Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Returning now to the Ten Commandments
• A delicate subject
• Very painful for those who have experienced this
• Can trouble those who have committed adultery
• Definition - strict
• A betrayal of the marriage covenant
• A wider definition
• Matt 5:27-28 - lust in your heart
• Matt 15:19-20 - evil thoughts come from our heart
• A heavy subject to preach
• Alternatives that could be preached
• Looking at the Commandment as is
• Sexual revolution
• Consider the swinging 60's
• Sexual immorality now normalised
• We must remember what God's word says – Heb 13:4
• Overview:
• The physical sin
• The heart sin
• The remedy

The physical sin

• Marriage was instituted by God - explanation
• Adultery is a betrayal of this
• Example of Alex Salmond
• Consider the betrayal of trust and how this affects people
• Consider the hurt to children
• It affects society and wounds people deeply
• Jesus receives such sinners - examples
• Example of the woman at the well
• How has the church responded to adultery?
• How has the church viewed adultery?
• Has the church swung from one position to another?
• Are we afraid to talk about it - Solomon was not
• Look at the practical advice from Solomon in Proverbs 5
• Listen to God's word
• Take heed to God's law (v1-4)
• Do not ignore instruction (v21-23)
• Prov 6:23-24
• Prov 7:1-5
• The word of God is a guard from sin
• Enjoy marital intimacy
• Sex is God's gift within marriage (v15-20)
• 1 Cor 7:2-3
• For the single - if not a calling to singleness, seek a partner
• Same sex attraction - look to the word of God
• 1 Cor 10:13
• The repercussions
• Prov 6:32-35 – destruction of the soul
• The effects upon others
• The effects of revenge

The heart sin

• The eyes are the gates of the heart
• Consider Job - he struggled, he made a pledge
• Consider David - he looked upon Bathsheba and desire her
• People have "eyes full of adultery" – 2 Peter 2:14
• Pornography is rife on the internet

The remedy

• Sin comes from within – Matt 5:19-20
• We need cleaning from within our hearts
• We need a power to overcome
• This is available through the promise of the gospel
• It is still a battle - flee sexual immorality
• Christ purifies us – Titus 2:14
• Washed and renewed – Titus 3:4-5
• 1 Thessalonians
• This is a subject we need to take seriously - taking radical action
• What action are we taking
• The greatest thing we need to do is to keep our eyes upon Jesus and upon His word
• Look unto Jesus
• See what Jesus did for us in love - Explanation
• Run the race
• Love Him with all your heart