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Following is an excerpt of "Keep Your Promises (5 of 12)" by Keith Krell added on 10/23/2009.
This content is part of a series.
Keep Your Promises (5 of 12)
Series: Counter-Cultural Christianity
Keith Krell
Matthew 5:27-37

A young Bosnian couple was incredibly unhappy with their marriage. Consequently, Adnan and Sana each turned to online chat forums. Adnan chatted online at work, and Sana chatted from an Internet café. Each spouse found a willing online listener with whom they shared their marriage problems. Adnan and Sana felt loved, nurtured, encouraged, and understood. Both spouses felt that they had finally found their real soul mate. Eventually they decided to meet up with their online chat partner. They arranged to meet outside a shop and both would be carrying a single rose so they would know the other. Shock of all shocks, Adnan and Sana discovered that their perfect partner was their own spouse. (Adnan was chatting with "Sweetie" and Sana was chatting with "Prince of Joy.") Instead of reconciling and rediscovering their love, both are filing for divorce—with each accusing the other of being unfaithful.

What a sad, but true story. This Bosnian couple failed to keep their promises to one another. Their Internet affair wasn't something that just happened overnight. It was a case of "internal affairs" stemming from restless hearts. In Matthew 5:27-37, we will discover that, "Integrity is a heart matter." Jesus explains that if we are to be people of integrity we must control our hearts and our minds. He provides two means by which God's people can be people of integrity.

1. Deal radically with your passions (5:27-32). Jesus compels us to do whatever it takes to be men and women of purity. In 5:27 He states, "You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.'" Jesus quotes the seventh commandment, in Exod 20:14 (cf. Deut 5:17). Upon hearing these words, Jesus' audience must have felt pretty smug. Jesus, however, shocks His listeners by raising the bar on their ancient sexual standards. In 5:28 He declares, "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Jesus' words make it clear that adultery is not limited to the physical act. Looking lustfully at another woman breaks the bond of oneness that a man has with his wife. This goes against the familiar statement used by husbands and wives, "You can look, but don't touch." Jesus says, "Don't look and don't touch!" It is important to note the word "look" (blepo). This word is a present tense participle that can be translated "keeps looking." Jesus is not talking about a glance; He is talking about a gaze. The first look doesn't get us into trouble. It's the second look. It's the third look. It's that case of whiplash as you walk about in the mall or that prolonged look in the rearview mirror while you are driving.

But let's be very clear: Sexual desire was given to us by God and is portrayed in the Bible as a good gift. Admittedly, the gift is often labeled "Handle with Care," but sexual desire comes from ...

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