“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Matthew 5:27-30

Jesus starts with the 7th commandment — “You shall not commit adultery”.

“Look lustfully” = looking with a desire to covet.

This command also applies to women but places responsibility on men.

Jesus is employing hyperbole for emphasis.

Hell is being used as a metaphor for that which is unfit for the kingdom of God.

Embrace conviction without condemnation.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death
Romans 8:1-2

Lead your mind rather than follow your lust.

Lust is not something that happens to you, but an activity you engage in.

"The desire is desired, embraced, indulged, elaborated, fantasized. It is the purposeful entertaining and stimulating of desire that Jesus marks as the manifestation of a  sexually improper condition of the soul."
‍— Dallas Willard

Pivot from lust to love.

Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:5

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Romans 12:2

Establish guardrails to prevent regret.

Bottom Line

Attending to the lust in our hearts leads to faithfulness in our marriages.

Action Steps

Pray - create some space with Jesus to prayerfully reflect on the following:

• Where do I notice God wanting to bring conviction in my life around this topic?
• Am I better at pivoting toward lust or love when I find someone else attractive?
• What might I need to remove in my life to resist lust and remain faithful to Jesus?
• What guardrails might I need to put in place to resist lust and remain faithful to Jesus?
  

Practices:

• Confess your struggle to someone .
• Get involved in Celebrate Recovery .
• Establish some guardrails to protect your marriage.
• Write out and memorize a pivot script to stay centered on Jesus.