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Welcome to the Further Gospel Podcast, where we provide sound doctrine for everyday people. I'm your host, Costi Hinn, and I want to welcome our listeners on Apple and Spotify. And those of you enjoying this on our YouTube video podcast format and all of our brothers and sisters in Christ who are watching or listening around the world and downloading this in a number of different countries. We're grateful for you. This is episode number five in our series on sexual sin. This one's going to be titled How to Fight Sexual Sin. So we're going to be getting into Matthew 5 and Jesus' words about cutting off avenues or I'll just even call them portals, these things that sort of open us up to sin, in particular, lust, temptation, and sexual sin. If you are just picking up with us, you need to go back and start from episode one. I would recommend that. Last episode is really helpful as well. So try to get to that point. Our sit down with Owen Strand. And the title of that episode was Waging War Against Porn. Sexual sin is just so pervasive. Even this week, as you listen to this, I'm imagining that some of you will be hearing about various things hit the evangelical news wire. And it seems like we're not going very long without another leader dropping with some uh inappropriate sexual relationship, an immorality that gets brought to light. And the truth is, it can happen to any of us. That's what we have to keep in the forefront of our mind. We don't want to admit that makes us uncomfortable. Well, that could never happen to me. Or don't say it could happen to you. I mean, are you leaving yourself open to that? No, we're not trying to. But yes, we need to be aware that if any day becomes this exercise in cruise control, like I've arrived, I'm good. I don't have to worry about that. Satan is throwing a parade because you're next on his list, or I'm next on his list because we stopped being at war. No peace treaties, no Switzerland in the war against sexual sin. There's no neutral ground. We need to stay vigilant. So I hope this episode will be a blessing to you. If you want to grab your Bible, hit pause, and come on back. We're going to be in Matthew 5, or if you're working out, jogging, or doing some housework or driving, just listen and follow along and I'll walk you through this. First, let me put the text in its context. Jesus is getting deeper into the Sermon on the Mount. That particular uh sermon covers chapter 5, chapter 6, and chapter 7. If you're not as familiar with the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes have been unloaded. Jesus is talking about a deeper righteousness that goes beyond just surface level obedience, like uh, oh, I didn't murder. Yeah, but you have anger in your heart. That's murder. Or, hey, you can look, but you just can't touch. Or I haven't cheated on anyone. Yeah, well, your heart is full of lust and you're committing adultery in the heart. He's going for the heart behind the sin. That's probably the easiest way to summarize it. Why? Because he wants the heart. And isn't God so good to go after our hearts? If it was just about surface level behavior, it's an exercise in willpower. I just need to do enough to not do the bad thing. No, he wants our heart, our motives, our intentions, ultimately our love and our worship. And so he's hit murder as really just anger in the heart, lust as adultery. And then he gives some wisdom for vigilant, offensive assault against sexual sin, lust, temptation, fornication. So why not go to the Lord's words for our strategy? Let me read this to you, Matthew chapter five, and then I'm going to give you some practical go-tos in light of all we've talked about in this series. And that's one of the reasons I told you, if you haven't already, go back because I've laid out the gospel. That should be in the forefront of your mind. I'll make it clear again at the end of this episode and help you go back to the foundation of Christ and who he is. But you need to have that foundation because now we're going to talk about the practical outworking. Like we need to take action here. And that's not Costi's opinion or some law imperatival brow beating. Now you better do this or else. No, no. Jesus is the one who takes truth and puts it into action. Matthew chapter 5, and we'll look at verses uh 27 to 30. You have heard it said, you shall not commit adultery, but I say to you, what's he saying? Look, you've heard this. It's the law. Okay, you didn't cheat on anyone, you didn't steal somebody's husband or wife. Okay, but I say to you, so now you should listen. This is Jesus saying, let me properly interpret this and tell you what the law is intended to do. Everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye makes you sin or stumble, tear it out, throw it from you. Better for you to lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off, throw that from you. Better for you to lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. Really powerful words. Very practical, very action-oriented. Let's talk about one thing first. Everyone who looks at a woman with lust, what does that mean? The Greek word blepo is to linger long. It's observed closely with desire. So this is not an involuntary noticing of a woman or a man who's attractive. This isn't, oh, I didn't want to see that. Come on. And then you got to call your husband or wife. I'm sorry, I just cheated on you. No, this is to linger long. It is the lingering, deliberate, intentional look that fuels impulsive desire and entertains immorality. Jesus says that's adultery in the heart. The law's not enough. Not committing the act of adultery physically, not enough. If you've lingered over her, if you've lingered over him, if you've gone there in your mind, you've sinned just the same in that Jesus wants you to go after the root, the heart, the affections, the mind to take it captive. And so it's this radical new standard of sexual purity that gets to the heart of the issue. And isn't that where we do well to go? Because people will sometimes say about their infidelity or their sexual sin, you know, it just happened. I don't know how it happened. We need to be honest. It was the look that lingered, it was the text that was sent, the DMs that were sent, the car that drove. I mean, you can go down the steps to adultery and find that a whole number of things had to happen. I mean, eventually you had to enter into a room or a location or an environment. Sin is one step after another after another after another. And what follows is the theater of life just putting on display through actions the sin that was already there, breeding and being fueled and fed in the heart. Now, what is sexual sin? Again, it's a counterfeit to God's good, beautiful gift of sex in its proper place. And to review what is temptation to sexual sin, it's an assault on the character of God. It's propaganda that Satan wants you to believe. Hey, this will fulfill you. It'll promise pleasure, comfort, satisfaction, fulfillment, and then it will produce pain, brokenness, shame, guilt, and destruction. Jesus knows that. And so he wants the heart. And then he calls his followers to run from it, to do whatever it takes. And that's where we get to verses 29 and 30. If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out. Sorry, that was my left eye. Here we go. Right eye, tear it out, and throw it from you. Right hand. Why? Right eye, right hand. This, very valuable. This, the window of the soul. Your eyes, they matter. The right hand speaks of strength, its value, its use. This is important for providing for one's needs. This is important for labor. Your eye, you need to see, you need to go. Jesus is basically using two very vivid illustrations to say, hey, take what's valuable to you, what is very, very necessary for what you need to do. Even be willing to lose that. It doesn't matter how valuable the thing is, if it's causing you to sin in that way, get rid of it. Be willing to live without your limbs or your your right eye. No arm, no hand, no eye. Now apply that because Jesus isn't being literal that we should all mutilate ourselves and walk around with eye patches on. No, it's violent imagery, it's aggressive, it's ruthless because that's how proactive Jesus wants us to be with sexual sin. So let me give you practical summations here. And then next episode, I'm going to answer your questions biblically. And that will be the culmination point of this series. But let's get practical here. To say that, even, is just to say, let's talk about some next steps. The whole thing has been practical because talking about what scripture teaches, I don't know about you, but I'm convicted and I'm thinking constantly, Lord, what are some things I can do? What are some ways that I need to be more vigilant? What are some pitfalls to look out for? Number one, be honest when you fail. First John 1 9. If we confess our sin, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. Confession is a powerful gift from God. My friend Jeremy Vuolo, not long ago, he was on for the gospel. We were doing those interviews. He said, A great name for Christians is confessors. That's what we are. And so let's get honest about our sin. Let's go to the Lord. Let's be specific. Stop telling God, hey Lord, I'm just I'm struggling. No, tell them I'm wrestling with lust. Protect me from putting this sin and temptation into action in further ways. Go to someone else who will hold you accountable. Tell them what you're thinking, feeling, desiring. Confession is a huge response to sin. It's not the only one, but it's huge. Number two, attack sin at the root. Lust starts in the heart. We need to not blame others or say, well, if she wouldn't dress like that, if he wouldn't have flirted with me. Lust is in the heart. Okay. That's where we need to start theologically. Lust is in the heart. It's not, oh, look at the outside. Now I'm now I'm in a world of problematic behavior. No, no, no. Lust is in the heart. What our eyes feast on will fuel our lust. So we need to first see lust as a festering sin. It gets bred in the heart and then it wants to be fed more so it can grow into action. That's why Jesus says when you sin this way, it's a pretty big deal. So cut anything off. Why? Because you're sinning against your own body. That's what Paul later says in 1 Corinthians 7 and 1 Corinthians 6 when he's laying out that you are the temple of the Holy Spirit. And when you sin in that way, you're sinning against your own body. Every other sin a man commits is outside the body. This is inside. So we want to understand. Stop blaming other things on the outside and let's look at the inside. Number three, take thoughts captive immediately in that same vein. Lust starts to stir, and you take that thought to the Lord right away. God, I don't want to linger on that thought. I'm yours. I belong to you. That's sin. She's not my wife. He's not my husband. That person does not belong to me. I don't belong to them. That action is not something I should be engaged in. That imagery is not helpful for me to grow closer to you. Rather, it stirs up my temptation to lust and sin. Forgive me. Help me to fix my mind on what is above and what is in line with your will. And please keep my lustful passions under control. Number four, guard yourself from temping tempting environments. Just because lust begins in the heart doesn't mean we become careless about what we are around. Remember, what you view, what entertains you, what you linger over, what you tolerate, all of that is going to have some effect on your mind. And you can help yourself or hurt yourself by what you let your eyes behold. We all of those unexpected moments where there's something we didn't want to see and it enters into our path. And then there's lingering and relishing over what fuels our lust. There's looking for it. Don't be afraid to walk away from places, even people who ignite your lusts. Number five, be unapologetic about your purity. Look, just say this to yourself. Call me a legalist, call me uptight, call me old-fashioned, call me whatever you want, but I want to win a war against something I'm battling and I could be susceptible to. If it could happen to major pastors, evangelical leaders who spend their time in the scriptures and they can slowly begin to let the foot off the gas or go on to cruise control, think they've arrived and then they're done. Why in the world are we worried what people call us for being vigilant? You could tell somebody who's really, really free in that area. They say, hey, I'm fine. Praise God. If you're stronger than me in that area, God bless you. But I am at war. And I'm not you, I'm me. And I need to stay in the warfare mindset. Number six, be willing to cut off anything or anyone based on what Jesus says. Some of you, maybe you need to get rid of your iPhone and adopt what one of my friends calls a dumb phone. Switch jobs. Break up with someone, end the relationship right now. Get into a healthy position that doesn't have a whole bunch of sexual sin and temptation attached to it. Get healthy distance between you and that individual or that environment. Do it. You're in a war against sin and the devil. There's no negotiations, no middle ground. Anything assaulting your purity and robbing you of joy needs to go. Otherwise, you'll lose everything anyway. So go after it. You have everything to lose. Now that doesn't change your heart, but it'll help you guard your heart. And now, number seven, go back to the gospel again and again. It's the power of the gospel that sets us free. So we go back to the truth of the gospel for freedom. Remember this. It's like the great hymn God's grace is greater than your greatest sin. And if you're in Christ, look, you're never going to be perfect, neither will I, but we will be progressing. What you've maybe heard said, it's not about perfection, it's about direction. I was talking to a friend about uh sin and sexual sin and immorality and life and being vigilant recently. And that was the sentiment. It's not about perfection, it is about direction. And amen to that. What's your trajectory in Christ? You're you're not yet who you're gonna be, okay, but you're most definitely not who you used to be. And so take a no excuses mentality. First Corinthians 10.13 says that God will always provide a way of escape, also that you may be able to endure it. Listen, the Bible says that, not costly. 1 Corinthians 10.13 says, No temptation has overtaken you, but such as is common to man, meaning everyone wrestles with this. But God who is faithful, think about that. God who is faithful, it's his character, will not tempt you beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide a way of escape also that you may be able to endure it. God always gives you a way out. There always is. So reflect on who God has given you to call, the truth you know, the scriptures you can read, the prayers you can pray, those who would hold you accountable, strategies, and then let's talk about the grace of God to run from sexual temptation and wage war against sin. It's not about willpower or your power, it is about gospel power, and God has given us the out. Are you living in such a way that takes full advantage of the freedom he has for you in Christ? I hope you are. Next episode, I'll be answering your questions on this series, including questions about hot topics like whether or not it's a sin to enter into uh masturbation. I know somebody asked about that. Uh, somebody else asked, if you're using pornography with your spouse's permission, isn't that fine? There's a host of other questions. I want to try to get to as many as I can. Thank you for sending those in to me. If you want to send in a question as well and you're you're not too late, if you're hearing this, the next episode will come out next week. You've got time. Shoot me a DM on Instagram or send for the gospel a DM on any social media platform. Fire it my way, and I'll get it in. We'll record it and make sure that you have answers to as many questions as we can get through. And hey, if you haven't already heard, we're doing more in-person events. We've got a conference coming up here in Phoenix, Arizona with Vodi Baccom and myself on February 1st. It's a full-day event. It'll be totally worth it. There is gourmet coffee, free food, free books, Vodi preaching a boatload of the sessions. I'm going to preach one and then get out of the way for Vodi. We're going to do a QA as well. And we're honing in on cultural issues for you, your home, your ministry. It's going to be an awesome day of fellowship, and we would love to interact with you and spend time together here. It's going to be beautiful in Phoenix. I don't know where you're from, but on February 1st, it could be really snowy where you are. Over here, it probably is going to be about 65 to 70 and sunny. So come play some golf, grab some spring training games if you're sticking around as well for the rest of the month. But overall, uh be there for that day. You can register at forthegospel.org. And then to make a weekend of it the next morning, February 2nd. So it's the February 1st and 2nd weekend. On the 2nd, Vodi will preach both morning services at Shepherd's House Bible Church where I pastor. And the whole weekend is open. It's for men, for women. You can bring your teens, and it will be worth the Saturday event price. And of course, Sunday is free. It's worship. It's church. It's not a conference event. So come worship with us. Enjoy the word for thegospel.org. Under the events tab, it's Sound Doctrine for the Valley. That's the event. Seating is limited. So go ahead and get your tickets and I'll meet you there. Thanks for listening. Thanks for watching. Thank you for sharing and for supporting. And let me add one more. Will you pray? Pray for me. Pray for your own life, leaders in the church, your own pastor, their families. Sexual sin is rampant. Satan is on the prowl. I mean, he is going for your pastor, leaders, you, because he can't stand you. But God has a better way, he has a plan. We all stumble in various ways, James says. But let's be vigilant together. So please pray. In addition to your support and your listening and your watching and your sharing, let's be prayer warriors about our purity. And if you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to our For the Gospel YouTube channel. Go back, catch up on this series. I pray that it's edifying to you. And if you want to learn more about our ministry or become a monthly gospel patron, you can do that at for thegospel.org. I'll be back next Monday with another episode. Keep on living for the gospel.