Well, if you would, turn in the scriptures to Exodus chapter 20. Exodus chapter 20. And as we look into this perfect law of God, let's once again seek the face of our God in prayer. Oh Father, We are about to look at your unchanging word. It is immutable even as your character is. It does not change. It is forever established in the heavens. Father, we would ask as the psalmist that you would enlarge our hearts that we might run in the ways of your commandments. draw out our hearts in love to you, and help us to see your righteousness in your law, and to see Christ as the end of that law, that we might embrace him in his perfect keeping of it, and that we might walk in obedience out of love to him who loved us. We thank you and praise you in his name, amen. So Exodus 20, verse 14. Simply this, you shall not commit adultery. You shall not commit adultery. Now, we have considered this commandment already in terms of what it forbids. what it tells the sinner he must not do. But I would like for us not to consider what the commandment forbids, but in this message to consider what it requires, what it teaches us in regard to our duty before God. The subjects that we shall discuss largely come out of the Westminster Larger Catechism question and answer 138, and I propose to you at minimum, certainly not exhaustive in application, that we have the following five duties that the Seventh Commandment requires of us, and we'll hopefully look at each one of them individually. And it's these, the commandment requires at least the following. First, purity, purity. Second, watchfulness, watchfulness. Third, modesty in apparel. Fourth, marriage and its privileges. And then fifthly, diligence in our callings. So first, purity. The Westminster describes this purity as chastity in body, mind, affections, words, and behavior, and the preservation of that chastity in ourselves and in others. Now, the scribes and the Pharisees taught about the purity of the body. They didn't have any qualms or issues with that portion, but Jesus made it clear, even as we've seen in Matthew 5, that the commandment requires much more than the purity of the body. It requires purity of the mind, that is, purity in your thought life. It requires purity of your affections, that is, purity in regard to the actual appetites that are driving the direction of your thoughts. It requires the purity of your words, wholesome speech that does not allow for innuendos or flirtatious comments or coarse joking. and also the purity of your behavior. Purity in the way that you interact with others who are not your spouse, in the actions that flow forth from the inner governing influence. So how is it with you in these areas of purity? Is there a purity of body and of mind? and of affections and of words and of behavior? Or is there carelessness or even sloppiness in your approach to these things? You see, purity has to be pursued. It has to be pursued. It's not something that occurs without effort. This commandment requires the preservation of purity in all of these areas, not just in those areas that men can see, but it's what God sees. Psalm 90 reminds us that God himself sets our secret sins in the light of his countenance. Is purity important to you? Does God's standard ever cross your mind, that standard that we saw not too long ago from 1 Peter 1, verses 13 and 16? Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, not conforming yourself to the former lusts as in your ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct because it is written, be holy. for I am holy. May our prayer be the prayer of David. Oh Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Oh Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Purity. Second, watchfulness. Watchfulness. What ancient city was so foolish as to not set a guard. All the ancient cities had watchmen. A sense of ease, a sense of security, a sense of carelessness can prove to be disastrous. In many cultures in times past, if a watchman was found asleep while on duty, It was a federal crime and sometimes they lost their lives. It was that important. If the first movings of the enemy are not acknowledged, the city will not be prepared for the ensuing battle once they are surrounded. What do we mean by the word watchfulness? Well, John Owen defines it this way. Watchfulness is a universal carefulness and diligence, exercising itself in and by all ways and means prescribed by God over our hearts and ways, the baits and methods of Satan, the occasions and advantages of sin in the world that we be not entangled. And just note the words that he uses in his definition. Ponder these things carefully. It's a universal. It's far-reaching. It's not just some shallow, simple thing. It's universal. It should stretch out across all, but it's a universal carefulness and diligence. Care about the very thing. and diligence, and it requires an exercise. It's not just simply, yeah, I've got that. Yeah, I've thought about it. You have to exercise yourself in it, but not by your own means. The means of the exercise are the means given by God. And then, what is it over? It's over our hearts and ways. It's over the baits and methods of Satan and the occasions and advantage of sin in the world. Did not the apostle John talk about the world, the flesh, and the devil? It's watchfulness in every one of these areas. Not just from what's coming from out, but what's coming from within, watchfulness in our very hearts. Why? That we be not entangled. Thomas Boston, in a sermon on watchfulness, described things the Christian must watch over, things to watch against, and things to watch for. And among the things to which he said Christians are to watch against, he listed the following. Watch against your lusts and corruption, your own lusts and corruption, that is, against the sin of your nature, your former sins, your practical sins, those that you are most inclined to, and against little sins. And then to watch against the appearance of evil, When someone looks at you, what do they think they're seeing? You're to have a watchfulness over the appearance of evil. Watch against occasions of sin. Proverbs tells us that the righteous man sees sin coming and hides himself. We're to watch against temptations to sin. Remember in Proverbs 7, Solomon looks out his window and he sees this fool going near the door of her house. He was not avoiding the temptation of sin and to watch against evil company. You know, Job understood the need for watchfulness. In Job 31.1, he says, I have made a covenant with my eyes. Why then should I look upon a young woman? Have you made such a covenant? Have you made such a covenant, such a determination in the cause of purity? You may be thinking, a covenant with my eyes, isn't that rather silly? Is it? Is it silly? After the things that we considered in the previous message, what scripture has to tell us, let me remind you of some of the biblical language that we saw when talking about the things that are forbidden by this commandment. Reduced to a crust of bread, burned, seared, the destruction of your own soul, wounds, dishonor, reproach will not be wiped away. As an ox going to the slaughter, an arrow struck his liver. It costs his life. Cast down, many wounded, many slain, the way to hell. descending to the chambers of death. The dead are there, her guests are in the depth of hell, sins against his own body. God will judge, will not inherit the kingdom of God. So I ask you, is such a covenant a silly thing? Is watchfulness something that we can take lightly or simply ignore altogether. You no doubt recall the warning of Jesus to his disciples in the garden. Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. And my fear is that there may be someone here Where it's not only true that the flesh is weak, but is there someone here whose spirit is not even willing to watch and to pray? Purity, watchfulness, and now third, modesty and apparel. Modesty and apparel. Are we free to wear what we want to wear? Do we have any obligations to others in the things that we choose to wear? Well, consider the words of Jesus in Mark 9, 40 to 48. It starts out with this, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. That's where Jesus started that discussion. But what's the context of those verses in Mark 9? Well, allow me to read on, and as I do, recall where you have seen these same declarations of Jesus. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed rather than having two hands to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off, it is better for you to enter life lame rather than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall not be quenched. where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. Do you remember those words? Those words were in the text that we've already looked at, Matthew 5, and it was a word to those who were struggling with purity. That's the context in Matthew 5. As we shall consider more in a couple of weeks, Jesus is talking about what we must do when, through the gates of the city of Mansoul, come things that stir up our passions to sin. And we go on in those thoughts, and in this case of the commandment, to commit adultery in our hearts. We just, we press on. Things come in and we dwell upon them. And we don't cut them off, we don't close the gate, we leave it open. And then these things enter into our thoughts. And then Jesus said, a man can commit adultery in his heart. But this warning in Mark 9 to the one who is engaging in sin is proceeded, I believe, with a warning to any who may be the cause of stumbling to that one who is in sin. And what does Jesus say? It would be better if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, that that is better than being a stumbling block to others. Modesty is required by this commandment. Modesty, whether you are male or female. Genesis 2 declares that there is no shame in nakedness within the marriage union. God created man and woman this way in the beginning, but because of sin, because of sin, nakedness became shameful. and the doctrinal outflow of the reality of a world plunged into sin is that there should be modesty exhibited in the covering of our bodies, even as God saw fit to provide coverings in the Garden of Eden when man sinned. Modesty is not in itself, in its very essence, it's not legalism. It's not. Can it become legalistic? Dear ones, the heart of man can make anything God requires legalistic. It's what we do with the commands. The command itself is not legalistic. But the scriptures are clear. Modesty is wrapped up in and it is connected with the doctrine of original sin. And we do well to understand it and apply it It's interesting, I don't know how many of you have read the autobiography of John G. Peyton, missionary to the New Hebrides, but I encourage you to read that if you have not. But it's interesting that one of the three distinguishing marks of natives who came to know and love the Lord Jesus Christ was modesty. It was actual modesty. They began putting clothes on, and he actually tells some funny stories about how much clothing they put on. It was a hot place to be to begin with, but their hearts were so geared towards that, they wanted to obey. And some would come to church sweating by having so much on. Simply put, What you wear and how you wear it speaks volumes of what you think about the gospel of Christ, what you think about the extents of the purchase of his salvation, and what you think about your duties in regard to the spiritual well-being of others. Well, more could be said, but we move on to point number four, marriage and its privileges, marriage and its privileges. Now allow me to read the wording of the catechism on this particular point as it has an important clarifying statement in regard to its application. Here's what it says. Among the duties required in the seventh commandment are marriage by those that have not the gift of continency and then tied to that conjugal love and cohabitation. So, obviously, it realizes, A, that there are some that God calls to a life of singleness, and he gives them that gift to be able to remain in that calling of singleness. Obviously, we have to wait upon the providence of God in bringing about marriages. But, you know, we considered the passage of 1 Thessalonians 4, 3 through 4 briefly in the last message. And it said, for this is the will of God, your sanctification. Sanctification is then described as what we are to refrain from what it forbids that you should abstain from sexual immorality. But then what we are to do as our duty that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor. Now that language to us may seem a bit strange and commentators actually differ as to its meaning, but I believe that scripture is here giving us the context in which God-given desires can be met in all sanctification and honor. The very thing that Hebrews 13, 4 teaches, that marriage is honorable among all, in the bed undefiled, but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Holding those two up as opposites. And so I would like to just quote from a couple of commentaries. One says, you know, it has the word here to possess his own vessel, rather it says in the Greek how to acquire. literally how to acquire, how to get for himself his own vessel, that is, that each should have his own wife, so as to avoid fornication. Another writes, every man is to have his own wife, every woman her own husband. The Greek word here means to acquire and not, as our versions translate it, to possess. Nor is this acquisition, I would say in and of itself, sufficient. Acquire in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust. No other commentators see this as the possessing of one's own body. Well, if this is indeed the meaning, then the only sanctified way to actually possess your body in sanctification and honor and not in lustful passion and in the process taking advantage of or defrauding another is to refrain from all sexual activity or to acquire a marriage partner in a biblical fashion and then to enjoy the God-ordained privileges of that union. 1 Corinthians 7, 1 through 5 sheds more light on this very reason for marriage and the necessity, I think, in this commandment of enjoying the privileges of that union. Paul writes, now concerning the things of which you wrote to me, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife and let each woman have her own husband. Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. Solomon speaks in Proverbs 5 of the sanctifying benefits of the conjugal union in marriage and of how it aids in the maintenance of purity right within that relationship. He writes, drink water from your own cistern and running water from your own well. Let your fountain be blessed and rejoice with the wife of your youth. Always be enraptured with her love for Four, why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman and be embraced in the arms of a seductress? And so, each spouse has a duty in the keeping of their own heart as well as aiding the other in the keeping of their heart in regard to the duties required in this commandment as it has to do with marriage and that union that is shared If the heart is truly enraptured with your spouse, there's no place, there's no space for the giving of the heart to another. If we are drinking the refreshing water from the cistern God has graciously given, there will be no thirst needing to be quenched by the stolen water that is falsely advertised as sweet. If the life you have with your spouse is filled with rejoicing, there is no lack of joy that needs to seek fulfillment outside of the sphere God's providence has placed you in. We have looked at purity, at watchfulness, at modesty and apparel, at marriage and its privileges, now fifth and lastly, diligence in our callings. diligence, and our callings. I trust you already know, that you already embrace, and that you practice biblical call to a life of diligence in the very calling that God has given you. I hope there is no need to have to show you that Scripture itself demands, it requires of us as Christians to show diligence and that it's not optional. But do you know that diligence is also a preventative when it comes to to many sins and even to foolishness. What was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah? Well, our minds run quickly to the most obvious, the sexual perversion of homosexuality. And it was. But consider God's full evaluation of Sodom when speaking through his prophet Ezekiel. He's actually speaking to Israel in Ezekiel chapter 16, but in verses 48 to 50, It says, as I live, says the Lord God, neither your sister Sodom nor her daughters have done as you and your daughters have done. Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom. She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness. Neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And, and I would add the words, because of this, they were haughty and committed abomination before me. Therefore, I took them away as I saw fit. Let those words sink into your mind. Pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness. Does that not describe the culture that we live in? Pride? fullness of food, and abundance of idleness. But we can't stop there. The question that we must ask is how much are we like the culture that we're living in? Do we have too much free time? Can we be described as those with an abundance of idleness? And dear ones, if our iPhones iPads and computers were summoned as evidence in a case against us. Would they be able to bear witness to the fact that we are a people with an abundance of idleness? David Saxton in his book, God's Battle Plan for the Mind, writes the following, the Puritans understood that an empty or aimless mind would most likely be filled with wrong thoughts. They understood that failure was guaranteed if a believer did not have a plan for what to do with his thoughts throughout the day, end quote. Guaranteed failure. Guaranteed if you don't have a plan for your thoughts throughout the day. And then quoting Henry Scudder, he writes, when you are alone, be sure that you are well and fully exercised about something that is good, either in the works of your calling or in reading or in holy meditation or prayer. For whensoever Satan does find you idle and out of employment in some or other of those works which God has appointed, he will take that as an opportunity to use you for himself and to employ you in some of his works." End quote. So brethren, when the Sanballats and Tobiahs of the world and even of our own flesh call for us to come out and to sit down together and to consider their pleas, let us respond as Nehemiah, I'm doing a great work so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you? Dear ones, God has called us to greater things. He has called us even to his own holiness. We are his bride. He owns us. And if we are his bride and we love him, we will demonstrate that love by keeping his commandments. May God help us in all of these areas to do the things that this commandment, the seventh commandment requires. Well, let's look to God in prayer. Father, we thank you for these demands. Lord, your law is holy, it's just, and it's good. And Father, we pray that once again we may not be like Israel, seeking to establish our own righteousness in these demands. But Lord, help us to flee to Christ. who did not sin, who kept every one of these commandments perfectly. And he did so on our behalf so that becoming sin, we now become his righteousness, your righteousness rather in him. And Lord, we thank you for this perfect righteousness. And as your children, having been made righteous, May we follow after him and run the way of all of your commandments, even in the breadth that we see them explained, even by Christ himself. Lord, help us to demonstrate that love that we have for you in all of these things, that you might be glorified. In Christ's name we pray, amen.