"But I say unto you, that every one that looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart ."
Matthew 5:28
These words come early in the Sermon on the Mount. Just after Jesus taught not to be angry at our brother, he spoke these words against lust. In both matters he focuses our attention behind evil actions to the evil thoughts that proceed them.
Sexual desire is a powerful part of our personality.
It is a part of our created nature, therefore it is not inherently evil.
It is among things that the Creator intended to be kept within boundaries.
Sexual desire is to be kept for our wife or husband.
But we choose to be our own lord , and we rebel against our Creator.
We refuse his word, and disregard his boundaries.
Sexual desire is strong. It can lead to rape. "Date rape" is not new.
Being tempted to sin is not sin. Jesus was tempted in all points as we, Heb. 4:15. The sin of sexual desire for a person beyond our mate must be met in the heart. Battles must be fought in the heart against desires
that go beyond God's boundary.
Temptation to fornication and adultery will not go away.
Our flesh urges us to go beyond the boundary and seek intercourse with others. In Christ, our spirit and his Spirit, are contrary to the flesh.
Paul called it war.
Writing about this tempts me to infer that I am above it. I am not.
Every man, but one, has committed sexual sin in his heart, if not in his body. If we did not have Jesus, we would have no hope at all.
Every believer in Jesus receives strength to walk home to the Father.
We do not need to pretend to be above sin.
Because Jesus died for our sins, we can rejoice:
"A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise."
Psalm 51:17