Matthew 5:27-32 – On lust and marital fidelity

Matthew 5:27 states the seventh commandment God had given through Moses. This commandment forbids adultery. And by definition, adultery is the act of having sexual relationship with anyone other than one’s spouse. Here the Lord brings us some insights to how adultery usually happens. The beginning point of any adultery is lust. If it’s not checked, it can trigger a process leading up to an illicit relationship.  So the Lord’s call is for us to deal ruthlessly with lust before it has any opportunity to bring an adultery into full bloom.

We know that it is impossible to avoid admiring someone we deem beautiful and lovely. However, we need to know that problems begin when that admiration becomes an unhealthy fascination. When that happens, it will cause one’s mind to create unhealthy fantasies before long. So using hyperbolic languages in verses 29-30, the Lord tells us to pitilessly deal with any source that could lead to that immoral act. These two verses are not meant to be taken and applied literally. Otherwise there will be many disfigured, dismembered, crippled and maimed people walking around in church. Plucking out the eye and cutting off the hand, are Jesus’ forceful way of saying that lust must be mercilessly dealt with, before it takes root and create trouble for one’s life.

If lust can be contained, adultery will be avoided. If adultery can be avoided, divorce and remarrying will be contained. Of course this is a very simplistic equation because life is far more complicated in this world. That’s why churches worldwide are grappling with this controversial subject of divorce and remarry. Anticipating that, the Lord dealt with this issue briefly in verses 31-32. Together with other passages in the New Testament, such as Matthew 19:3-9; Mark 10:2-12; Luke 16:18; and 1 Corinthians 7:10-16, we see that the Lord is against divorce. We can conclude that marital infidelity and adultery on the part of one spouse, would be adequate ground for divorce.  Suffice to say that as Kingdom people, we should seek the Lord’s help in a sticky situation like this. And we should seek never to be the one that causes the split. 

Jesus is more concerned with us being salt and light. This is precisely the Lord’s point. We need to deal ruthlessly with what could lead to an adultery and cause us to become unusable salt or a very dim light. As soon as lust rears its ugly head we must chop it off. Lust, a passion stokes by the fire of hell, must be kept in check. Denying lust the space to express itself fully in one’s life, is undeniably an important Christian discipline. One effective way to deal with it is to let the Holy Spirit fill our lives and to develop the fruit of self-control in us. This can help to curb the spirit of lust.