The New Testament reveals the essence of God’s pure standards.
Jesus said that “whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” Matthew 5: 28.
God’s divine evaluation takes place in the heart of every person. He judges the source and origin of sin.
Jesus said “for out the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornication, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” Mathew 15: 19.
Mass media uses sex to sell its products and to glamorize its programs. Sex crimes are at an all-time high, while infidelity, divorce, and perversion are justified.
Marriage, sexual fidelity and moral purity is scorned, ridiculed, and laughed at. We are preoccupied with sex to a degree perhaps never seen in a civilized culture.
This command “do not commit adultery” applies to both men and women, and is given to protect the sacredness of the marriage relationship.
God instituted marriage at the creation of man and woman (Genesis 2: 24). Adultery in the Bible is referred to as “a great sin” (Genesis 20: 9) and “a great wickedness and sin against God” ( James 2: 11).
Engulfing most of Western society is a sea of sexual excess and perversion which is destroying lives physically, morally, emotionally, and spiritually. Marriages, families, even whole communities are being destroyed.
In Acts 17: 30 God “now commands all men everywhere to repent”. The word ‘repent’ means to ‘have a change of mind’ or ‘to voluntarily change one’s direction in life’.
Just as the adulterous heart seeks only to satisfy its lust, the godly heart seeks to avoid all such temptations. Paul wrote to Timothy and exhorted him to “flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart”.
God’s law still reflects His holy will and standard for human conduct.
An examination of the Ten Commandments teaches us that are ten features of love.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS – Exodus 20: 1 -17
And God spoke all these words, saying: “I am the Lord your God, who bought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage”.
“You shall have no other gods before Me”
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image”
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain”
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy”
“Honour your father and your mother”
“You shall not murder”
“You shall not commit adultery”
“You shall not steal”
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour”
“You shall not covet”
Written: John Denman
Pictures: Clifton Franks