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How might your faith work, in love, for other people, today?
Jesus gave another example of the spirit of God’s word (59): “God’s law says, do not commit adultery.” This command was generally interpreted to mean that sexual relations are to be enjoyed only between a husband & a wife.
Jesus continued: “This also means that a man must never even look at a woman with lust, because that’s the same as committing adultery in your heart!
“If your right eye is causing you to sin in that way, cut it out. Or if your right hand is causing you to sin in that way, cut it off. Literally! It’s better to lose a part of your body on the way to heaven, than to keep your whole body intact on the way to hell.”
Then Jesus added: “It was said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.’ But God’s idea of marriage also means that, if a man divorces his wife, then he will have caused her to be guilty of adultery, whenever she marries again. And the man she marries will also be guilty of adultery.”
Next, Jesus gave another example of the spirit of God’s word, which relates to marriage vows, among other things: “It has been said, ‘Do not break your promise to God.’ Sometimes, this also means: Don’t even make promises to God. Don’t promise by heaven, even though it is God’s throne. Don’t promise by the earth, even though it is God’s footrest. Don’t promise by Jerusalem, even though it is the city of the great King. And don’t even promise by your own head, because you cannot make a single hair on it white or black.
“It’s sinful to try to add emphasis to your promises in that way. Instead of promising to do what God wants, just do what God wants.”
LORD, please help us actively to love the people You bring to us, today.
How might your faith work, in love, for other people, today?
(59) Matthew 5:27-37
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