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to reminder there is a hymn sing tonight following our worship service for our call to worship you can turn to psalm 119 psalm 119 will read verses 9 to 16 psalm 119 beginning in verse 9 how can a young man cleanse his way by taking heed according to your word with my whole heart I have sought you oh let me not wander from your Commandments your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you blessed are you O Lord teach me your statutes with my lips I have declared all the judgments of your mouth I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies as much as in all riches I will meditate on your precepts and contemplate your ways I will delight myself in your statutes I will not forget your word amen well please turn in your Trinity hymnal to him number three hymn number three will use the second to two will stand together be seated well let us pray but God and Father it is a privilege for us to gather in the name of the Lord Jesus again tonight on the Sabbath day we thank you for this place where we can worship you freely we thank you for the liberties that we enjoy in terms of the civil realm we thank you even more so for the Liberty we have in our Lord Jesus Christ the fact that we are no longer in bondage to sin no longer slaves to sin that you have set us free by your sovereign and amazing grace and certainly we give all praise and glory to the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit and pray tonight that as we sing and as we pray as we look to Holy Scripture and all of these things you would be glorified and exalted we ask our father that you would be pleased to look with favor upon your flock here that you would build us up in our inner man that you would strengthen us with might and that you would fill each and every one of us with the Holy Spirit and certainly as we work our way through the Ten Commandments we see many areas God where we need grace and we need help and we need strength and we pray that you would supply these things to each and every one of your people here we pray father for your blessing to be upon those who are not your people we know it is sovereign grace that teaches the heart to fear and we know father with you all things are possible so we pray that you would be pleased to save sinners to the uttermost by your sovereign hand we ask our God that you would look with favor upon souls in this place and in other churches here in chilliwack and throughout the earth Lord God Almighty we pray that you would add to the number of such as should be saved through the preaching of the gospel through the Ministry of the Holy Spirit and through the exercise of your sovereign grace we pray father that you would forgive us now for all of our sins as we enter into worship we pray God that you would cleanse us in that fount that is open for sin and uncleanness that you would wash us and that you would purify us and that you would help us to take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ our Lord we pray for those in our midst with physical trials and difficulties and we do commit them unto you on to your gracious care and kindness we pray for mr. Crowell that he would continue to recover we pray father that she would heal this brother's kidney we pray that he would be strengthened and blessed richly by you and your grace and mercy continue with our brother Don Neufeld and just help him to persevere in the midst of many trials and difficulties grant him grace from on high and grant him joy and peace in the Holy Spirit and cause him to reflect upon the savior king and find great comfort in the scriptures we ask Lord that you would look with favor upon each and every one in this church as we all have many many trials and temptations in this world we pray that you would grant your spirit to us and help us to resist these things help us to pursue those things that are pleasing in your sight and help us to be encouraged with the promises of God may we daily be in the scripture and may we daily know the nearness of God as our good and our Father we pray for children and for young people in this congregation the psalmist said how can a young man cleanse his way by taking heed according to your word I pray that these young ones would remember their Creator in their youth I pray God that your Holy Spirit would work in their young hearts cause them to see their own sin and cause them to see the glory of Jesus Christ as the one alone who can forgive sin as the one alone it brings a righteousness that avails with God Most High be gracious and protect them and watch over them and cause them to rise up and to glorify you for certainly God we pray that generations to come would be praising that the God of heaven and earth and bringing glory to your great name we ask that you bless pastor Porter and his wife as they are on holidays this weekend we pray that you would just refresh our brother she would strengthen him and grant him grace and bring them home safely and cause them to rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ and in the glory of our great God we ask father as well for your blessing to be upon this nation certainly as we study these Commandments we see there there's Civil application or lack thereof we live in a culture where wickedness is called good and we're good is called wicked and certainly God we cannot look to politics to change these things we pray father ultimately that through the power of your gospel through the power of your Holy Spirit you would work in the hearts of men and women and boys and girls the people would see the scriptures is that objective standard as that moral law that should regulate all areas of faith and practice we do pray however for those who are running for political office we pray that you'd raise up decent men men that are committed to governing with equity and with justice and with righteousness God we know that this is a great thing to ask but we know that you are a great and glorious God and the Apostle tells us to pray for kings and all who are in authority so that we may lead peaceable and quiet lives this is our desire god is to be able to worship you unhindered by the civil government and we pray to that end we ask that you would continue with us now we ask God that you would bless this time of worship that you would be glorified and that our hearts would be edified and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well please turn with me in your Trinity hymnals to number six hundred and ninety six hundred and ninety will stand and sing together Oh Oh return to the Prophet Jeremiah chapter 49 for our scripture reading this evening Jeremiah chapter 49 will begin reading in verse 1 remember Jeremiah's prophesying or giving prophecy concerning the various various nations he is not only a prophet concerning Israel but he is a prophet of the Living God the Living God has worldwide comprehensive jurisdiction so the living God's prophet speaks to the nation's and I'll begin reading in chapter 49 at verse 1 against the ammonites thus says the Lord has Israel no sons has he no air why then does milcom inherit God and His people dwell in its cities therefore behold the days are coming says the Lord that I will cause to be heard an alarm of war in rabaa of the ammonites it shall be a desolate mound and her villages shall be burned with fire then Israel shall take possession of his inheritance says the Lord whale o heshbon for AI is plundered cry you daughters of rabba gird yourselves with sackcloth lament and run to and fro by the walls for milcom shall go into captivity with his priests and his princes together why do you boast in the valleys you're flowing Valley Oh backsliding daughter who trusted in her treasure saying who will come against me behold i will bring fear upon you says the Lord God of hosts from all those who are around you you shall be driven out everyone had long and no one will gather those who wander off but afterward I will bring back the captives of the people of Ammon says the Lord against Edom thus says the Lord of Hosts is wisdom no more and teman as counsel perished from the prudent has their wisdom vanished flee turn back dwell in the depths o inhabitants of data but I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him the time that I will punish him if grape gatherers came to you would they not leave some gleaning grapes if thieves by night would they not destroy until they have enough but i have made he saw bear i have uncovered his secret places and he shall not be able to hide himself his descendants are plundered his brethren in his neighbors and he is no more leave your fatherless children I will preserve them alive and let your widow's trust in me for thus says the Lord behold those whose judgment was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunk and are you the one who will go we'll all together go unpunished you shall not go unpunished but you shall surely drink of it for I have sworn by myself says the Lord that basrah shall become a desolation a reproach a waste and a curse and all its City shall be perpetual wastes I have heard a message from the Lord and an ambassador has been sent to the nation's gather together come against her and rise up to battle for indeed I will make you small among nations despised among men your fierceness has deceived you the pride of your heart o you who dwell in the clefts of the rock who hold the height of the hill though you make your nest as high as the eagle I will bring you down from there says the Lord Edom also shall be an astonishment everyone who goes by it will be astonished and will hiss at all its plagues as in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbors says the Lord no one shall remain there nor shall a son of man dwell in it behold he shall come upon come up like a lion from the flood plain of the Jordan against the dwelling place of the strong but I will suddenly make him run away from her and who is a chosen man that I may appoint her appoint over her for who is like me who will Iranian who is that Shepherd who will withstand me therefore hear the counsel of the Lord that he has taken against Edom and his purpose is that he has proposed against the inhabitants of demon surely the least of the flock shall draw them out surely he shall make their dwelling places desolate with them the earth shakes at the noise of their fall at the cry it's noise is heard at the Red Sea behold he shall come up and fly like the eagle and spread his wings over basrah the heart of the mighty man of Edom in that day shall be like the heart of a woman in birth pangs Amen will let us pray our Father we thank you for your comprehensive sovereignty over all the nations of men we thank you for your sovereign rule and your government we thank you God that in the light of the situation we find ourselves in situation that is so bleak in terms of a human perspective when there is such wickedness in the nations of the earth our hearts do rejoice that our God is in the heavens and he does whatever he pleases we find great comfort in the reality that Jesus Christ is the ruler over the kings of the earth we find great comfort throughout the entirety of scripture which reminds the people of God that they always have a faithful and a sovereign God who is for them in every circumstance and in every situation we thank you for your grace we thank you for your mercy we thank you for your sovereign protection over your church and we pray that you would cause the church in every nation to know your security and stability and protection may it continue to advance through the preaching of the gospel may it continue to be built by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and it's in his name that we pray amen well please turn with me in your Trinity hymnal to number 415 number 415 will stand as we sing together please turn with me in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter five Deuteronomy chapter five begin reading in verse 6 I am the Lord your God have brought you out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage you shall have no other gods before me you shall not make for yourself a carved image any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth you shall not bow down to them nor serve them for I the Lord your God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the father's upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me but showing mercy to thousands to those who love me and keep my Commandments you shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy as the Lord your God commanded you six days you shall labor and do all your work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God in it you shall do no work you know your son know your daughter nor your male servant nor your female servant nor your ox nor your donkey nor any of your cattle nor your stranger who is within your gates that your male servant in your female servant may rest as well as you and remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day honor your father and your mother as the Lord your God has commanded you that your days may be long and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you you shall not murder you shall not commit adultery you shall not steal you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor you shall not covet your neighbor's wife you shall not desire your neighbor's house his field his male servant his female servant is ox his donkey or anything that is your neighbors these words the Lord spoke to all your assembly in the mountain from the midst of the fire the cloud and the thick darkness with a loud voice and he added no more and he wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me amen let us pray father we thank you for your holy law we thank you for what is given here and Moab was given its i9 that summarizes what was given to Adam in the garden we thank you as well Lord God that it's given to us internally by the spirit in this new covenant situation and we pray that you'd help us to delight in your law to never see it as a burdensome thing but may we say with the psalmist oh how I love your law it is my meditation day and night we pray for your spirit to guide us and to instruct us now we pray for your spirit to help us to apply these things in our lives that we may be careful that we may be watchful and prayerful concerning the seventh word we pray God that you would again forgive us for all of our sins and our transgressions and be merciful to us we pray we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well just a couple of preliminary observations before we begin on an exposition of the seventh commandment in our study of the Ten Commandments the exposition and application of the Ten Commandments are crucial if you watched any of the news this past week you'll have seen that Pope Francis stood before the United States Congress and never once mentioned the word abortion he's addressing the very persons that have the legislative pen to argue or to rule against such a practice he never mentions that but in that address he does degrade or he does denounce the death penalty as far as I'm concerned he mangled the six commandment the sixth commandment certainly demands that we do not murder but the sixth commandment does not prohibit and the rest of Scripture man's that criminals guilty before God and before a civil government ought to be executed I agree with Associate Justice Scalia that probably the United States is going to abolish the death penalty as well in Canada the last time the death penalty was implemented was in nineteen sixty-two it was overruled in 1976 there were provisions there for certain military crimes those in turn were overruled in 1998 so I simply say this to highlight the fact that this is a very practical and a very necessary study the people of God must understand what the scriptures say concerning the law and how it applies in our day-to-day lives and how it applies on a governmental level or in a societal level another observation before we begin is I don't think any of us would argue that when we look at the Decalogue two of them two of the commands that are most severely broken or or are strenuously or persistently rather as the good work that are broken in our own day at age are the sixth and the seventh you shall not murder you shall not commit adultery I will argue in our exposition tonight that adultery not only involves that which pertains specifically to a man and his wife but adultery or the seventh word does encompass a whole host of other sexual sins one only has to look around to see the violation of this law the violation of the sixth commandment in mass and I want to remind you that these two tables of the law are closely related and closely associated we might suggest or we might say that those who reject the first table our duty toward God will not relate with reference to the second table to their fellow man in other words if we reject God we will not have meaningful biblical ordered godly relationships with other persons in society Romans 1 I think indicates this very clearly Romans 118 the Apostle says the wrath of God is field from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men I believe that Paul's order there is specific ungodliness precedes on righteousness some commentators say it's just arbitrary there's no specific a distinction with reference to the order that the subsequent context indicates just the opposite Paul deals with sins of ungodliness or what we think concerning God before he turns to those things that refer to our conduct toward one another the first instance Paul says that although men knew God they did not honor God as God nor were they thankful that they became futile in their understanding they exchanged the truth of God for the lie and they worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator who is God blessed overall and then follows all of this multitude of transgressions with reference to the second table so a society that rejects God visa V the first table of the law is a society that is going to struggle and is going to violate this second table of the law so we must not forget this close association with in the Decalogue itself I want to look at three things tonight as we consider the seventh word first the basis of the commandment secondly the prohibition of the commandment and then thirdly the positive aspect of the commandment but in the first place the basis God has a purpose in marriage and that purpose is threefold now there's certainly other things we can say or include with reference to marriage but there are three particulars or three necessary elements involved in marriage and adultery brings destruction to each of these particular elements in the first place it is a covenant of companionship in Genesis chapter 2 when the Lord God made this world when Adam started to or Adam was engaged in naming the animals Adam saw that there was not a o mater one answering unten there was not comparable to him and God saw that it was not good so God created Eve to bring her to add up so that Adam would be complete it is in the first place of covenant of companionship a breach in marriage via adultery brings a breach to that covenant it breaks that covenant in the second place the practice of sexual intimacy or we might say the prevention of uncleanness when Adam saw Eve they came together as one flesh yes in terms of the marital bond but physically as well it wasn't bad it wasn't wrong it wasn't icky it wasn't dirty it was the plan and the purpose of God most high and in the third place the purpose for merit is procreation it is to be fruitful it is to multiply it is to have children so the basis of the seventh word is found in the creative activity of God and in the fact that he ordained marriage for his creatures but as well the basis of the command is found obviously in the law of God the seventh commandment says you shall not commit adultery the rest of the Old Testament flashes out for us and illustrates for us multi faceted application of the seventh commandment and we're going to list those or at least some of those this evening because it's helpful for us to see what God's Word says concerning sexual sin and in the third place the New Testament as well regulates mandates commands obedience to God with reference to the seventh commandment when we come to Jesus Sermon on the Mount he deals with the seventh commandment when we come to the Apostle Paul in first Corinthians when we come to the Apostle Paul elsewhere in the New Testament documents he deals with the seventh commandment when we come to Hebrews chapter 13 for we read that marriage is honorable among all and the bed undefiled within the context of marriage alone marriage between one man and one woman the marriage bed is undefiled God is not anti sexual relations God is anti illicit unrighteous unbiblical ungodly sexual relations but within the context of a covenant marriage God the Lord says that it is good and marriage is honorable among all and the bed undefiled before fornicators and adulterers God will judge with reference to the basis of the command we see its sanction the death penalty is given for a violation of the seventh word concerning adultery Leviticus chapter 20 verse 10 Deuteronomy chapter 22 and verse 22 as well not only the death penalty or capital punishment at Old Covenant Israel but the wrath of man like for you to turn to proverbs chapter 6 for just a moment very interesting statement that Solomon gives us there in proverbs chapter 6 specifically verses 30 to 35 verse 30 of proverbs 6 people do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving yet when he is found he must restore Sevenfold he may have to give up all the all the substance of his house is one of those sorts of things that God's not saying it's okay to steal but God is saying that when a hungry man steals other persons have some comprehension of such an act right the man is starving to death and he walks into walmart and he puts a brisket under his arm and he what runs out he's still ought to be punished he's still ought to be penalized there's still a sanction to be paid but we're not shocked and were not surprised were not blown away by the reality that a hungry man steals a brisket this is what he says people do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving we despise a thief who comes and takes our car we despise a thief who comes and does some things that you know is it very conducive to our happiness and our well-being but a man who starving to death again we don't turn the other way we don't we got it we don't neglect it but we don't despise the man when he is found he must restore seven full he may have to give up all the substance of his house you see he's not saying it's okay to steal if you're starving he's simply saying that men don't despise somebody who steals when they're starving he still has to pay restitution he still has to restore 74 now note in verse 32 with reference to the seventh work whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding he who does so destroys his own soul wounds and dishonor he will get and his reproach will not be wiped away now the wounds and dishonor that he gets here not from the civil magistrate but the husband notice in verse 34 for jealousy is a husband's fury therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance he will accept no recompense nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts what is Solomon indicating in this particular passage he is indicating that a violation of the eighth commandment you shall not steal is wrong it's bad you shouldn't do this if you are found out you need to repay seven full you need to make restitution you need to do what the law prescribes in such an incident but if you're starving to that people aren't going to despise you not so with the adulterer not so at the man who brings ruin to his own marriage not so with the woman who brings marriage ruined to her own marriage or persons that bring ruin to another marriage what Solomon recognizes here is the reality of the situation when a man finds out that such has been the case he will go and deliver these blows to this offender to this violator of this sacred covenant that he has transacted with his wife and then we find the wrath of God is also involved in this situation I've already cited Hebrews 13 for but fornicators and adulterers God will judge it's one of those things that you ought to be cognizant of that if you engage in sexual immorality if you engage in pornography if you engage in adultery if you engage in homosexuality if you engage in whatever the seventh commandment forbids and you somehow get away with it as far as men or women are concern realize that fornicators and adulterers God will judge there is that promise given in Scripture listen to a couple of older brothers concerning this particular sin of adultery Dabney said were all to take the license of an adulterer man would in due time be reduced precisely to the degradation of wild beasts the sin of the adulterer therefore is scarcely less enormous than that of the murderer the latter murder destroys man's temporal existence the former adultery destroys all that makes existence a boon it makes it good to have a relationship with a man or a woman and when somebody comes and brings destruction upon that sacred covenant that destroys a man's existence in terms of its encouraging aspect Watson says the adulterer not only wrongs his own soul but does what in him lies to destroy the soul of another and so kills two at once he is worse than the thief for suppose a thief Rob's a man yeh takes away his life the man's soul may be happy he may go to heaven as well as if he had died in his bed but he who commits adultery and dangers the soul of another and deprives her of salvation so far as in EM lies now what a fearful thing is it to be an instrument to draw another to hell so the basis of the commandment is found in the purpose of God in marriage the law of God itself and it's seen demonstrated or illustrated in the sanction now notice in the second place the prohibition of the command look at the sins forbidden and then the sins committed and I'm probably missing something here I'm just giving you a sample this 11 items 11 items people are think we're going to be here until midnight no we can move through these pretty quickly but as I said adultery is focused on and that's the first one to consider Leviticus 18 20 leviticus twenty ten Deuteronomy 22 22 the sexual intercourse of the husband with life of another or of a wife with the husband of another I suggest that this is indicated here and comprehends all the other sorts of sins because this in many respects is a direct attack upon the Covenant nation in other words the family was the basic unit the basic building block of society and such as the case today so when a man or a woman engaged in a violation of the seventh commandment what was that state wasn't simply the covenantal family but it was the coven ental nation at large God takes seriously our promises God take seriously our fidelity God takes seriously this whole issue of covenant making we are not to engage in such things and then trash them we are not to stand up here and say I do and then go out and do not we are not to swear before God and man that we will stay with our beloved till death do us part and then go out and follow after somebody else the Lord God Almighty says that this is an abomination craigy says that adultery of one partner in marriage involve not only unfaithfulness to the other partner but also unfaithfulness to god you'll hear this sometimes with reference to sexual sin you'll hear this with reference to say homosexuality or prostitution these are victimless crimes we'll all sin ultimately is against God the Lord all sin ultimately has as its object of violation the living and true God the Creator has spoken to his creatures we are to tow the law we are to do what he says to do so when we reject that and we repel against that it is simply not the case that these are somehow victimless crimes in the second place fornication this includes sexual relations outside of marriage sexual relations outside of merit as I said only marriage between one man and one woman that has the approval of God as far as the scriptures are concerned Hebrews 13 the marriage bed is undefiled that is the place where in that blessing of God is to be utilized and enjoyed but outside that coven ental contacts it is condemned it is forbidden we live in a society where fornication is rampant and we as the church need to be even-handed here we denounce homosexuality and well we should but we must also denounced heterosexual fornication why is it any worse it is a violation of the word of the Living God and in this instance we see Exodus 22 16 and 17 Deuteronomy 22 13 to 20 to 22 28 to 29 and Hebrews 13 for back turn for just a moment to 22 of Deuteronomy Deuteronomy 22 some persons struggle here and this is one of those passages that are used against Christians to show an arbitrariness with reference to the application of God's law there was somehow acceptable to rape a unbilled woman and it was somehow acceptable rather to rape a an unbeaten but she couldn't rape a betrothed woman I think there are several categories that need to be understood in Deuteronomy we don't have time to argue for each of these if you're interested you can email me later I'll send you the notes where we do argue this a bit but in verses 23 and 24 of Deuteronomy 22 what we have is the seduction of a betrothed woman in verses 23 and 24 in verses 25 to 27 we have the rate of a betrothed woman in the countryside in verses 28 and 29 we have the seduction of a single woman some read that as rape I do not believe that's a rate and so the argument is that it's okay to rape an unbeaten or a single woman but it's wrong no what we have in verses 28 and 29 is rather a place or a consensual agreement between a woman and a man and then adultery with a father's wife or consanguinity in or I'm sorry affinity in verse 30 so just to clear up some of those particulars you may not remember all that as I said email nearly can send you the notes but adultery is condemned fornication incest incest is wrong it is against the law of God Leviticus 18 highlights and details this Leviticus 20 Deuteronomy 22 30 just read it first Corinthians chapter 5 this was a problem in Corinth the Apostle deals with this he says I am amazed man has his father's wife and you guys are not only not condemning it but you become arrogant in this our confession says that marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity that means blood relationship or affinity that means a relationship by marriage that is condemned through in Scripture forbidden in the word nor can such incestuous marriage ever be made lawful by any law of man or consent of parties so as those persons may live together as man and wife in the fourth place rape rape in fact look at Deuteronomy 22 again look what it says in verses 25 to 27 if a man finds abbot road young woman in the countryside and the man forces her and lies with her then only the man who lay with her shall die but you shall do nothing to the young woman there is in the young woman no sin deserving of death for just as when a man rises against his neighbor and kills him even so is this matter for he found her in the countryside and the young woman cried out but there was no one to save her this was not consensual on her part she was forced she was raped and as a result the law of God demands concerning the rapist that he died this is a crime that is just as murder according to Scripture the fifth-place sodomy homosexuality god calls this an abomination Genesis chapters 18 and 19 Leviticus 18 22 leviticus twenty thirteen romans 1 26 and 27 first Corinthians 6 verse 9 and first Timothy 110 let's take one sample passage the one in first Corinthians a lot of persons today are confused about this particular subject of homosexuality some within the church some churches even are giving sanction or approval to what's called same-sex marriage well the scripture clearly condemns this notice in first Corinthians 69 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 person see the two terms used they're homosexuals and sodomites and some would say why does Paul use the same word twice he doesn't use the same word twice he uses to technical terms that refer to the active and to the passive partner in a homosexual relationship where does Paul get this distinction where does Paul understand this ethical distinction it is from his dealings with and his knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures sodomy is condemned in the Word of God homosexuality is not to be normative it is not to be practiced the church is not to recognize same-sex marriage it is a sin before God and one that he calls against nature in the book of Romans in chapter one in the sixth place bestiality again brethren this is probably not the happiest sermon you'll hear this week not that you're going to hear a lot of sermons unless you listen to sermon audio a lot you think bestiality why in the world would we need to prescription against that I remember Andy Hamilton preaching a message on sexual purity in a sensual age and he said it ought to make us hang our head in shame that God has to actually tell us not to engage in bestiality it ought to make us hang our head in shame that got the Lord from on high has to tell man the image bearer that he is not to lie with an animal the way that he lies with a man or a woman if he's a woman or she's a woman lying with a man or a man with a woman bestiality the degree of sexual perversion in canaan high culture was such that bestiality was fairly commonplace Hittite laws for example even permitted cohabitation with certain animals you remember last week I mentioned Peter Singer the professor of bioethics it at Princeton University I checked he's still working there another interesting thing that singer advances or singer advocates for is bestiality as long as there is no cruelty inflicted upon the animal then there can be a meaningful relationship I'm not making this up this man is the professor of life ethics at Princeton University probably making a whole lot of money and advocating for the practice of bestiality except of course for smaller animals because it does hurt them and it does damage them in the seventh place unlawful divorce unlawful divorce we've seen that in our exposition in Matthew's Gospel both in chapters 5 and 19 if you are divorced on lawfully than any subsequent interaction that you may have is adulterous in nature and is condemned in the eighth place immodesty you shall not commit adultery the Bible also highlights the reality that men and women must dress modestly we must cover those parts that will inflame the lusts of other persons in proverbs chapter 7 salomon highlights the reality that there are women who have the attire of a harlot now probably that looked a whole lot different in Solomon's day that it looks in our day but the point is that in every generation there is the attire of a harlot in the New Testament Scriptures in first Timothy chapter 2 what does Paul say concerning women in the public worship of the Living God dress as provocatively as you can be a stumbling block for your brother's be a stumbling block for the younger man know in chapter 2 a first Timothy in verse 8 he says I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting in like manner also that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel with propriety and moderation not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing but which is proper for women professing godliness with good works Peter in first Peter chapter 3 addresses the same subject and while these tax specifically highlight women in worship women in their conduct certainly men are included men are not to be immodest men are to govern themselves and to make sure that they are not an occasion to promote lust on the part of another person first Peter 33 do not let your adornment be merely outward arranging the hair wearing gold or putting on fine apparel rather let it be the hidden person of the heart with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is very precious in the sight of God you see the scripture and joins upon us modesty in our dress modesty and compliance with the seventh of seventh word in the ninth place we would include polygamy in this instance now polygamy was tolerated in the Old Testament Scriptures you'll all know that we ought not to hide that reality we ought not to cover that fact we just saw it in First Samuel 26 David took Abigail as his wife and he took a hen om the Jezreel itís of chapter 25 rather so polygamy was tolerated in the Old Covenant but monogamy has always been the design of God from the beginning in the creation in the garden God brought Eve to Adam God didn't bring even Lucy and and Millie and whoever else God gave one woman to one man and that was normative it is treated as such by the Lord Jesus in Matthew chapter 19 it is treated as such by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 5 31 in the tenth place we would include prostitution here's a violation of the seventh word Leviticus 19 29 this is wrong you are not to sell sex for money the only time that you may engage in this particular activity is in the confines of a covenant in marriage that is it that is the place you say well it's so difficult to be single get a wife find a husband hit your wagon to someone else do what God says if you are burning in your loss get a good job be presentable be a hard worker woo her cause him to see you so that you can find a person to engage in this blessed privilege with for the rest of your life because God says it's legit according to Hebrews 13 for in the context of covenantal marriage and in the final place we would include pornography pornography here Jesus speaking in the Gospel of Matthew says I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart pornography is condemned in the scriptures pornography is wrong pornography is epidemic pornography is everywhere pornography is at the end of our fingertips every moment of the day if you have a cell phone in your pocket it happens to be a smartphone you have access to this if you have a computer at home you have access to this things that several years ago there were many obstacles between a young man or a young woman in order to secure pornography those obstacles were oftentimes bypassed and jumped over we could still get it if we wanted it but nowadays those obstacles are removed those obstacles are gone those obstacles have vanished you need to guard your hearts you need to govern your passions you need to watch and pray you need to avoid the temptation of clicking here or clicking there because once done you may find yourself in a big problematic situation in the one click is problematic as it is but persons get addicted to this person's minds and hearts are saturated with the wrong things young people children I've read that the age that most young people today are exposed to pornography is very very young I think it's around 11 or 12 when I was 11 and 12 we weren't virtuous people by any stretch but we're playing hide and go seek we were playing baseball in the streets we were playing football we were just asking our parents if we could stay out later so that we could run around the neighborhood and just play like kids at 12 years old person's kids shouldn't even begin to think about these particulars and yet now it is the case that this is prevalent guard your hearts pluck out eyes and cut off hands so you do not fall prey to this particular scent of pornography our Lord Jesus is clear I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart and again it's applicable to women as well if you look upon a man to lock and lust your heart than it is as if you've broken the seventh commandment take these things seriously it is an epidemic sent nationally or societally but as well in the church persons men women professing the true religion who come to church and worship using even the Trinity mville and preaching reformed doctrine person still engage in this particular sin if you are found out tonight confess it to God repent of your sin and stop govern your passions put on the Lord Jesus Christ Paul tells us in Romans 13 14 and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts stop do not continue pray to the Lord God Almighty what we sang and for 15 God be merciful to me cleanse me from all unrighteousness fill me with the Holy Spirit and help me to take seriously our Lord's admonition to pluck out eyes in to cut off hands because God the Lord is serious about this aspect of your humanity if this is the case in any of these things may not be internet porn it may not be prostitution it may not be polygamy it's probably immodesty for a lot of us we need to guard our hearts unlawful divorce bestiality hopefully that's not an issue sodomy rape or incest or fornication or adultery or any of these things rather than understand God is the one who has mandated for us to maintain purity in each of these areas now how are these sins committed well naturally externally the external Act the Westminster larger catechism 139 says what are the sins forbidden in the seventh commandment answer the sins forbidden in the seventh commandment besides the neglect of the duties required or adultery fornication rape incest sodomy and all unnatural lots the actual conduct of these particulars is a sin and a violation of the seventh word but it doesn't stop there the internal disposition the heart the affections the desires as we have seen in Matthew 5 28 I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart you may not have engaged in any of these 11 in terms of their external application in terms of the actual execution of the the practice but it may be in the heart there may be a giving pondering concerning or considering these particular violations in the heart of man Spurgeon says if sin were not allowed in the mind it would never be made manifest in the body this therefore is a very effectual way of dealing with the evil keep it out of the mind do not entertain vile thoughts resist those things Watson says as a man may die of an inward bleeding so he may be damned for the inward boiling zuv lust if it be not mortified so we have the external act we have the internal disposition a third way we can commit this sin is with the use of corrupt and filthy speech this is what Paul is speaking to in Ephesians 5 Ephesians 5 the admonition is to walk in love as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us and offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma now notice what he goes on to say in verse 3 it is charged language in the context is sexual in nature verse 3 fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness let it not even be named among you as is fitting for Saints neither filthiness nor foolish talking your coarse jesting which are not fitting but rather giving of thanks for this you know that no fornicator on clean person nor covetous man who is an idolaters any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God let no one deceive you with empty words for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience therefore do not be partakers with them avoid this filthy and corrupt speech according to the Apostle Paul the Westminster larger says all corrupt or filthy communications or listening thereunto or listening thereunto I didn't say a word but you gave both ears to hear these particulars it's just like the sin of gossip you may not have the big mouth but if you have two big ears then you are as guilty and as culpable as the one with said big mouth this is wrong to not only do it but you listen to it and receive it and in the fourth place the confession the Westminster larger makes this association it highlights that idleness gluttony drunkenness and unchaste company are comprehended in that seventh commandment now we might think that's a bit of Puritan throwback and we might wonder why in the world or how in the world could they ever conclude that idleness gluttony drunkenness or unchaste company would be comprehended in the seventh commandment well we could see on Jays company I mean if I hang around with somebody that's sexually immoral that's probably not going to be long before I engage in something that is wrong what about idleness it's curious that this was the occasion or at least a sidebar with reference to David when he fell into his sin with Bathsheba it was the time when Kings went out to battle but David didn't go David sent Joab in his place what should David have done I speak as a man because God is sovereign but David should have gone out to battle as was the custom in the practice of gangs had gave had gone out to battle guess where he would not have gone he would not have up on his roof and he would not have viewed Bathsheba he then would not have called Bathsheba to himself he would not have impregnated her and he would not have had to at least in his wine murder Uriah to cover this particular sin idleness what about gluttony and drunkenness I think the confession understands that we are whole persons we are whole men and women we are connected we are systemic we are put together body and soul in a comprehensive way I suspect the rub here is that a failure to govern every passion produces a climate conducive to indulge in any passion in other words if we are not watchful over all appetites then the breach has been engaged if we are not governing our habits when it comes to food and drink it will be very easy to not govern our habits when it comes to sexual matters and then thirdly and finally in terms of the positive aspect of the command a lean on the larger catechism here what are the duties required in the seventh commandment the duties required in the seventh commandment our chastity and body-mind affections words and behavior and the preservation of it in ourselves and others watchfulness over the eyes and all the senses temperance keeping of chaste company modesty and apparel marriage by those that have not the gift of countenance ii conjugal love and cohabitation diligent labor in our callings shunning all occasions of uncleanness and resisting temptations thereunto and I think there's wisdom to be had in this confession or and this catechism diligent labor in our colleagues brethren you should work so hard during the day that by the time it comes to lie your head down or lay your head down on the pillow you're too tired to go out and see it that should be the goal I worked so hard that you collapse when you get to home because you're not going to go out and engage in goodness you got a problem with porn work hard watch your heart guard against that stuff don't be alone with your phone or your computer take tangible steps to make sure these things don't happen idleness gluttony drunkenness on chase company all of these things weaken the defenses and when the defenses are weak in those areas they will be weak over in the sexual realm as well brethren in summary or in conclusion just a couple of thoughts and then we close notice we didn't go through the entirety of the positive aspect of the command my hope is to finish the Ten Commandments and return to second Timothy so that we can start the book of James in the future but the first thing we ought to observe is the rejection of the seventh commandment as I mentioned is prevalent it is prevalent I mean it is something that is viewed all the time it is demonstrated in fornication fornication unrighteous habitation with another human being out side of the Covenant of marriage it is demonstrated in adultery men and or women being unfaithful to those whom they swore to be faithful to what happened to our word what happened to our promise what happened to the oak what happened to the vow what happened to swearing fidelity to God in front of witnesses to another human being that we would remain with them until death does us Park brethren we need to recover that in our churches we need to guard against the tendency to follow the world when it comes to fornication and adultery as well unlawful divorce again we have considered divorce in our exposition of Matthew's Gospel Matthew 19 we even looked at first Corinthians 7 there I argued that there are lawful instances for divorce any ones that are not covered there are unlawful and are wrong it is demonstrated in the wide spread use of and abuse of pornography as I've already mentioned if this is something that is that is close to your heart or something that you have fallen into confess it forsake it and repent stop do not continue to feed this lust one man has well said it's like starving a sumo wrestler you don't keep feeding a sumo because he just gets bigger and bigger and bigger you don't say well I'll just do it a few more times and they don't know you've got to starve the sumo you've got to stop engaging in this particular practice and it's demonstrated in homosexuality so I've said it's embraced by some professing Christians and churches James White has done numerous debates with numerous persons who tried to maintain and argue that the bible does not condemn faithful monogamous homosexual union that position cannot be sustained our position here with reference to the church is that we will not perform marriages involving homosexuals or any other parties that depart from the original design at creation one man marrying one woman we will not submit to unbiblical laws or coercion on the part of the civil government we will not kowtow to those demands if the increasing pressure mounts where and we lose status or where wherein we lose recognition by bc we will lose that recognition and status we will not compromise on this point because marriage is one man and one woman a one one woman for life in the second place in terms of our use of the commandment how do we employ the seventh commandment well in the civil realm or scientist says this in his exposition of the Heidelberg catechism the magistrate should punish these heinous sins and abominable transgressions with extraordinary punishments reg Bahnson wrote a book on homosexuality and nine 78 long before the obergefell decision in the made by the United States Supreme Court 1978 reg Bahnson said this homosexuality that is publicly accepted is symptomatic of a society under judgment inwardly corrupted to the point of impending collapse Paul the Apostle regarded as the most overt evidence of that degeneracy to which God in his wrath gave over the nation's prophetic certainly Bahnson would probably just recoil in horror at what has happened today the pedagogical use you may be the only person in the world that the seventh commandment doesn't find out if you are that one person you cannot pay attention for a moment but for the rest of us the seventh commandment ought to send us to Jesus can anyone hear say they've never had an untoward thought can anyone hear say they've never given an untoward look in anyone say here they've always dressed in a manner that is appropriate and modest and all those things could you say with that young man in Matthew's Gospel all these things I have kept from my youth probably on one point or another out of this category of 11 one of one of those things finds us out the pedagogical use of God's holy law simply means this the law shows us our sin you may have come here tonight thinking you're an alright guy or an alright girl perhaps in the course of the exposition you have found out that you're not as alright as you want suspected that is one of the proper uses of God's law to point out our sin to show us our evil to show us where we fall short so that we will then flee to the Lord Jesus Christ he is always the recourse he is always the Haven he is always the refuge in any and all situations those who have sinned sexually may prepare to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ and they're in forgiveness they may find there in washing in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ if I would have continued reading first Corinthians chapter 6 well let me just continue reading it you can turn there so you can see it for yourself it truly is an amazing declaration by the Apostle Paul so if you have been found out tonight in your sin and you have not come to the Lord Jesus Christ listen to what Paul says is the benefit the blessing the joy and the privilege for those who do come to the Lord Jesus notice in first Corinthians 69 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 nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God reverse 11 and such were some of you but you were washed but you were sanctified but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God isn't that good news isn't that a glorious statement isn't that beautiful that the Lord Jesus Christ washes he justifies he sanctifies and he promises promises to glorify us come to the Lord Jesus incidentally this particular passage teaches us something concerning the nature of homosexuality we are not born that way it is not hardwired into us no I'm not saying that pressures or issues or situations in youth or in childhood don't don't have an effect upon us but it's not the case that were born hard wired this way because it wouldn't be the case that such were some of you you can't stop Windows 10 from being Windows 10 you can't stop something that is hard wired one way to be another way that is great it comes to sinners and at washer the blood of Jesus washes cleanses and purifies us and in the third place with reference to the use of the seventh commandment the normative use the normative use I suspect that this is where most of us are in our appreciation of the tenth of the seventh word in the first place the abstention from all sexual sin that means to abstain from all sexual sin first Thessalonians 4 verse 34 this is the will of God your sanctification that you should abstain from sexual immorality this is the will of God for you you ever do that I wonder what the will of God is for my life well there it is brethren in big stark black letters you want to know what the will of God is for you young people your sanctification that you abstain from sexual immorality that'll be a full-time job you need to make sure that you are applying yourself to it first Peter to 11 he urges the pilgrims he says abstain from fleshly lusts notice which war against the soul which war against the soul sexual sin wars against the soul so the abstention from all sexual sin in the second place the Covenant of and the practice of biblical marriage that is the legitimate expression for our sexuality and if God has ordained that that is the case and we are having struggles in this particular area I alluded to it earlier find a bride find a man get married say I do covenant together and traverse this earth with the companion that the Lord God has given to you within marriage Paul tells us in first Corinthians chapter 7 that the man has authority over the woman and the woman has authority over the man there ought to be the of the marriage bed in the Christian marriage it ought to be frequent it ought to be wholesome it ought to be happy God has given that to us the marriage bed is undefiled the Apostle says in Hebrews 13 so use it the third place the mortification of sin you need to cut offs in Jesus continuing in Matthew 5 29 and 30 if your right eye causes you to sin pluck it out and cast it far from you for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell and if your right hand causes you to sin cut it off and cast it from you for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell now Jesus speaks metaphorically origin took this seriously and engaged in self castration Spurgeon says yet let no man plead this literally and therefore mutilate his body as some foolish fanatics have done this is a metaphor Jesus is not suggesting that you take a hatchet tonight and actually chop off your arm Jesus is not saying that you find a sharp knife in the kitchen drawer and gouge out an eye but Jesus metaphor underscores the seriousness of dealing with sexual sin Spurgeon again says better a blind Saint than a quick cited sinner if Christ is going to use such a metaphor it highlights or underscores the gravity of the sin involved and the necessity of the people of God to deal radically with it and in the final place the recognition as I started out with the night of the close association between the two tables of the law how in the world will we ever maintain fidelity with reference to the seventh commandment if we have disregarded the first four if we have rejected God the Lord if we as believers are not engaged in communion with God the Lord if we have other gods before him if we are idolaters if we are blasphemers if we are Sabbath breakers guess what's going to happen when it comes to the application of that second table that close association must be observed it must be respected the way to sexual purity is to maintain communion with God all mighty those two tables hold together a rejection of the first will lead inevitably to a rejection of the second we see it obviously in society in a death culture a culture that hates Jesus Christ and so by arson thereby loves death we see in society why don't we see in our own hearts you may be struggling tonight with this that or the other you say well how do I deal with this maybe you need to come back over here and start to get alone with God maybe you need to work on your own spiritual state before jehovah maybe you need to be engaged in bible reading and in prayer that's more fervent than more earnest maybe you need to be a regular attender to the public means of grace maybe instead of being absent from the supper you're there when the householder is serving is weary pilgrims that necessary Covenant meal those are the ways brethren of finding help with reference to the second table so may I encourage all of us to take seriously this seventh word and by the grace of God to resist those temptations and to abstain from sexual immorality will let us pray our Father we thank you for the word of God and the fact that you protect marriage that you say to us that you command us to bid us to keep this most basic covenantal bond intact we pray our Father that you would help us to take these things to heart help us to be prayerful concerning this particular word and help us God to abstain help us Stan help us to mortify and help us to have faithful godly marriages wherein we honor and glorify you go with us now we pray and watch over us in this coming week may your face shine upon us may your peace be in our hearts and may you keep and preserve each of your people here and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen I'm close with a brief time of meditation and then we'll be dismissed and then the singing will be upstairs in probably five or ten minutes you