As we continue to study Jesus’ Sermon On Ownership, we find Him pressing the claims of His Kingdom upon our internal desires and our thought behaviors. He turns to a subject that people might ignore when they seek to buy in on personal faith in Jesus.
Jesus touches the secrets of our hearts and minds.
In Matthew 5, Jesus states,
““You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Matthew 5:27-28 NKJV
Even though our language is in the form of the masculine, this is a problem for both men and women in a sight-oriented, over-sexualized world. Lust of all kinds is a major problem today, and yet Jesus presses deeper into the meaning of ownership, by teaching us that ownership of our faith involves more than rituals and externals.
There is a fine line between seeing a person, and desiring to have them for yourself, but, as an owner of the faith, that line must be managed.
Jesus is saying that, as owners of the faith, we must manage internal thoughts and motives and let the claims of Christ reach in.
It is difficult, but it is part of the discipline of ownership.
Owning means thought discipline.
What are you thinking about these days?
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