The Ten Commandments, Part 7

“In my preaching of the Word, I took special notice of this one thing, namely, that the Lord did lead me to begin where His Word begins with sinners; that is, to condemn all flesh, and to open and allege that the curse of God, by the Law, doth belong to and lay hold on all men as they come into the world, because of sin.”

John Bunyan

Kirk Cameron’s Comment

Although Jesus issued a very serious warning about breaking the Seventh Commandment, it is perhaps the one that is broken with the most enthusiasm and excitement.

Questions & Objections

Lesson

In this lesson we will look at the Seventh Commandment and what it means in light of New Testament revelation: “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14).

The Bible said that the Messiah would magnify the Law and make it honorable (Isaiah 42:21). The Pharisees had dishonored the Law by teaching that God required only an outward show of piety. However, Jesus explained that God judges even the thought-life. He said, “You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not commit adultery: But I say to you, that whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matthew 5:27, 28). In doing so He touched the apple of the eye of humanity. Men live for and will die because of lust. For them it is life’s greatest pleasure, and they would rather be damned than let it go. If salvation were the work of man, no one would be saved. The evangelistic endeavor would be hopeless. But thank God it is He who gives us repentance leading us to the knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 2:25). It is God who brings us to our senses and shows us the end of our transgressions. This Commandment is perhaps the most powerful of the mighty cannons of God and therefore must be used often to awaken sinners to their plight.

Lust is especially dangerous because it rarely lies alone. Its bedfellows are fornication, adultery, perversion, rape, and even murder. It burns in the heart of man, and like acid reflux, it forces its way through his flesh in a great all-consuming wave with a mind of its own. Lust caused Herod to murder John the Baptist, the greatest man born of women. It doesn’t want a mere half of your kingdom, it wants your head on a plate. It brings forth sin, and sin when it’s conceived brings forth death. Proverbs 6:32 warns us, “But whoso commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding: he that does it destroys his own soul.”

The gift of sex was given by God for procreation and pleasure. Scripture says that the only time a husband and wife should refrain from the joys of sex is when they are praying and fasting; otherwise, they set themselves up for temptation (1 Corinthians 7:5). The Bible also says that a man should be ravished (enraptured) always with her love (Proverbs 5:18–20). The only stipulation is that it is his wife he is to be enraptured with—not the woman down the street.

Men will often deceive themselves by believing that the Ten Commandments condemn only adultery, leaving them free to have sex outside of marriage. However, the Law condemns all unlawful sex. First Timothy 1:8–10 tells us that the Law was also made for fornicators (whoremongers). Galatians 5:19 lists adultery and fornication at the top of the list of works of the flesh.

Those who forsake marriage thinking that they can enjoy sex outside the bonds of the institution risk getting AIDS and numerous other sexually transmitted diseases—several of which are incurable. It is interesting to note that a man and a woman can engage in sex ten thousand times within marriage and never even once risk contracting any sexually transmitted disease.

One who commits fornication (from the Greek Porneia, “illicit sexual intercourse”) takes what could lawfully be his as a gift from God, and corrupts it. He is like a child who one night steals a crisp, new twenty-dollar bill from his father’s wallet, not realizing that his father intended to give it to him as a gift in the morning.

The fornicator not only sins against God and incurs the wrath of eternal justice, but he sins against his conscience, and his own body (1 Corinthians 6:18). Fornicators will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9). Scripture warns us to “abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11).

Don’t be discouraged if you have a battle with lust. If you are struggling, then at least you are fighting it. If you have no problem with it, then you have given your heart to demons and they will drag you to hell. These are fearful words—but they are needed to awaken us to what is at stake.

Would you ever take pornography to church and look at it during worship? You may as well, because God is just as present in your bedroom as He is in the church building. If you are given to pornography, face the fact that you may not be saved. Examine yourself to ensure that Christ is living in you (2 Corinthians 13:5). See Romans 6:11–22; 8:1–14; Ephesians 5:3–8.

Realize that when you give yourself to pornography, you are committing adultery (Matthew 5:27, 28). Grasp the serious nature of your sin. Jesus said that it would be better for you to be blind and go to heaven than for your eye to cause you to sin and end up in hell (Matthew 5:29). Those who profess to be Christians yet drool over pornographic material evidently lack the fear of God (Proverbs 16:6). Cultivate the fear of the Lord by reading Proverbs 2:1–5. Think of where lust led King David. He opened himself to many other sins, including murder, and brought misery and shame to his family name. Read Psalm 51 and make it your own prayer.

Memorize James 1:14, 15 and 1 Corinthians 10:13. Follow Jesus’ example (Matthew 4:3–11) and quote the Word of God when you are tempted (see Ephesians 6:12–20).

Make no provision for your flesh (Romans 13:14; 1 Peter 2:11). Get rid of every access to pornographic material—the Internet, printed literature, TV, videos, and movies. Stop feeding the fire. Instead, guard your heart with all diligence (Proverbs 4:23). Don’t let the demonic realm have access to your thought-life. If you give yourself to it, you will become its slave (Romans 6:16).

Read the Bible daily, without fail. As you submit to God, the devil will flee (James 4:7, 8). The next time temptation comes, do fifty push-ups, then fifty sit-ups. If you are still burning, repeat the process (see 1 Corinthians 9:27).

Take confidence that even though sinners may shake off your words when you talk to them about lust, they will find it more difficult to shake off the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Plant the seed of truth in the soil of the heart. Tell them what Jesus said about this sin, and then pray that the Holy Spirit makes the word grow in their hearts.

Preacher’s Progress

A sample witnessing conversation, written in the style of John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress.

Feathers for Arrows

So much of the world’s misery is self-inflicted: AIDS, alcoholism, obesity, guilt, drug addiction, nicotine addiction and its related diseases, etc. Look at the repercussions of adultery, revealed in this unsigned letter: “Eleven years ago, I walked out on a twelve-year marriage. My wife was a good person, but for a long time she was under a lot of stress. Instead of helping her, I began an affair with her best friend. It was a disaster. This is what I gave up: 1) seeing my daughter grow up; 2) the respect of many long-time friends; 3) the enjoyment of living as a family; 4) a wife who was loyal, was appreciative and tried to make me happy. This is what I got: 1) two stepchildren who treated me like dirt; 2) a wife who didn’t know how to make anything for dinner but reservations; 3) a wife whose only interest in me was how much money she could get; 4) a wife who made disparaging remarks about my family and ruined all my existing friendships; 5) finally, the best thing I got was a bitter, expensive divorce.”

Words of Comfort

A lady named Peggy stepped into the lobby of our ministry and asked if she could park her 18-wheeler cab in front of our building. I said that it was fine, and then gave her one of our Elvis “collectible” tracts. She looked at the picture and said, “That looks like my first husband.” I asked how many she had had. She said that she was now with her fourth husband.

I held back from saying “...and he whom you have now is not your husband,” and instead gave her a penny with the Ten Commandments pressed into it. I told her what it was, and then asked, “Do you think you have kept the Ten Commandments?” When she admitted that she had lied and stolen, I gently said, “By your own admission, you are a lying thief. If God judges you by the Ten Commandments on Judgment Day, will you be innocent or guilty?” She said that she would be guilty and end up in hell. I told her that it wasn’t God’s will that she go there, and asked if she knew what God had done so that she wouldn’t go to hell. She widened her eyes and sincerely said, “He gave His only forgotten Son.”

Most of America knows John 3:16, even if they don’t get it quite right.

Questions

1. How did the Messiah make the Law “honorable”?
2. What are some of the sins that accompany lust?
3. What does lust want from you? (See John 10:10 and James 1:14, 15.)
4. How would you answer someone who said that the Ten Commandments do not condemn sex outside of marriage?
5. Why shouldn’t you be discouraged if you have a problem with lust?
6. What does the Bible say to those who consider viewing pornography to be a harmless activity?
7. What can we learn from Proverbs 2:1–5?

Answers to these review questions are provided in the back of the printed book / source PDF.

Memory Verse

“You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not commit adultery: But I say to you, That whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.”

Matthew 5:27-28

Last Words

I rejoice, yea, my spirit leaps within me for joy, that now the time at last is come when I shall see the glorious God face to face; whom I have by faith longed after, and after whom my soul has panted.

Zuniger, Professor of Medicine at Basel, renowned for his skill and a simple-hearted believer who lived in the light of eternity