THE BIBLE AND ADULTERY (PART 2)

PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)

NCE (English); Dip (Computer Studies); ND/HD (Journalism); Dip, BA (Theology) MA, PhD.

Call: +2348037346939 E-mail: professorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com

THE BIBLE AND ADULTERY (PART 2)

The Believer and Mental Adultery

Devotional Text: matt. 5:27-30

Introduction:

Mental adultery is that sexual sin that goes on in the mental circuit, via the heart of an individual by reason of the attraction of the opposite sex. This sin can affect both sexes (male or female), though, Jesus addresses the male dimension of the problem, (vs. 28). Human beings are known for the masquerading of their inner actions, since they are not easily detected by other humans, but God searches the heart and sees the inner-most part of man with certainty, (Jer. 17:9-10). Thus, Jesus cites the problem of “mental adultery”, as he warns that it carries the same implication with the actual adultery.

GENERAL REMARKS

(1)     Mental adultery is triggered off by unholy sight at the opposite sex, (Matt 5:28)

(2)     The believer, like Job, can overcome mental adultery by making covenant with his eyes, (Job 31:1)

(3)     Mental and actual adultery are the same in the sight of God, (Matt 5:28)

(4)     The believer should resist the temptation of mental adultery to avoid being dragged

         together to hell with the victims of actual adultery, (Rev. 21:8)

MENTAL ADULTERY AND THE EYE

The expression of Jesus, “anyone who looks at a woman and lusts after her”… (Matt. 5:28), characterizes the one whose glance at the opposite sex is not checked by holy restraint, and one who has the habit of impure purpose of lusting after the opposite sex. This, therefore, remains a wake-up call, urging the believer not to allow the devil to use the lens of his eyes to record any unholy sight that leads to sin. Mental adultery begins from what catches the eyes, that is, the attraction of the opposite sex. So, the believer should always ensure that;

(i)             he does not expose his eyes to any sight at the opposite sex that could trigger

off extra-marital sexual contemplations, (Matt. 5:28)

(ii)           all his sights at the opposite sex are checked by holy restraint, to avoid

the infiltration of unholy sexual desires, (vs. 28)

(iii)          he pays no attention to the fleshly attraction of any individual of the opposite sex,

apart from the spouse to avoid being lured into mental adultery, (vs. 28)

MENTAL ADULTERY AND THE HEART

The sin of adultery in the Old Testament Scripture is strictly forbidden, (Ex.20:14). And, in the New Testament, Jesus did not make the matter light, but indicates that the sin goes beyond what one can see, as He cites that the heart could also be the theatre of the act, (Matt. 5:28). Furthermore, the heart is said to be the brewer of evil thoughts that lead to condemnation, which adultery is one of them, (Matt. 15:19). So, the believer should constantly monitor what goes on in his heart and ensures that nothing wrong is permitted. According to Jesus, mental adultery is a matter of “lust of the flesh” that goes on in the heart for the opposite sex (Matt. 5:28), which the believer must resist, if he must be free from the judgment of damnation. Therefore, the believer, by this, is enjoined to;

(i)                   keep his heart with all diligence, which is said to be the point of all issues of life, (Pro 4:23)

(ii)                 always stamp out “adulterous lusts” whenever it raises its ugly head in the heart, (Matt. 5:28)

(iii)                maintain purity of heart before God and man, as a way of seeing God hereafter, (Matt 5:8)

MENTAL ADULTERY AND THE JUDGMENT OF GOD

Basically, adultery is that extra-marital sexual affair or sin between two married individuals or between an unmarried and married person. In the Old Testament the sin of adultery attracts death sentence by stoning (Lev.20:10). However, in the New Testament, Jesus shows his willingness to forgive the sin, if one truly repents (Jn. 8:1-11), but stresses that the sin could also be mentally committed (Matt. 5:28), and by implication carries the same judgment,(Rev.21:8). This, therefore, means that adultery is adultery, whether physically (Ex. 20:14) or mentally (Matt. 5:28) committed. Based on this, the believer is hereby informed that adultery, whether physically or mentally committed;

(i)             evokes God’s judgment on one, (Rev. 21:8))

(ii)           bars one out of the kingdom of God, (1 Cor. 6:9-10)

(iii)          portrays one as dog outside the gate of heaven, (Rev. 22:15)

In conclusion, please be reminded that mental adultery is a sin of the heart, which is said to be deceitful and desperately wicked (Jer. 17:9), and so, means that the heart can deceive one who fails to monitor its activities. Note, also that the eye is one of the sponsors of the heart. Therefore, the believer should always ensure that his eyes do not let into his heart what may result in mental adultery, which eventually leads to final judgment. BE WARNED!