Breaking Sexual Bondage: Matthew 5:27-28
““27) You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; 28) but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:27-28
Jesus now introduces the subject of sexual immorality. He referred to the sin of adultery, but He raised the standard. The Ten Commandments said, “You shall not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20:14) But instead of the act of adultery, Jesus included sexual lust and fantasy.
Many New Testament Scriptures like Romans 1:24-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Galatians 5:19-21, and Ephesians 4:17-19 lumps all sexual sins together under the category of “immorality.” Things like fornication, homosexuality and pornography all fit into this category.
Those entangled in sexual sins and fantasy have tasteless salt and hearts full of darkness. These sins lead to bondage. They destroy lives, ruin relationships and enslave people. Satan smears these people with shame, guilt and condemnation. Sexual sin can become your master and control your life.
The point of the Sermon on the Mount was not get people saved, it was to show them that they were sinful and lost. It was to prove that by the Law there were none righteous. Jesus was making the case that human redemption was needed and could only be accomplished by His coming work on the cross. Sin deserves judgement.
By the time He finished the Sermon on the Mount, all people were left with the realization of personal sin and guilt. There are non righteous, not even one. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The Sermon on the Mount clearly defines sin and leaves all people as candidates for salvation.
Sin has the allusion of pleasure, but it is devastating. It is costly. It is deadly. It enslaves people. Sin is universal because it affects all people. Sin leaves every person guilty before God.
By contrast, the grace found in Christ Jesus is amazing. It cost Jesus His life but is offered freely to all people. It is the only pathway to forgiveness. It imparts life. It sets captives free. It brings people into a right relationship with God. Best of all, grace is not earned, it is receive by faith in Jesus Christ.
If you are a slave to sexual sin, Jesus Christ is the only basis of forgiveness and the only pathway to freedom and a new life. Your journey to freedom starts the moment you are born-again and place faith in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit will begin an inner work of cleansing, purifying and sanctifying you. As you yield to Him, old things will pass away and He will turn you into a new person.
Depending on the depth of your sexual bondage, you may need intervention from mature and godly people. They can help you pull down demonic strongholds, break the bondage, reclaim surrendered ground, renew your mind and discover the filling and power of the Holy Spirit.
If you are a victim of sexual abuse, Jesus offers healing and restoration. He can put your fractures back together and restore you to wholeness. The power of the gospel works equally on both sides of sexual sins. The goal for all people is healing, wholeness and holiness.
Jesus was stressing an important point in His broader teaching. Religious legalism does not heal, it hurts. It leaves people with guilt, condemnation and hopelessness. John 3:16-21 makes it clear that Jesus did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He is for you and not against you! He wants to meet you at your point of sin or brokenness.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
