Purity of Heart, Not Lust
«Thou shalt not commit adultery.»
«Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.»
Promise and fulfilment
The Old Testament announced God's expectation of faithfulness in marriage from His people, forbidding the act of adultery. It thus laid the foundation for a society built on trust and commitment.
In Christ, this announcement has been fulfilled and deepened. Jesus shows that true faithfulness and purity lie not only in outward actions but begin in the heart. He has renewed human nature, enabling us to overcome not only the act but also the lust, by focusing on the purity of our thoughts.
Let these verses remind you to take your own Bible in your hands, read them there again and, if you wish, continue a little further. Holding God's Word in your hands also gives you a precious moment away from the digital world.
Do not read the Bible in one long run, but passage by passage: one text, unhurried, asking the Holy Spirit for understanding. Whoever tries to swallow everything at once loses the overview. Whoever takes one passage each day will see the whole picture over time.
The connection
The Old Testament commandment forbade the act of adultery. Jesus, however, goes far beyond this, addressing the very root of the problem: lust in the heart. He demands not merely outward conformity, but an inner transformation that begins with our thoughts, thereby elevating love to a deeper, purer level.
Reflection
Yesterday, we saw how Jesus extends the prohibition against murder to reconciliation in the heart. Today, he takes another step, speaking about the sixth commandment. It's so easy to orient ourselves by external rules: 'Well, I haven't killed anyone,' or 'I haven't committed adultery.' Yet Jesus shakes us awake, showing that God's law goes much deeper, right into our innermost being.
He knows that the root of many problems lies in our thoughts and desires. It's not just about what we do, but also about what we think and feel. This is a challenging perspective, for it presents us with the task of examining not only our behaviour but also our heart. It's an invitation to be honest with ourselves and with God.
Yet, this deeper insight is not a burden, but a liberation. For when we learn to bring our thoughts and desires under the lordship of Christ, not only does our outward life change, but our entire being is renewed. It is the path to true purity and a love that shines from within.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank you for the clarity of Jesus' words. It is so easy for me to measure myself by external rules and forget my heart. Help me today to bring my thoughts and desires before you. Teach me to keep my heart pure and to overcome not only the act but also the lust. I long to please you in all things and to grow in my love for you and for my fellow human beings. Mould me in your image, so that my innermost being belongs to you.
The thread
We are in the week of the Sermon on the Mount, seeing how Christ deepens the Old Testament commandments. Yesterday, it was about the prohibition against murder and reconciliation. Today, he extends the prohibition against adultery to the purity of heart, preparing us for further interpretations of the commandments.
Let the purity of your heart be the mirror reflecting God's love today.
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