SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/18/2020 9:50 AM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-2 “The
Deed”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matthew 5:27
Message of the
verse: “27 "You
have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery’”
(NKJV).
I mentioned at the end of our last
SD that I wanted to think more about the corrupted Corinthians, not really
speaking of the church at Corinth, but speaking about Corinth the city as it
was a very sinful city. The problem in
many ways is that our country has become very corrupt itself so we, like most
western societies are in a sea of sexual excess and perversion. MacArthur adds “In its many forms, sexual
license is destroying lives physically, morally, mentally, and
spiritually. It is destroying marriages,
families, and even whole communities.”
Again remember this came from the mid 1970’s when he wrote this.
I have mentioned that the Bible is a
book of balance and there is balance when it comes to sexual activity. When done in the context of marriage there is
nothing wrong with sexual activity as God made the man and the woman to have
sexual relations for pleasure and for bringing children into the world. Some
have taken sex in the opposite way that God intended it to be and this happened
in what is known as the Victorian era even though it was before Queen Victoria.
John MacArthur writes “Origen (AD
185-254), one of the outstanding early church Fathers, was so convicted of his
own sinfulness by reading Matthew 5:27-30 that he had himself castrated (The New International Dictionary of the
Christian Church, ed. James D. Douglas [new edition; Grand Rapids,
1974-1978] p. 733). Peter Abelard, a twelfth-century French theologian, had lived a godly life for
many years. He fell in love with a young
woman (Heloise) and caused her to become pregnant. To protect her and try to
rectify the wrong, he married her.
Damaging rumors had begun to circulate, however, and rather than harm
Abelard’s career still further, Heloise entered a convent. Her uncle, angry at all that had happened,
hired men to break into Abelard’s quarters and castrate him; Abelard then
joined the monastery of Sr. Denis (New
International Dictionary of Christian Church, p.3).
We have learned that the preaching
of the Sermon on the Mount talks about what goes on inside a person and doing
things like were stated above does not change the heart, so it is as wrong as
going the other way. “Marriage is to
be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be
undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Heb. 13:4). MacArthur writes “The Lord wants His people
to be in the world but not of it (John 17:15-18). And because our bodies belong to Christ and
are temples of the Holy Spirit, they are not to be abused in any way. God created sex and gives it as a blessing to
those who enjoy it within the bounds of marriage. Anyone who promotes abstinence from marriage
on the basis that all sexual expression is evil is ‘paying attention to
deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons’ (see 1 Tim. 4:1-3). Speaking of the marriage relationship, Paul
commands, ‘Let the husband fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the
wife to her husband…Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time
that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again lest Satan
tempt you because of your lack of self-control’ (1 Cor. 7:3, 5). Sexual
expression not only is a thrilling privilege but an obligation of marriage.”
I think it best to end this SD here
as there is many things in it to ponder.
Spiritual
meaning for my life today: As
mentioned the Sermon on the Mount has much to do with what is going on inside
and so I desire to have my thoughts bring glory to the Lord.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I trust that
the Lord will work in the hearts of the people who will hear the gospel in four
different homes this evening.
8/18/2020 10:25
AM
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