Unhitch the OT?

God gave the Ten Commandments to the Jews he brought out of Egypt. He gave them to no other. Are you a gentile? Here's what he gave you: “but that we should write them a letter telling them to abstain from things defiled by idols and from sexual immorality and from what has been strangled and from blood.” (Acts 15:20) (NET)

 

Of course, but have you read the Sermon on the Mount? Matthew 5:28 (KJV) But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

 

If you love your neighbor, you will not lust after her.

 

The ole carnal brain kicks in, doesn't it? Most men will admit to this sin at least once. I know what you are talking about--love perfectly and do as you please. It seems that only God loves perfectly. Humans fall short because thought is sin, theological error is sin, etc. Everyone is a sinner because everyone dies because--talk about a low-paying job--the wages of sin is death.

 

If you walk in the Spirit, you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Give it a try. Bring every thought and imagination captive to Christ. Reject all impure thoughts at their impulse stage. You'll be happy you did.

“But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:15–16) (KJV 1900)

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (2 Corinthians 10:5) (KJV 1900)

 

I don't think that you yourself control your thoughts because I don't think that any human being does? Let me try this another way since the Sermon on the Mount doesn't seem to work. Have you seen Lord of the Rings? Do you recall in the Fellowship of the Ring, that everyone wants the ring and no one but a hobbit can throw it back into the fire? Do you notice how the mere sight of the ring drives them to want it? Do you remember where the Dwarf tried to smash it with a hammer? Do you remember when Gollum first came into possession of the ring that he murdered his best friend to get it?

 

I'm not familiar with Lord of the Rings. But this works if you give it a try. Paul says: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (2 Corinthians 10:3–5) (KJV 1900)

Just as Christians flip the channel on TV or radio when something contrary to Christ appears, so we can censor impure thoughts before they develop. You can thwart them at the impulse stage. And replace them with good spiritual thoughts. Job did this. “I made a covenant with mine eyes; Why then should I think upon a maid?” (Job 31:1) (KJV 1900)

So Job not only looked away from probable temptation, he refused to think about it too. Casting down imaginations.

Hatred is the source of all sin, so it is easy to censor hateful thoughts before they develop, replacing them with loving thoughts.

Jesus is God, and God is Love, so Jesus is Lord of our hearts when love forms all of our thoughts and actions. It's not about legalism and cold mechanical works.

 

Is this a holiness doctrine that you believe?

 

Holiness as a movement in Christendom is forced and legalistic. True holiness comes from Love and making our thoughts and actions conform to it. Jesus is Lord of your life when his love is.

 

Unhitch Andy Stanley!