42.059 --> 00:45:43.519
 some Christian therapists

00:45:43.519 --> 00:45:44.340
 in the past

00:45:44.340 --> 00:45:45.840
 who have counseled

00:45:45.840 --> 00:45:47.220
 Christians to divorce

00:45:47.220 --> 00:45:48.980
 their Christian spouses

00:45:48.980 --> 00:45:49.940
 because of their

00:45:49.940 --> 00:45:51.000
 sins of lust

00:45:51.000 --> 00:45:51.900
 and pornography.

00:45:53.059 --> 00:45:53.980
 And they would cite

00:45:53.980 --> 00:45:54.579
 this passage

00:45:54.579 --> 00:45:55.260
 and say,

00:45:55.480 --> 00:45:56.079
 well, adultery

00:45:56.079 --> 00:45:58.000
 is lust

00:45:58.000 --> 00:45:59.039
 and looking at pornography,

00:45:59.200 --> 00:45:59.780
 lust of the heart

00:45:59.780 --> 00:46:01.119
 is adultery of the heart,

00:46:01.340 --> 00:46:02.179
 and here it says

00:46:02.179 --> 00:46:03.099
 adultery is grounds

00:46:03.099 --> 00:46:03.500
 for divorce,

00:46:03.599 --> 00:46:04.360
 therefore you should

00:46:04.360 --> 00:46:05.119
 divorce your wife,

00:46:05.240 --> 00:46:05.900
 divorce your husband.

00:46:05.900 --> 00:46:07.740
 And I've seen therapists

00:46:07.740 --> 00:46:09.360
 use this logic

00:46:09.360 --> 00:46:10.000
 and reasoning before,

00:46:10.059 --> 00:46:11.400
 but that's a specious claim.

00:46:12.780 --> 00:46:13.680
 In that case,

00:46:13.740 --> 00:46:14.639
 should we also institute

00:46:14.639 --> 00:46:15.559
 the death penalty

00:46:15.559 --> 00:46:16.700
 for sinful anger?

00:46:17.639 --> 00:46:18.300
 Because in the

00:46:18.300 --> 00:46:18.980
 preceding passage,

00:46:19.119 --> 00:46:19.539
 Jesus said,

00:46:19.660 --> 00:46:20.160
 if you're angry

00:46:20.160 --> 00:46:20.800
 with your brother,

00:46:20.900 --> 00:46:21.599
 then you have committed

00:46:21.599 --> 00:46:22.460
 murder in your heart.

00:46:23.519 --> 00:46:24.660
 Does that make any sense?

00:46:24.720 --> 00:46:25.420
 No, it doesn't.

00:46:30.340 --> 00:46:31.639
 Is there a single man

00:46:31.639 --> 00:46:32.220
 in the world

00:46:32.220 --> 00:46:32.880
 who can claim

00:46:32.880 --> 00:46:33.740
 that he has never,

00:46:33.860 --> 00:46:34.460
 not once,

00:46:34.539 --> 00:46:35.160
 looked at a woman

00:46:35.159 --> 00:46:35.679
 lustfully?

00:46:40.319 --> 00:46:40.960
 According to

00:46:40.960 --> 00:46:42.159
 that interpretation,

00:46:42.420 --> 00:46:43.399
 every Christian woman

00:46:43.399 --> 00:46:43.779
 in the world

00:46:43.779 --> 00:46:44.299
 should divorce

00:46:44.299 --> 00:46:45.039
 their husbands

00:46:45.039 --> 00:46:46.259
 because they're

00:46:46.259 --> 00:46:47.099
 all adulterous.

00:46:48.420 --> 00:46:49.639
 This is misguided

00:46:49.639 --> 00:46:50.859
 application of the passage.

00:46:51.059 --> 00:46:51.879
 Jesus is not

00:46:51.879 --> 00:46:53.519
 legislating civil laws

00:46:53.519 --> 00:46:54.379
 that should be enforced

00:46:54.379 --> 00:46:55.019
 by the courts

00:46:55.019 --> 00:46:55.899
 or the governing authorities.

00:46:55.899 --> 00:46:56.799
 He is teaching

00:46:56.799 --> 00:46:58.159
 a personal ethic.

00:46:59.000 --> 00:46:59.639
 Jesus is not

00:46:59.639 --> 00:47:00.559
 lowering the bar

00:47:00.559 --> 00:47:01.179
 for divorce.

00:47:01.779 --> 00:47:02.960
 He's just raising

00:47:02.960 --> 00:47:03.980
 the bar for purity

00:47:03.980 --> 00:47:04.800
 and obedience.

00:47:05.019 --> 00:47:05.639
 Are you guys with me?

00:47:09.480 --> 00:47:11.019
 What are we as Christians

00:47:11.019 --> 00:47:12.320
 to do with such

00:47:12.320 --> 00:47:13.500
 a high bar?

00:47:18.079 --> 00:47:20.079
 Only the most

00:47:20.079 --> 00:47:21.599
 naively optimistic

00:47:21.599 --> 00:47:22.480
 person,

00:47:22.820 --> 00:47:23.099
 Christian,

00:47:23.280 --> 00:47:24.099
 can read a passage

00:47:24.099 --> 00:47:24.679
 like this

00:47:24.679 --> 00:47:25.099
 and think,

00:47:25.940 --> 00:47:26.559
 okay,

00:47:26.780 --> 00:47:27.619
 pretty reasonable,

00:47:28.659 --> 00:47:29.099
 doable,

00:47:29.500 --> 00:47:29.940
 yeah, sure,

00:47:30.360 --> 00:47:30.820
 let me create

00:47:30.820 --> 00:47:31.360
 a checklist.

00:47:37.519 --> 00:47:38.559
 That's the point.

00:47:40.820 --> 00:47:42.280
 When you understand

00:47:42.280 --> 00:47:43.120
 God's holiness

00:47:43.120 --> 00:47:45.000
 and God's word

00:47:45.000 --> 00:47:47.120
 in its right place,

00:47:47.820 --> 00:47:50.780
 then you realize

00:47:50.780 --> 00:47:52.200
 you can never

00:47:52.200 --> 00:47:53.240
 be holy enough.

00:47:53.900 --> 00:47:55.160
 You can never

00:47:55.160 --> 00:47:55.920
 be pure enough.

00:47:56.140 --> 00:47:56.900
 You can never

00:47:56.900 --> 00:47:57.900
 be righteous enough.

00:47:57.900 --> 00:48:02.720
 This is not

00:48:02.720 --> 00:48:03.380
 meant to

00:48:03.380 --> 00:48:05.320
 put a hurdle

00:48:05.320 --> 00:48:05.880
 in front of you

00:48:05.880 --> 00:48:06.099
 and say,

00:48:06.220 --> 00:48:06.360
 okay,

00:48:06.460 --> 00:48:07.000
 this is doable,

00:48:07.240 --> 00:48:07.780
 now do it,

00:48:08.300 --> 00:48:08.820
 jump over.

00:48:09.480 --> 00:48:09.720
 No,

00:48:09.740 --> 00:48:10.059
 it's meant

00:48:10.059 --> 00:48:11.420
 to be so high

00:48:11.420 --> 00:48:13.079
 that you despair

00:48:13.079 --> 00:48:14.260
 of any chance

00:48:14.260 --> 00:48:14.740
 of you

00:48:14.740 --> 00:48:17.139
 clearing that hurdle

00:48:17.139 --> 00:48:17.660
 on your own

00:48:17.660 --> 00:48:19.260
 and instead

00:48:19.260 --> 00:48:20.400
 you turn to Jesus

00:48:20.400 --> 00:48:22.940
 and cling to him

00:48:22.940 --> 00:48:23.720
 for salvation.

00:48:23.719 --> 00:48:23.839
 salvation.

00:48:26.179 --> 00:48:27.159
 Maybe right now,

00:48:27.239 --> 00:48:27.719
 and I know

00:48:27.719 --> 00:48:28.419
 this is the case

00:48:28.419 --> 00:48:29.379
 because of the statistics

00:48:29.379 --> 00:48:30.219
 and because of many

00:48:30.219 --> 00:48:31.239
 of you that I've talked to,

00:48:31.599 --> 00:48:32.379
 I know there's dozens

00:48:32.379 --> 00:48:32.759
 of you,

00:48:32.799 --> 00:48:33.959
 if not scores of you,

00:48:34.119 --> 00:48:36.359
 who have sinned

00:48:36.359 --> 00:48:37.079
 in these ways,

00:48:37.159 --> 00:48:37.659
 who struggle

00:48:37.659 --> 00:48:38.519
 with these sins

00:48:38.519 --> 00:48:39.779
 and you mourn it

00:48:39.779 --> 00:48:40.679
 and you grieve it

00:48:40.679 --> 00:48:41.559
 and you want to change

00:48:41.559 --> 00:48:42.059
 and you're having

00:48:42.059 --> 00:48:43.419
 a hard time change.

00:48:48.159 --> 00:48:49.239
 And maybe you feel

00:48:49.239 --> 00:48:49.919
 like that person

00:48:49.919 --> 00:48:51.000
 in Lauren's prophecy,

00:48:51.199 --> 00:48:51.779
 you feel like

00:48:51.779 --> 00:48:52.899
 you're in this bathtub

00:48:52.900 --> 00:48:54.599
 and you feel black

00:48:54.599 --> 00:48:55.200
 and stained

00:48:55.200 --> 00:48:56.039
 and you keep trying

00:48:56.039 --> 00:48:57.000
 to wash yourself

00:48:57.000 --> 00:48:57.840
 to the point

00:48:57.840 --> 00:48:59.300
 of scraping your skin off

00:48:59.300 --> 00:49:00.240
 and you still cannot

00:49:00.240 --> 00:49:02.119
 get the stain off.

00:49:04.119 --> 00:49:05.320
 That is the reality

00:49:05.320 --> 00:49:06.900
 for all sinners

00:49:06.900 --> 00:49:07.380
 in the world

00:49:07.380 --> 00:49:08.220
 apart from Christ.

00:49:10.559 --> 00:49:11.559
 You will never

00:49:11.559 --> 00:49:12.960
 get it off.

00:49:15.480 --> 00:49:16.579
 We're like a

00:49:16.579 --> 00:49:18.539
 prostitute,

00:49:18.639 --> 00:49:19.019
 a whore

00:49:19.019 --> 00:49:22.039
 who is trying

00:49:22.039 --> 00:49:23.139
 to come to a wedding.

00:49:25.739 --> 00:49:27.400
 The hair is disheveled,

00:49:27.860 --> 00:49:29.940
 the face,

00:49:30.079 --> 00:49:30.639
 the makeup's

00:49:30.639 --> 00:49:31.380
 all smeared

00:49:31.380 --> 00:49:33.980
 and the clothings

00:49:33.980 --> 00:49:35.179
 are all soiled

00:49:35.179 --> 00:49:36.239
 and tatter

00:49:36.239 --> 00:49:37.320
 from her harlotry.

00:49:40.840 --> 00:49:41.800
 How's she gonna

00:49:41.800 --> 00:49:42.400
 get married?

00:49:43.599 --> 00:49:44.699
 Who's gonna take her?

00:49:47.340 --> 00:49:48.380
 That's the church,

00:49:48.380 --> 00:49:49.539
 the bride of Christ.

00:49:50.460 --> 00:49:51.180
 And then we read

00:49:51.180 --> 00:49:52.280
 in Ephesians 5

00:49:52.280 --> 00:49:53.840
 that Jesus

00:49:53.840 --> 00:49:57.039
 loved the church

00:49:57.039 --> 00:49:58.840
 and gave himself

00:49:58.840 --> 00:49:59.940
 up for her

00:49:59.940 --> 00:50:01.140
 that he might

00:50:01.140 --> 00:50:02.140
 sanctify her

00:50:02.140 --> 00:50:03.099
 having cleansed her

00:50:03.099 --> 00:50:03.860
 by the washing

00:50:03.860 --> 00:50:04.400
 of water

00:50:04.400 --> 00:50:05.099
 with the word

00:50:05.099 --> 00:50:06.400
 so that he might

00:50:06.400 --> 00:50:07.340
 present the church

00:50:07.340 --> 00:50:07.760
 to himself

00:50:07.760 --> 00:50:08.500
 in splendor

00:50:08.500 --> 00:50:09.280
 without spot

00:50:09.280 --> 00:50:10.039
 or wrinkle

00:50:10.039 --> 00:50:11.119
 or any such thing

00:50:11.119 --> 00:50:12.119
 that she might be

00:50:12.119 --> 00:50:12.500
 holy

00:50:12.500 --> 00:50:13.800
 and without

00:50:13.800 --> 00:50:14.760
 blemish.

00:50:14.760 --> 00:50:18.360
 in the beautiful

00:50:18.360 --> 00:50:19.500
 picture of

00:50:19.500 --> 00:50:21.060
 the wedding supper

00:50:21.060 --> 00:50:21.500
 of the Lamb

00:50:21.500 --> 00:50:22.460
 and the bride

00:50:22.460 --> 00:50:24.420
 that's gonna be

00:50:24.420 --> 00:50:25.620
 married to Jesus,

00:50:25.920 --> 00:50:26.600
 the bridegroom.

00:50:28.040 --> 00:50:29.080
 What does it say

00:50:29.080 --> 00:50:29.440
 here

00:50:29.440 --> 00:50:30.940
 about the saints?

00:50:31.040 --> 00:50:31.420
 How does it

00:50:31.420 --> 00:50:32.100
 describe them

00:50:32.100 --> 00:50:34.240
 in Revelation 7, 14?

00:50:34.840 --> 00:50:35.820
 These are the ones

00:50:35.820 --> 00:50:36.300
 coming out

00:50:36.300 --> 00:50:37.160
 of the great tribulation.

00:50:37.940 --> 00:50:38.640
 They have washed

00:50:38.640 --> 00:50:39.460
 their robes

00:50:39.460 --> 00:50:40.860
 and made them white

00:50:40.860 --> 00:50:41.920
 in the blood

00:50:41.920 --> 00:50:43.120
 of the Lamb.

00:50:43.119 --> 00:50:45.699
 Did you guys

00:50:45.699 --> 00:50:46.440
 catch that

00:50:46.440 --> 00:50:48.039
 Psalm 51

00:50:48.039 --> 00:50:48.619
 that Lauren

00:50:48.619 --> 00:50:49.440
 shared from?

00:50:50.599 --> 00:50:51.119
 Cleanse me

00:50:51.119 --> 00:50:51.819
 with hyssop

00:50:51.819 --> 00:50:52.619
 and I will be

00:50:52.619 --> 00:50:52.920
 clean.

00:50:53.159 --> 00:50:54.239
 That's the Psalm

00:50:54.239 --> 00:50:55.739
 that David wrote

00:50:55.739 --> 00:50:57.179
 after he committed

00:50:57.179 --> 00:50:57.659
 adultery

00:50:57.659 --> 00:50:58.500
 with Bathsheba

00:50:58.500 --> 00:50:59.619
 and Nathan the prophet

00:50:59.619 --> 00:51:00.739
 came and confronted him

00:51:00.739 --> 00:51:01.019
 and saying,

00:51:01.179 --> 00:51:02.079
 you are the man

00:51:02.079 --> 00:51:03.460
 and he's broken

00:51:03.460 --> 00:51:04.019
 and heartbroken

00:51:04.019 --> 00:51:05.460
 and that's what he writes

00:51:05.460 --> 00:51:06.619
 because he knows

00:51:06.619 --> 00:51:07.519
 that his only hope

00:51:07.519 --> 00:51:08.019
 of cleansing

00:51:08.019 --> 00:51:09.359
 is not in his

00:51:09.359 --> 00:51:09.859
 righteousness

00:51:09.859 --> 00:51:11.299
 but the blood

00:51:11.299 --> 00:51:12.460
 of Jesus Christ

00:51:12.460 --> 00:51:13.920
 and if you forsake

00:51:13.920 --> 00:51:14.720
 your own righteousness

00:51:14.720 --> 00:51:15.720
 and you go to Jesus

00:51:15.720 --> 00:51:16.340
 and say,

00:51:16.880 --> 00:51:17.559
 with your blood

00:51:17.559 --> 00:51:18.820
 I can be made clean

00:51:18.820 --> 00:51:19.760
 and your blood

00:51:19.760 --> 00:51:20.699
 I can be washed

00:51:20.699 --> 00:51:22.099
 as white as snow

00:51:22.099 --> 00:51:22.760
 then Jesus

00:51:22.760 --> 00:51:24.260
 puts that white

00:51:24.260 --> 00:51:25.800
 beautiful wedding gown

00:51:25.800 --> 00:51:26.300
 on you

00:51:26.300 --> 00:51:28.760
 and you get to

00:51:28.760 --> 00:51:29.780
 hold your head up high

00:51:29.780 --> 00:51:30.720
 and go to the wedding

00:51:30.720 --> 00:51:31.460
 supper of the Lamb

00:51:31.460 --> 00:51:32.579
 to be the bride

00:51:32.579 --> 00:51:33.860
 of Christ forever.

00:51:36.860 --> 00:51:38.000
 That's the good news

00:51:38.000 --> 00:51:41.000
 and it's only people

00:51:41.000 --> 00:51:41.659
 who believe

00:51:41.659 --> 00:51:43.280
 and get that good news

00:51:43.280 --> 00:51:47.000
 who want to

00:51:47.000 --> 00:51:48.280
 be pure

00:51:48.280 --> 00:51:49.679
 in every way

00:51:49.679 --> 00:51:51.659
 who pursue

00:51:51.659 --> 00:51:53.000
 utmost purity

00:51:53.000 --> 00:51:54.400
 who want to remove

00:51:54.400 --> 00:51:55.420
 every blemish

00:51:55.420 --> 00:51:56.300
 every hint

00:51:56.300 --> 00:51:56.980
 of unfaithfulness

00:51:56.980 --> 00:51:57.800
 every hint

00:51:57.800 --> 00:51:58.400
 of infidelity

00:51:58.400 --> 00:51:59.960
 because you love

00:51:59.960 --> 00:52:00.500
 Jesus

00:52:00.500 --> 00:52:01.900
 your bridegroom

00:52:01.900 --> 00:52:04.219
 because you want

00:52:04.219 --> 00:52:04.719
 to please

00:52:04.719 --> 00:52:05.519
 your bridegroom

00:52:05.519 --> 00:52:07.239
 because you

00:52:07.239 --> 00:52:09.000
 would do anything

00:52:09.000 --> 00:52:10.119
 for the one

00:52:10.119 --> 00:52:10.900
 who gave everything

00:52:10.900 --> 00:52:11.400
 for you.

00:52:14.900 --> 00:52:15.719
 Let's pray

00:52:15.719 --> 00:52:16.699
 that it would be

00:52:16.699 --> 00:52:17.280
 all of us.