Part 2: Treat sin seriously and deal with it quickly.

March 13, 2022 Preacher: Rick Applegate Series: Is Kingdom Living Relevant in a Modern World?

Topic: Kingdom Living Scripture: Matthew 5:27–32

Is Kingdom Living Relevant in a Modern World? #7 

March 13, 2022 Rick Applegate

Text: Matthew 5:27-32 

Focus Point: Treat sin seriously and deal with it quickly. 

  1. What is lust? 

“…looks at a woman…” To stare with lustful intent. Jesus is equating lust with adultery. 

  1. How should we deal with lust? 

“…if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out…” “…if your right hand causes you to sin, tear it  out…” 

Is Jesus being literal? Yes and no. 

Yes – severity. 

No – self-mutilation.  

If something becomes so indispensable, but is bring destruction, deal with it quickly. 

  1. Why should we treat lust so severely? (Matt. 19:3-10; Ex. 21:10-11; Deut. 24:1-4) Ex. 21:10-11 – God is protecting the wife. 

Deut. 24:1-4 – What does “some indecency in her” mean? 

Two Views 

Conservative view – Infidelity Liberal view – Anything that displeased the  husband 

One of the purposes of marriage is to increase God’s image and glory throughout the earth. Gen.  1:27; 2:24 

How should we interpret Matt. 19:9, “except for sexual immorality”? 

Two Views 

View #1 – Infidelity ONLY View #2 – Adultery, abandonment or abuse 

Three reasons: 

  1. Jesus’ context is Deut. 24, not Ex. 21 
  2. Ex. 21 did allow a woman to become another man’s wife without sinning. 3. Paul in 1 Cor. 7:15 allows for abandonment to be justification for divorce and remarriage.  

Jesus restores women to their rightful place as equal image bearers of God! 

Conclusion:  

John 13:35 “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

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