Matthew 5:27-28 (ESV) – “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Not all sin is viewed the same by God. Make no mistake, all sin is sin, but not all sin has the same consequence. Some sins have greater consequences than others. Coveting something from someone is a sin but stealing from someone because you covet gets you in more trouble. Stealing has consequences because it’s an injustice against another person. But that action originates in your heart from coveting. God hates the coveting, but He exacts a punishment for the one who steals, and lays forth the importance of restoration in repentance. 

We see this in our passage today. Jesus gives us the true nature of sin. He says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Jesus is teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. He reminds them of the law that they are familiar with: “Do not commit adultery.” The law forbids sex outside of the marriage covenant. An unfaithful spouse brought shame upon themselves, potentially even punishable by death. But even greater was the reason for that severe punishment: it was an offense to God. God hates sin. He hates adultery. But Jesus raises the standard beyond belief. In fact, He doesn’t raise the standard, but rather shows what it truly always was. The standard was always bigger than not cheating on a spouse, but a matter of the heart. Adultery begins long before the act. It begins with the sin of lust in the heart. In that way, lust is the first step toward adultery. It is adultery of the heart before it is adultery of the body.

All sin originates in the heart. The external manifestation of sin has a root. It begins as lust far before it turns into fornication or adultery. That’s why Jesus constantly warns about guarding our hearts. The heart is prone to all sorts of perversions and sin. It must be examined, rebuked, and encouraged. Guard your hearts closely. Put sin to death as early as you can before it materializes into external manifestations. But also, never tell yourself that the lack of external manifestations means you are in a good position. Your heart could be riddled with lust, coveting, and other things. These things make you guilty before God just as the external things. Repent and seek forgiveness. The Lord is gracious to forgive when we come with humility and contrition.

"The heart is prone to all sorts of perversions and sin. It must be examined, rebuked, and encouraged. Guard your hearts closely. Repent and seek forgiveness. The Lord is gracious to forgive when we come with humility and contrition."

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Reflection & Journal:
- Why does Jesus emphasize lust as guilt for adultery when it seems so much less of an offense?
- What does this teach us about the nature of sin? What does this teach us about God’s holiness?
- How do we see other examples of external sin that have a deeper root of sin in the heart?

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