I am still processing the Sermon on the Mount. I have gone through the 25 posts and edited them for clarity and to revisit them for myself. Now I want to look at the applications I should be making for myself.
So adultery is wrong? I think that there are many who would argue that point today, even many "Christians." I think Christianity in many regards is not a rock, but a sponge, absorbing culture and embracing lifestyles in order to fit in. I know that is extremely unpopular, and some would even label it as hate speech perhaps. Jesus takes it even farther though, making lust wrong (dare I say a sin?). There are none who are guiltless, are there? I believe that was His point.
I made a statement in the original post of these verses (Matthew 5:27-30) It is that "we may have to make sacrifices rather than alter the meaning of God's commands." I think that today I see a lot more altering than I do sacrificing. How many times have I heard, "Does the Bible really say that?" And if by some chance that answer is yes, it is quickly followed by, "But is that what it really means?"
Take Away: I am a sinner. Whether it is because I have committed adultery or only had lustful thoughts. I still shudder at how unpopular that thought is. Not only unpopular, but rallied against, even by "Christians." But I am also saved by grace. Whether I have committed adultery or only had lustful thoughts. There is only one unforgiveable sin according to the Bible, and that is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 12:31-33) Although there are different interpretations as to what that actually is, in my understanding I have not crossed that line. The Bible speaks about our behavior a lot. Here are just a few examples:
But these verses from the Sermon on the Mount help me understand what I need to know in order to do those things. First, I need to recognize I am a sinner. I need to have a strong desire to change (repent). So strong, that I am willing to give up those things that are very near and dear to me, even as near and dear as my right eye or right hand. Call it hitting bottom or desperation, I need to understand that without Jesus I am lost. This will lead me to the potential to see and embrace the grace of God. Salvation is not a 90 degree turn to the left where I separate myself from sin. Nor is it a 90 degree turn to the right where I give myself to Jesus. It is a 180 degree turn where I turn my back on sin and embrace Christ. I follow Him completely because I know that ultimately there is nothing more important than living in the grace that God accomplished for me through Jesus.
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