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. 29Now if your right eye is causing you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30And if your right hand is causing you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.Outward righteousness says, “As long as I keep my pants on, I’m ok.”
Matthew 5:27-30
Heart righteousness says, “Lust is adultery.”
Keep the Fire Inside the Fireplace
Sex is a gift of God. So is fire. As long as the fire is inside the fireplace, one can enjoy the fire.
Once the fire gets outside the fireplace and into the living room, we’ve got issues.
Sex and possessions are the two parts of the created order that has the strongest ties to our heart and soul. Utilized “inside the fireplace” God intended, they are amazing gifts giving richness of life. Utilized “outside the fireplace” God intended, they are amazing accelerants that can burn down a life.
No wonder Jesus focuses on both inside the Sermon on the Mount.
Playing With Fire
Jesus spoke to all disciples, but he is digging at religious leaders. We are really good at looking good on the outside and all the while playing with fire inside of us. Jesus leads us towards a greater righteousness.
A righteousness that doesn’t say, “How far is too far?” but rather asks, “How close is too close?”
When Jesus tells us to cut out our eye or cut off our hand, he doesn’t mean literally. He tells us, “How far are you willing to go to protect the righteousness flowing through your soul?”
Church leadership is tough. You give to others, but unless you give into yourself, no one else will do it for you. For me, ideas begin to creep into my head when fatigue sets in. I begin to think I can enjoy this without anyone else knowing. I can lust and keep my pants on…keeping everything in my life intact.
Jesus calls us to a greater righteousness, not because of the rules, but because of righteousness.
The Source of Life Inside Our Soul
Jesus is the Source of Life inside of our soul. He described it as a Living Water to the woman at the well. She likewise dealt with sex fulfilling her soul. Sex is a powerful force that clamors to receive the top spot of “source of life” inside of our soul. We feel good for a moment. God made sex for this feeling.
However, the greater righteousness desires Jesus alone to be the Source of Life inside our soul. When we struggle against lust, the struggle is not right v. wrong. The struggle is between Life and Death. Do we want Life to continue to flow through our soul? Or do we want to cut off the Living Water from flooding our lives to go out into other people’s lives?
Sex inside marriage is how God designed it to be a gift. A gift that will continue to give us Life inside our soul. When we go outside of marriage to fulfill our soul with sex, this is when death comes.
I am not talking about losing your salvation or being unable to be forgiven. I’m talking about the invisible power of God flowing through you. Jesus tells us to do whatever it takes to never dam up the Living Water.
What Are You Willing To Cut Off?
Reality is, we will struggle. Reality is, we will lust. However, with Jesus, this does not have to end in death. He brings Life. He brings Life back. Repentance will unclog the arteries of our soul. However, a continual flow of Living Water brings an anointing of the Spirit we can never bring upon ourselves.
The Well Off desire Jesus’ righteousness more than the cravings of lust. They want something supernatural over their life and know lust only dams up the supernatural in their life.
So what are you willing to do to keep the Living Water flowing through your soul? What subscriptions are you willing to cut? Who are you willing to talk to? Who has your Screen Time passcode so they are the only ones who can let you into certain things?
You protecting yourself is not legalism. Me telling you exactly what is and is not the right place to cut off your hand is legalism. You and someone else working together to protect the Living Water flowing inside your soul is not legalism. You pretending to be righteous all the while giving into your lustful cravings is legalism.
Strength from God comes from the righteousness Jesus alone gives. Demand for yourself to only tap into his Living Water.
Prayer: God, Strengthen me to want only your Living Water inside my soul.
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