It’s A Heart Issue, Part 11, Matthew 5:27

Matthew 5:27 (NKJV): ²⁷ “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’Adultery is usually thought of just dealing with marriage. Many, when they hear this topic, if they are single, will just tune out when this is discussed, unless, they are thinking of marriage. They feel that this topic does not apply to them. They do not see the relevance in their lives.

However, there is more to this than just marriage. There is a bigger thing being addressed. It has to do with our Relationship with God. When you study scripture, you will find that in many places, marriage is discussed quite often to both single and married alike.

In Ephesians, Paul talked to both Husbands and Wives to treat their marriage as if unto The Lord. In fact, he paralleled marriage with The Body of Christ with its Relationship to Christ:

Ephesians 5:22-33 (NKJV): Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. ²⁴ Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, ²⁶ that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷ that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. ²⁸ So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. ³⁰ For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. ³¹ “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” ³² This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. ³³ Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

What we should learn is that God takes our Relationship with Him seriously. When we commit to following Him, we should not let anything get in the way of us walking with Him. We should not allow things of the world to influence us in any way. It is like we have we cheated on our spouse, but it’s worse, we cheated, in a sense, on God.

Are you fully committed to Christ? If not, why not? If so, are you looking to grow closer to Him?