The 6th Commandment says, "You shall not commit adultery. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we lead a sexually pure and decent life in what we say and do, and husband and wife love and honor each other." Luther gave this a deeper meaning in the Large Catechism when he said, "In short, everyone is required both to live chastely himself and to help his neighbor do the same. Thus God by His commandment wants every husband and or wife guarded and protected from any trespass" (Large Catechism I.205).  The 6th commandment is give by God in order that we may live a chaste life, a life in which we do not harm our neighbor in a sexual way, nor harm our own soul because of lustful thoughts, words, and deeds.  We walk in the 6th commandment, not begrudgingly, but with much delight because we are baptized into Christ and our will is now to do the will of our Father in heaven.

For St. Paul says, "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? ² By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ³ Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:1-4). We the baptized are cleansed from our lustful thoughts and our adulterous inclinations. In Jesus, we now desire to live a life of chastity, and the chief way in which this is done is honoring and glorifying the estate of marriage. Husbands and wives love each other, honor each other, and show a healthy and vibrant romance to the children God gives to them and to the community in which they are placed. In Jesus, we desire to live a life of chastity, which means that we don't give in to every emotion or passion that overcomes our bodies. This also means that we don't use our neighbor to satisfy our sexual desires, either in thought or in deed. We don't use our spouse for their body, but instead confess that we are their's and they are ours, both giving of the self for the other, rather than getting something out of their better half. In short, because of our baptism, we no longer desire to use our neighbor for their body, but instead desire to live a chaste life and pure sexual life within the context of God's instituted estate of marriage.

However, in this life we still struggle with the flesh, we still succumb to our sinful desires. We desire to live a chaste life, but lust comes quickly and makes a mess out of everything. For the Spirit and the flesh are at war with each other, preventing us from doing the things we desire to do in Christ Jesus. We don't want to stare too long at that stranger in the grocery store. We don't want to tickle the keyboard of our computer searching for different pornographic sites. We don't want to abuse our spouse by just using them as a piece of meat. We don't want to burn with desire.

Take heart, you who do burn and you who have succumbed, for your Lord Jesus suffered every lustful thought, word, and deed for you. He suffered the same lustful temptations you do, except without sin. He suffered the temptation to live a life filled with cravings and giving into the pleasures of the flesh. He assumed every lustful thought, every long glance, every sexually deviant action, and He stood in your stead on the cross so that you can be free from your sin. This is not an excuse to be lustful because you're going to be lustful, but rather is for your comfort in the times when you do fail and the devil has you by the throat.  It is a very easy thing to give into the desires of our bodies, and Jesus knows this. He knows how weak we are and how easy the devil has it with us int he western world where the sexual revolution has won the day. Jesus knows that the world, the devil, and sin are telling us it's ok to do whatever feels good. But we despair because what feels good for the moment leaves a sour taste int he mouth and pit in our stomach. Jesus is here for you when you fail, when you stumble. He is here to restore you to a right relationship with His Father and your Father, a relationship of mercy and forgiveness.  Let us take heart then as we walk in this life, knowing that as we struggle with the sins of the flesh, God forgives us and continues to bless His institution of marriage with blessings that can't be counted. 

Peace be with you. May the devil be silenced, the world be hushed, and the Old Adam be drowned anew so that you hear only the voice of your Savior Jesus who says, "I forgive you. I love you. I claim you as My own forever," Amen.

Jesus' Sheepdog,

Pastor Hull