Sexual Lust and Idolatry

The Sermon on the Mount corrects the wrong views of the Jews about the kingdom of heaven and covenant responsibility. People tend to view rules as oppressive, limiting one’s freedom to find happiness and fulfilment in personal desires. Eve was tempted when Satan framed God’s prohibition in a negative way—that God was preventing her from what would truly fulfill her. The truth God wanted for Eve was to understand that trusting Him in obedience would lead her to experience real joy and fullness she otherwise could never imagine.

Whenever Scripture addresses the matter of obedience, the underlying assumption is that God not only wisely establishes the rules which, if obeyed, lead to personal contentment, but also provides the grace necessary to make that obedience possible (Philippians 2:12, 13). Sin is the violation of this principle; and sin begins first in the mind. Murder, for example (Matthew 5:21–26), is not simply the act of taking another’s life, but the result of a hateful thought process preceding it. Thus, when God says that we should not murder, He is actually telling us that loving and seeking the welfare of an enemy rather than hate will bring the obedient soul true joy and pleasure. Murder, however, leads to separation from God and others, guilt, greater anger, and, eventually, judgment.

Sexual lust is a strong natural desire, a God-given drive to enable reproduction for enlargement of the race. This was the original divine mandate to Adam (Genesis 1:28). Marriage was established in the Garden of Eden as the proper venue for satisfying sexual drive (Matthew 19:4–6). Satan, however, tempts individuals that one can truly be happy and fulfilled only when they can satisfy those desires, even outside of marriage.

The heathen nations actually harnessed sexual drive as a means to promote greater devotion to their gods. This worship became a powerful lure to the people of Israel. The incident at Mount Sinai with the golden calf demonstrates how the people of Israel were influenced in Egypt to pursue this means to worship Yahweh. In the wilderness when the people camped at Shittim, the people began to “whore” (Hebrew: zanah, a verb, whose primitive root means to be well-fed and therefore wanton) with the daughters of Moab. This transgression was motivated by the Moabites’ tempting the people to sacrifice to Baal of Peor (Numbers 25). This link to idolatry is very important to understand the sins of adultery and fornication.

On the other hand, Celibacy and sexual abstinence have long played a religious role under the mistaken notion that sexual satisfaction was, in itself, sinful, even within marital bonds. That notion, no doubt, came from the Greek term for adultery (moicheuo) which had clear idolatry overtones. The Hebrew term used in the seventh commandment is naʾaph (the LXX has moicheuo) and is often used to describe Israel’s infidelity to God (Jeremiah 3:9).

As we examine Matthew 5:27–30, we will see how adultery and lustful intent are rooted in human desire to be as gods, knowing good and evil.”