 Lust is powerful and addictive. Look at the huge pornography industry. But Christ said, “I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).
Yet, the Bible rejoices in sex and sexual desire. Genesis 1 depicts God creating sex through male and female. He called His creations very good. In Genesis 2:23, before God, naked Adam characterized naked Eve as bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. The Song of Solomon celebrates sexual love, for example with one admiring the other’s body when the other was going in for sex (Song of Solomon 5, 7). Sex should unify two persons, not just physically, but emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. But sex without marriage means the parties only want to be united physically, with each holding onto their own life. They are splitting their bodies from their souls. Sex should be an integrated act. It should re-confirm each party belonging completely and exclusively to the other. Thus, sex should be limited to marriage. Lust is different from sexual desire. When a man lusts for a woman, he wants her body only, but not any other parts of her. He has dehumanized her. Lust is also an excessive desire. One can be totally driven by lust, making it the center of one’s life. It is like an idol. After getting the other’s body, one still feels empty. There is no deep fulfillment in lust. The passage on lust (Matthew 5:27-30) also points to eyes and hands. Eyes refer to what one perceives, and hands refer to actions. Have the right perception. Know that physical attraction is good but is just skin deep and can’t be meaningful. Also take the right action. Run away from lustful environments. Sex in marriage is wonderful, but it cannot replace God as the center of our life. Christ constantly refers Himself as the bridegroom, who accepts and loves us, His bride. Through faith, we become absolutely beautiful in Christ’s eyes. Christ becomes the center of our life. Only He could give meaning to our life, with deep fulfillment. Summarized from a sermon: http://www.gospelinlife.com/free-sermon-resource https://gospelinlife.com/downloads/love-lust-and-liberation-5087/ 爱，情欲与解放 情欲有很大的力量而且容易令人入迷，看看庞大的色情行业就足以证实这点。但基督说, “凡看见妇女就动淫念的，这人心里已经与她犯奸淫了(马太福音5:28)。” 然而圣经表扬性和性欲。创世记第一章中描绘了上帝通过男女创造了性, 并且称祂的创造很好。创世记2:23中，赤裸的亚当在上帝面前将赤裸的夏娃描绘成他骨中的骨，肉中的肉。雅歌赞颂性爱，从性的角度欣赏对方的肉体（雅歌5章，7章）。 性使二人合而为一，不仅在身体上，也应该在情感、 心理和灵魂上。 但没有婚姻的性生活意味着当事人只想在身体上结合，而各人仍保留自己的生活，将身体和灵魂分开考虑。 性该是融为一体的行为。它应该是再次承诺彼此完完全全只属于对方。因此，性行为应仅限于婚姻里。 情欲不同于性欲。在情欲中想要的是对方的身体，而不是任何其它部分，如此便贬低也侮辱了对方。 情欲也是一种过度性的欲望。一个人可能完全被它控制, 使情欲成为这个人生活的中心。情欲像一个偶像， 即使得到对方的身体，仍然会感到空虚，无法给予人深深的满足。 有关情欲的经文（太5：27-30）也提及眼睛和手。眼睛代表人的观感，手意味着行动。要有正确的观感看法。身体上的吸引虽好，但却是肤浅的，无法赋予生命的意义。我们也要采取正确的行动，远离淫荡的环境。 婚姻中的性爱很美妙，但不能取代上帝成为生活的中心。 基督不住地将自己称为新郎，接受并且爱祂的新娘，就是我们。因着信，我们在基督眼中变得全然美丽。当让基督成为生命的中心，只有祂才能赐予生命的意义, 带给我们深深的满足。 Comments are closed.
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