Matthew 5:28
"But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Is this grounds for divorce?
Secondly, who is the bride of Christ? The common school of thought is that the church is the bride and Ephesians 5 seems to support this. However, Revelation 21:9 plainly says Jerusalem is the Lamb's wife. Isaiah 62 also implies this.
Is this grounds for divorce?
If it were, we'd all be divorced.
...and really, that was Jesus' whole point. None of us can keep the law perfectly, and thats why we need to have His blood cover our sins.
Krispy
If it were, we'd all be divorced.
Secondly, who is the bride of Christ? The common school of thought is that the church is the bride and Ephesians 5 seems to support this. However, Revelation 21:9 plainly says Jerusalem is the Lamb's wife. Isaiah 62 also implies this.
That is not necessarily true. Not every married man has desired another woman.
I wish I could say that for myself...
Not every married man has desired another woman.
We should define "desire" in this case. Do you mean this to be synonomous with "covet"?
Brother Paul
The word that Jesus uses is [url=http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/words.pl?strongs=1937&page=1&flag_full=1]lust[url=http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/words.pl?show_strongs=yes&word=covet*+1937]covet
Lust: ...to turn upon a thing
Hmmm. This has to fit into our conversation on onece sanctified always sanctified.
That is not necessarily true. Not every married man has desired another woman.
I guess it would depend on your definition of lust.
Krispy
I guess it would depend on your definition of lust.
A close relative of mine used such an argument to justify as many as seven divorces. She would say, "he lusted after a woman in his heart, I'm just sure of it, and that's adultery!" She seemed to take no account of Jesus saying it was better to remain with the man. Imagine if Jesus left us each time we desired something more then Him! The times I wanted an unnecessary ninth hour of sleep, rather than reading my bible for an hour... He could have called judgment to each one of them. I'd prefer to be like Jesus, forgiving and strengthening others, rather than looking for a means within the law to escape showing mercy.
It seems plain that while the court of God will judge crimes of the spirit, the court of man has authority to judge crimes done in the body.
Matthew 5:28
"But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Is this grounds for divorce?
Are you referring to someone addicted to pornography and divorcing because of that?
I asked because it seems nearly everyone has been guilty of this offense, which serves as the only Scriptural grounds for divorce as I understand it.
I unwisely hoped more attention would be given to my second question concerning the bride of Christ.
I unwisely hoped more attention would be given to my second question concerning the bride of Christ.
Probably because the second question would be it's own thread. I'm sure the issue is deep enough to take some serious amount of time to unfold. ;-)
There was recently a thead about the Bride of Christ... you might look for it.
Philologos, I define lust to be even when I'm at the mall and I see an attractive woman (or "foxy lady" as Jimi Hendrix called 'em) ... and I catch myself taking a second look.
Maybe you Brits dont have this problem, but American guys are prone to this. And in my book... it's lust.
See, Jesus wasnt trying to give a loop hole for divorce, He was attempting to slam the door shut on our trying to claim we can live by the Law, and thereby be justified before the Father by our keeping the Law. As if the Law wasnt impossible for us to keep, He took it to a whole different level... and slam dunked it.
Unless someone here is Super-Gay-Man... I dont think there is a man on this forum who hasnt taken that second look at a woman. Let's get real.
Krispy
Maybe you Brits dont have this problem, but American guys are prone to this. And in my book... it's lust.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man...
I don't think it has anything to do with nationality. Lust means to want to have something. I may see a beautiful leather book and appreciate its beauty but that is not coveting. It is when I want it that it is coveting.
Lusting is not noticing, lusting is wanting. However the 'second look' is a dangerous second step.
The steps of Eve' sin are very instructive...
Gen 2:6
1. she saw... seeing is not sinning
2. that is was good for food... it was good for food, probably, but she is on dangerous ground now.
3. it was pleasant to the eyes... God had not said they should not look, but if we pray 'lead us not into temptation' we shouldn't walk through the orchard
4. to be desired to make one wise... now she is on the slide
5. she took and ate... she has now crossed the line into transgression.
This discussion is locked.
