# 87 Missing the Mark

Joh 5:14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you."

“Sin no more.” Where have I heard that before? Oh yeah, the woman caught in the act of adultery! Remember after Jesus said, “He who is without sin cast the first stone,” and the stones were dropped, Jesus told the woman that He didn’t condemn her and she should “go and sin no more.”

How is that possible Jesus? Cuz like the Charlie Daniels song goes, “when I have a choice between good and bad, I pick bad two out of three!” How is it possible for me to “go and sin no more?”

What does Jesus mean by this seemingly impossible command?

The word “sin” here means “miss.” It speaks of someone who keeps missing the mark. Think of the mark in terms of a bullseye. Bullseye is perfection. Mt 5:48 reminds us: "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Somehow, we have gotten the idea that the Law is the target, but that’s not true. Perfection is the target. The Law or Torah was given by God to be an aid, a guide. The word “Torah,” comes from the root Hebrew word, “Yaw raw, and it means to shoot an arrow. What do we shoot arrows at? A target! So the idea of Torah is it is an aimer. The Law then helps us to aim at the target of perfection! Use it by all means! It will make a positive difference in your life. But know this: none of us have the strength to reach the target of perfection, “all our arrows fall short of the glory of God.” Only Jesus is able to hit the mark every single time.

And every single time is what is required. Jas 2:10 says, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.”

The Apostle Paul looked at his life on the target range, even after his conversion   and lamented in Romans 7:15-25, “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”

Arrows everywhere but not a bullseye in sight! Thank God for Jesus!

So how do we go and sin no more? We go in Jesus! Jesus is our target! Receive Him and let Him hit the target for you. Forgiving your missteps along the way!

Homosexuality and Other Sins

# 254 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:1 Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Some have taken this passage and used it to try and prove that David and Jonathan were involved in a homosexual relationship. I don't believe that to be true, but for the sake of argument, let's say it was true. Would that put any stamp of approval on their behavior? Of course not. The Bible also tells us that David was an adulterer and a murderer, does that put any stamp of approval on adultery and murder? Of course not. These sins and all other sins must be confessed and repented of. Sin is sin and it is never condoned in Scripture. One of the main rules of interpreting Scripture is simply this: Scripture interprets Scripture. In other words, ALL of the words of the Bible are used for interpretation, not verses taken in isolation. The Bible consistently and plainly forbids any sexual activity outside the bounds of marriage, and marriage is defined as the union of a male and a female. Ge 2:24 says, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. There are other passages that deal with homosexuality in a very direct manner: Le 18:22 says, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. Le 20:13a 'If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination.” Ro 1:27a Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and, 1Co 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, It's important to remember that there are also many other passages singling out inappropriate HETEROSEXUAL behavior in the Scriptures as well. And not only sexual behavior, but things like lying, stealing, cursing, coveting, gossiping, etc. All of these inappropriate behaviors are called sin, and the Bible also has the remedy for our sin. Confess it. Receive God's forgiveness through faith in Jesus, then, “go, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, seek to sin no more.” Father, I daily need to come to You and ask forgiveness for my sins. Help me to turn from them and live for You, in Jesus Name, Amen.

Remarriage After Divorce = Adultery

# 573 - Today's Du-votional comes from: Mr 10:10-12 “In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter. 11 So He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. 12 "And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."

This teaching of Jesus concerning the permanence of marriage is radical. The disciples want to be sure they heard Him right and so they press the matter further. He obliges them with instructions for His church concerning the matter of remarriage

This teaching has become just as radical to us today as we have created man-made loopholes for ending marriages, that we believe allow for remarriage. (Just like the rabbi's of Jesus' day) But listen to the words of Jesus! “Whoever!” No exceptions! Whoever remarries after a divorce commits the specific sin of adultery.

What is adultery? It is sexual unfaithfulness while married. The piece of paper may say the marriage is ended, but God says there will always be a connection. This does not give us the right to force the departing spouse to remain in the marriage, but it does keep the door to reconciliation open as long as the departing spouse does not remarry.

Remarriage after a divorce is never to be sanctioned by the church, and it must be dealt with as the sin of adultery.

So you didn't know this and now you are remarried. What are you to do? Well, let's not make a bigger mess. How did Jesus deal with the woman caught in the act of adultery? He forgave her and told her to “go and sin no more.” Confess your sin of adultery, (that's what Jesus called it) receive His forgiveness, stay in your new marriage and don't make the same mistake again.

Father, help us to really grasp Your idea of the permanence of marriage. Give us a new resolve to do Your will.

How Do We Turn This Thing Around

# 455 - As I wrap up this look at divorce and remarriage and how they relate to the sin of adultery, there is a great sense of futility. How in the world can we possibly turn this around in our culture and in the church? It is way out of hand! How can we once more make sexuality and marriage what God originally intended it to be? It's going to take resolve and the help of Almighty God.

It's not much different than dealing with the sin of drunkenness. The person who desires to be free from this sin, confesses it as sin, receives God's forgiveness and then resolves with the help of God to remain permanently sober. This is what we must do with this sin. We must recapture the biblical concept of the permanence of marriage. Then we must teach it and model it in our own lives for the next generation.

Understanding the permanence of marriage, and God's restrictions against remarriage after a divorce, forces us to tough it out (with His help) and when the road gets rough, work through our marital problems. Some will have to bite the bullet and live out their lives as singles for the sake of the kingdom of God. But if we, the church won't do what Jesus says to do in His Word, who will?

In this matter of adultery through divorce and remarriage, let me repeat the words of Jesus as HE spoke them to the woman caught in the act of adultery. “I do not condemn you, go and sin no more.” What was He saying here? He was saying I forgive your sin of adultery, but draw a line in the sand in this matter and resolve not to cross it again. Taking these words to heart, is the starting point for turning this situation around.

I'm Duane Matz and that's Today's Living Word

Some Rationalizations For Adultery

# 445 - Today's Living Word comes from Mr 7:21-23 “"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, "thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. "All these evil things come from within and defile a man."

Jesus tells us here that our heart rationalizes sinful behavior and then He goes on to give some examples of sinful behavior. He starts out with the sin of adultery. Before we get to the biblical definitions and examples of adultery, let's look at some of the rationalizations. “I don't love my spouse anymore.” “It feels so right.” “Every one else does it. ” “ My spouse doesn't understand me like my lover does.” “Many people in the Bible committed adultery” “What's a little pornography, I'm not physically touching the other person” Everyone else remarries after a divorce”

These are all rationalizations that begin in the heart, proceed from the heart, and then break out in the sin of adultery. When employed by the sinner, none of these rationalizations, change the fact that adultery has been committed.

Adultery is adultery and if you have been caught in the act of adultery by God, in accordance with His Word, learn from the woman who was caught in the act. She acknowledged Jesus as Lord, and then He said “I do not condemn you, go and sin no more.”

I'm Duane Matz and that's Today's Living Word