Amen. Please be seated. Tonight, take your copy of God's Word and turn with me to Exodus. We will be in a variety of places tonight, but our main passage will be one verse. In Exodus chapter 20, we are working our way through the Ten Commandments, God's moral law. is abiding standard for all of humanity. Exodus 20 and verse 14. Hear now the word of the living God. You shall not commit adultery. Let's pray. Lord, we pray that as we look to your law tonight yet again, we would be mindful of your standard for all of humanity, a standard written on the heart of Adam, broken by Adam and Eve and all of humanity. Kept by Christ in His life. Taught on by Christ. Upheld by the cross and then given to us now. Not as a law for earning salvation. But as a tool for understanding how we might glorify You. In this commandment, we pray that You would cause our hearts and minds to be convicted, guided, comforted, and lead us again to the Gospel. In Jesus' name, Amen. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 4, verse 3, This is the will of God, Your sanctification. that you abstain from sexual immorality. This is the will of God, your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality. We live in a day where such a commandment is regularly tossed aside. It is seen as perhaps puritanical, prudish. The idea that we might entertain a notion of fidelity in marriage, of sexual purity, is not popular. But like all of the other commandments, this passage is part of God's moral law. And it is a passage which Jesus Himself picks up on in that great sermon known as the Sermon on the Mount. What I want to do tonight is look at how this passage is laid out in Scripture in three different ways. Firstly, the heart of adultery. When we see the seventh commandment say, do not commit adultery, we must understand firstly that this is a heart level issue. And then secondly, I want us to just scan the pages of Scripture and see the specific situations. This will not be exhaustive, but at least some of the situations for adultery. Meaning, where do we find it? What are the temptations for it? And then lastly, I want us to see, as we should rightly see with every part of God's law, the drive from it to the Gospel. Looking at the Gospel for adultery. So firstly, let's see how Jesus teaches about this commandment, turn with me to Matthew chapter five. Matthew chapter five. As you're turning there, we should note that the Sermon on the Mount is Jesus' great teaching about kingdom life. And he takes not all of the Ten Commandments, but many of them and teaches on them. In the Sermon on the Mount he is not giving a new unheard of law, but he is correcting the teaching of the law that is inadequate. Matthew chapter 5 verse 27, hear the word of God. You have heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you, for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell. Jesus, in Matthew 5, verse 27, clearly is quoting from Exodus 20, 14, the seventh commandment. And he uses the word adultery. And notice what he says in the following verse, in verse 28. But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery. Notice Jesus' teaching. That adultery is not simply an outward act, but an inward one as well. Lusting after a person. Seeking to have something which is not ours for selfish gain. Or, seeking that a person lusts after you is a breaking of the seventh commandment. We have committed adultery, Jesus would say, in our hearts. Notice what He says in verse 28. You've already committed adultery. Now, Jesus is not doing away with the seventh commandment, nor is He giving a new commandment. Oftentimes, we wonder when Jesus said, you have heard it said, but I say to you. Sometimes He does that with quotes from the Old Testament. In other places, He does that with things that aren't literal quotes in the Old Testament. They're not there. He's correcting and teaching using the law of God. So what is He doing here? He's showing the truest intent of the seventh commandment. Upholding marriage. Your own, whether you're in one, or perhaps your future marriage. As well as the marriages of others. And notice, Jesus' call to this purity, if you will, is not simply to refrain from actions. But it's also an issue of the heart. We cannot assume that the law of God simply means not physically committing adultery. Jesus shows in his teaching on the seventh commandment that this is an issue of the heart. It's an issue of the heart. Maybe teachings or discussions of the law of God are somewhat new to you. Or maybe you are new in the faith and you might have heard someone, perhaps myself or someone else say, we have all broken God's law. And you might think to yourself, well I haven't ever committed adultery. But what does Jesus say? The seventh commandment is not just outward, but inward as well. He continues in verses 29 and 30, notice what he says. He says, if your right eye causes you to sin or if your right hand causes you to sin, pluck it out or cut it off. For it is better for you to lose that part of your body than for your whole body to be cast into hell. What is Jesus doing here? You know, there have been some accounts, perhaps factual or not, of people in church history taking this passage literally or at face value, meaning they would remove parts of their body to avoid lust. But with Jesus' teaching that comes just prior to this, the mind, the heart, still lust, Jesus is not calling for us here to literally mutilate our bodies. He's using something known as hyperbole. It's a big word, boys and girls. It means Jesus is intentionally exaggerating. He's using strong, strong language to prove a point. He does this elsewhere. Matthew 18 verses 8 and 9. Mark chapter 9 verses 43 through 48. So he's not asking us to harm our bodies, to literally take out our eye or cut off our hand, but rather calling us to go to any lengths possible to kill sin in our lives. How do we know that Jesus is not calling for us to take out a sword and cut off our hand? Well, number one, true body mutilation wouldn't honor God with our bodies. We are image bearers as body and soul. Secondly, it wouldn't solve the problem. If you pluck out your eyes, you still have lustful thoughts. You still have hearts that lust. The point, brothers and sisters, is that the seventh commandment is a commandment broken or upheld, not simply with our bodies, but with our hearts as well. So number one, the heart of adultery. But number two, I want us to see tonight the situations for adultery. And this is not going to be exhaustive, but I want us to look at various parts of Scripture that speak to adultery, or the pitfalls that may lead to adultery, to gain wisdom as we think about this commandment. Continuing in our text, notice what Jesus says in verse 31. Furthermore, it has been said, whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce. But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery." So one of the first situations that we see that speaks to the breaking of the seventh commandment is marriage and divorce. Marriage and divorce. Jesus says in verse 31, "...furthermore, it has been said..." This phrase is shorter than all of the other, you have heard it said, but I say to you, kinds of formulas. That's what He's doing often in the Sermon on the Mount. But this phrase shows that verses 31 and 32 are connected to the previous passage related to adultery. We won't be able to fully get into all of what the Bible says about adultery, but what is he speaking about here? Verses 27 through 30, he's teaching on adultery, and he's giving us the understanding, if you will, that adultery is not just a body matter, but it's a heart matter. And then in verse 31 and 32, which are clearly related, he speaks to the issue of divorce. So a few points here. He says, whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce. Divorce was widespread in the ancient world, and sometimes a simple certificate was often given, usually by the male, the man, to the woman. You can read of places like this even in the Old Testament. Deuteronomy 24 verses 1-4. Deuteronomy 24 verses 1-4. Just for the sake of context, let's read that. Deuteronomy 24, verse 1 through 4. This is in the second telling or summary of the law of the Pentateuch. Deuteronomy 24, verse 1. When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes, because he has found some uncleanness in her and he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house. When she has departed from his house and goes and becomes another man's wife, if the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her as a wife, then her former husband who divorced her must not take her back to be his wife after she has been defiled. For that is an abomination before the Lord, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance." One instance in the Old Testament which speaks to this idea of a certificate of divorce. In this place, in Deuteronomy 24, Jesus would later say that given the people's hard hearts, Moses and the law allowed for certificates to be given in order to help to protect women. However, Jesus is showing that the true intent of the law of God regarding marriage is a lack of adultery. So what is this part about divorce? Well, in Ephesians 5, what do we read regarding marriage? The latter part of that passage. We read that marriage is a picture of Christ and the church. It's a bold statement in our day. It's not popular. But it's very likely that statistically, the main source of breaking of the seventh commandment in our time and in our day is the flippancy with which our culture takes the permanency of marriage. Now Jesus clearly gives a reason for divorce, sexual immorality. Elsewhere the Bible speaks of abandonment, and there are indeed cases where people need to separate, move away for their own safety and security. But what I mean is that in our day, divorce has become a ready option. And really, Jesus' teaching on marriage and divorce is quite strong. So of course we are right to see in these passages the exceptions for sexual immorality. The exception in Paul's letter to Corinth for abandonment. And yet, and yet, we are right again to consider the strength with which we should consider marriage. before we move on from this particular situation, that of divorce. Notice in verse 32, he says, But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery. This is not a blatant call to divorce any time there is sexual immorality, but rather an exception. It says that if a partner has committed sexual immorality, There is not adultery if divorce occurs. We often look at these passages and ask the question, what am I allowed to do? When can I get a divorce? But Jesus upholds a strong teaching on marriage. Genesis 2.24, Jesus would quote elsewhere, Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. So yes, without fully touching on the two main exceptions for divorce in the Scriptures. Divorce in our day is one of the ways, a dominant way in which our culture breaks the seventh commandment. But what else is there? What else is there? What other situations lead us, tempt us, guide us, if you will, into adultery? I just want to look at a few passages so that we might think about the seventh commandment working its way throughout the pages of Scripture. Firstly, we could, or secondly, we could say precarious situations. One example there, turn to Genesis chapter 39. Genesis 39. We made the case years ago when we walked through the book of Genesis that the characters, the persons of Genesis are not given to us simply as moral lessons. But ultimately, even in the book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, we are meant to see the promise of Christ. And yet, there is wisdom sometimes as we look at the actions of God's people and His Word. Genesis 39.10. Many of you know where we're going. Joseph and his master's wife. Genesis 39. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. And it came to pass, after these things, that his master's wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, Lie with me. But he refused and said to his master's wife, Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house. And he has committed all that he has to my hand. There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her to lie with her or to be with her. But it happened about this time when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, that she caught him by his garment saying, lie with me. But he left his garment in her hand and fled and ran outside." Brothers and sisters, Joseph here avoids breaking the seventh commandment by removing himself from a precarious situation. How many situations are there in our own lives with our eyes, with our actions, with where we are located, with those with whom we have a relationship, where there are precarious situations, situations which may tempt us to break the seventh commandment. So unlawful divorce, precarious situations, these are just two instances where the seventh commandment comes into play. A third is corrupt or unchaste speech. Turn over to Ephesians 4. Ephesians 4 and verse 29. This passage here does not literally use the word adultery, but notice what it says about grieving the Spirit. Ephesians 4. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers." Now think about this. Think about your own life. Think about the words that you say, perhaps before you were converted to Christ, and even now. How often is there corrupt speech in your mouth that relates to the seventh commandment? How often has there been vile or corrupt or unchaste speech, crude joking, referencing to things that are ungodly as regards the seventh commandment. Our catechism for this evening says this, what is required in the seventh commandment? Answer. The seventh commandment requires the preservation of our own and our neighbor's chastity in heart, speech, and behavior. Our very mouths can be instruments of breaking the seventh commandment, of not working for the upholding of God's purity and call for fidelity. Fourthly, another situation that touches on the seventh commandment, and that is what we let pass before our eyes. What we let pass before our eyes. Turn over to 2 Peter 2. 2 Peter 2. 2 Peter 2 in verse 14. Here, Peter is giving a description of false teachers, but notice one of the descriptors. Let's pick up in verse 12. But these, like natural brute beasts, made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand and will utterly perish in their own corruption, and will receive the wages of unrighteousness as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices and are accursed children. Now, I believe in my heart to my knowledge none of us in this room is a false teacher. But this characteristic is one that we need to wrestle with. Do we have, quote, eyes full of adultery? What is it that we allow to pass before our eyes? What might we want our eyes to be enticed by? We will not labor here on this particular issue, given all the wonderful children that are here. However, in our day, Billions of dollars are spent on this very practice. The trafficking of individuals and the images which flood our screens and our smartphones. What do we let pass before our eyes? For pornography is not its own sin. It's a breaking of the seventh commandment. Brothers and sisters, let us consider I know it sounds legalistic to some, but I've told many, do you really need to carry a computer in your pocket? It in and of itself is not sinful, but if you wrestle at all in this day and in your walk with Christ of having eyes that are full of adultery as you look at your screen, then maybe the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 5 is worth hearing. Cut that part of your life out. So fourthly, the seventh commandment touches upon what we let pass before our eyes. But fifthly, it connects to what we do with our thoughts. What we do with our thoughts. Turn over to Ezekiel chapter 23 and verse 19. Ezekiel 23 and verse 19. There we read an interesting description. Jerusalem. And in language that is quite graphic, we are given a picture. But with this picture comes a lesson for us to consider. Then the Babylonians, verse 17, came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their immorality. So she was defiled by them and alienated herself from them. She revealed her harlotry and uncovered her nakedness. Then I myself from her, as I had alienated myself from her sister. Yet she multiplied her harlotry." So this is a description spiritually using the imagery of sexual sin to describe idolatry. It's common in the Old Testament. But notice the next phrase, Ezekiel 23, 19. She multiplied her harlotry. in calling to remembrance the days of her youth when she played the harlot in the land of Egypt, for she lusted for her paramours." Yes, the immediate context for us here in Ezekiel is how sexual sin is a picture of idolatry, and yet there is a lesson for us to consider here. How often have we multiplied our adulteries of mind, of heart, by calling to remembrance things. What we do with our thoughts, brothers and sisters, also connects to the breaking of the seventh commandment. Well, sixthly, another situation is a decreased valuing of marriage in our culture. We'll end with this one as a situation. Hebrews 13 and verse 4. Hebrews 13 and verse 4. Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled, but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Notice the contrast. Fornication and adultery is the opposite of holding marriage in honor. Of holding the bed undefiled. The marriage bed. A decreased valuing of marriage is a sixth situation. Which brings us as sinful souls to the very seventh commandment itself. So adultery is a matter of the heart and there are all sorts of specific situations which can bring temptations, which we need to be wise in as believers when we consider the seventh commandment. But lastly, we need to consider this, the gospel for adultery. For that, let's turn finally to 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 6. As you're turning there, brothers and sisters, let me say this. By now, all of us should see in the pages of Scripture that we have either broken the seventh commandment, are regularly breaking the seventh commandment, are unable not to fully keep the seventh commandment. And so we bring ourselves to 1 Corinthians 6. for some very strong language regarding the seventh commandment. In short, you should now see if the seventh commandment were the only commandment, your utter need for mercy and grace. 1 Corinthians 6 verse 9. Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. Let's summarize that using our particular commandment for tonight. Seventh commandment breakers will not inherit the kingdom of God. Those who look at pornography, those who lust after men or women, those who commit physical acts or heart level acts which are not in keeping with the seventh commandment, do not deserve the kingdom of God. But verse 11, "...and such were some of you." Now think about that for just a moment. We walked through the book of 1 Corinthians recently. Paul is telling the church at Corinth, and the same applies to us here today I'm sure, that there are those in this room who were fornicators, who were adulterers, who were homosexuals, These are all breakings of the seventh commandment. And what does He say? Such were some of you, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. quickly as we close, washed, that spiritual cleansing that comes at the moment of regeneration, of being born again. Boys and girls, God takes filthy sinners and causes them spiritually, not in their bodies, but spiritually to be born again. They're given new life. And in that new life, they trust in Jesus. What does Paul say to Titus in Titus 3? But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us. He saved us. Not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. Adulterers, fornicators, homosexuals being given new life. You see, we read 1 Corinthians 6, 9-11, and we often think the most bold and stark statement of that whole thing is, we'll not inherit the Kingdom of God. But I would suggest to you that the most bold and stark and amazing reality of 1 Corinthians 6, 9-11 is the first sentence of verse 11. Such were some of you, but you were washed. You were sanctified. Here it means being set apart. Yes, in parts of the Scriptures there's a process by which we are progressively molded into the image of Christ, but here it means we're set apart. Acts 20 verse 32, God by His Word sets apart, He sanctifies believers. And then it says you were justified. You were justified. You were declared righteous. The moment that you trusted in Christ, God declared you righteous by looking at you as if you were Him in record. And by looking at Him as if He were the one that had committed your fornication, your adultery, your homosexuality, your use of pornography. Christ was treated as sin for you. And God justified you. So all of the commandments, including the seventh, cause us to see our need for the gospel. The scriptures teach us that there is a severity and there is an effect with sexual sin that some of the other commandments don't always bring either as a consequence Or, as it relates to guilt, for many, the seventh commandment breakings of their past are harder to forget about, are harder to lean into the gospel over than perhaps their blasphemies, or their hatred for their brother, or their stealing or their lying. But what does the Word of God say? Law, you shall not commit adultery. Gospel, God saves adulterers. There is gospel for you, Seventh Commandment breakers. That's the same gospel which Paul says in Romans 6.11 causes you to do this. Therefore, consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. If you're in Christ press into the gospel for your seventh commandment breaking and then every day by his grace and through his spirit consider yourselves dead to sin and living to God in Christ. Let's pray.