November of 1976
• Jimmy Carter told an interviewer (from
Playboy, no less),
"Christ said, 'I tell you that anyone who looks
on a woman with lust has in his heart already
committed adultery.'
I've looked on a lot of women with lust. I've
committed adultery in my heart many times."
MENTAL
ADULTERY
Matthew
5:28
SCENARIO
• You are studying with someone…
• You find out that the person is divorced for
_______.
• Later, as you study Matthew 19, they come
across the divinely allowed reason for divorce.
• While in Matthew 5, you come to verse 28.
• AHA! A loophole! Mental Adultery! Yes!
That’s what my spouse did.
QUESTION?
• Does Matthew 5:28 give someone
the right to divorce their spouse for
“Mental Adultery”?
• Does it justify divorcing a mate for
the thoughts of the heart?
QUESTION?
• Does Matthew 5:28 give someone
the right to divorce their spouse for
“Mental Adultery”?
• Does it justify divorcing a mate for
the thoughts of the heart?
• If not, then what IS God saying here?
MATTHEW 5:27-28
•
27"You
have heard that it was said,
‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT
ADULTERY';
• 28but I say to you that everyone who
looks at a woman with lust for her
has already committed adultery with
her in his heart.
LET US CONSIDER:
1) WILLFUL INTENT – “Looks upon a woman to
lust…” is more than a moment’s notice or a
curious look. It refers to willful intent and
purpose. A decision.
LET US CONSIDER:
1) WILLFUL INTENT – “Looks upon a woman to
lust…” is more than a moment’s notice or a
curious look. It refers to willful intent and
purpose. A decision.
2) AN ACTUAL ACT – You cannot divorce
someone for what you presume or think they
are doing. No matter how convinced you
may be, there must be proof. Deuteronomy
19:15; Matthew 18:16
LET US CONSIDER:
3) GOD’S PURPOSE – is to preserve marriage,
not to give us a loophole to get out of an
otherwise unhappy or undesirable
relationship. Just as God can see your
spouse’s heart, He can see yours. 1 Samuel
16:7; Hebrews 4:12
LET US CONSIDER:
4) MENTAL MURDER? – v21-22 have a parallel
style. Cf. 1 John 3:15. Do these passages
justify capital punishment for people who
commit “Mental Murder”? Difference in
consequences-no actual death, cohabiting.
LET US CONSIDER:
4) MENTAL MURDER? – v21-22 have a parallel
style. Cf. 1 John 3:15. Do these passages
justify capital punishment for people who
commit “Mental Murder”? Difference in
consequences-no actual death, cohabiting.
5) FRIENDSHIP WITH THE WORLD – James 4:4
says that these are adulteresses. Can I
divorce my spouse for engaging in the
worldly activities he had just listed?
LET US CONSIDER:
6) CONTEXT – The discussion here is not about
divorce or its remedies, but rather, about the
character of a Christian.
LET US CONSIDER:
6) CONTEXT – The discussion here is not about
divorce or its remedies, but rather, about the
character of a Christian.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Beatitudes
Salt, light
Respect for God’s word
A higher standard – anger, lust, oaths
Love
LET US CONSIDER:
7) “IN THE HEART…” – thoughts defined by an
action, not vice versa. Jews understood the
phrase.
LET US CONSIDER:
7) “IN THE HEART…” – thoughts defined by an
action, not vice versa. Jews understood the
phrase.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Genesis 17:17-Abraham doesn’t utter the words
Psalm 55:21-Smooth words, but desire is hostile
Jeremiah 9:26-Israel rejected God
Phrases: “You’re in my heart”, funeral in his
heart”, etc.
CONCLUSION
• To use this passage to justify a divorce is to
twist Scripture. Notice 2 Peter 3:15-16
• The real lesson is that a citizen in God’s
Kingdom will set good things in his heart, set a
good example for others, and strive to keep
evil far from his heart.
• God will judge our hearts as well as our
actions - even if no one else knows.