I have a confession to make: I am guilty of adultery. I have cheated on my wife many times over the years. I am ashamed of my sin. No, I haven’t actually committed adultery against my wife – Polly, but I have lusted after other women many times.
Jesus said that lusting after someone is the same thing as committing adultery in your heart (Matthew 5:28). When you lust after someone you are coveting that person, you are committing a sin. I grew up “ogling” girls and I thought that was what we were supposed to do. Plus I thought it was fun; I thought it was harmless.
I didn’t realize that God saw my lusting as adultery of the heart. I confided in my brother years ago about this problem and he suggested that I read Every Man’s Battle by Stephen Arterburn. (The author also has a version for women). This is a great book that shows you how sinful lusting really is how to break the habit.
Whether you are a man or a woman, if you lust after someone, you are sinning against God. As Christians, we can’t draw closer to God while we are habitually sinning because our sin separates us from God.
God is Holy and the Bible says we are to be holy. Our good works don’t save us, but because we are saved (by turning away from our sins and putting our faith in Jesus), we want to draw closer to our Heavenly Father. God puts this desire in our hearts. God starts the sanctification process in us after we are saved.
So if you are an adulterer at heart, stop doing that. Look away, memorize Bible verses to help you be strong. Look away from temptation and think to yourself, “I wonder if she is saved?”
Stop lusting, stop committing adultery and get right with God. Don’t be an adulterer at heart. Be a disciple of Jesus Christ our Lord.