Thou shalt not commit adultery. This is what your tradition taught you. And you have been told that this is God's standard.

If you just don't commit adultery, you're righteous. But God never was really concerned about the act only, but more so about the attitude behind the act.

Welcome to Grace to You, featuring the Bible teaching ministry of John MacArthur.

I'm your host, Phil Johnson. There's a good reason for hiring an inspector when you're buying a house. You don't want to be

surprised by problems that are hard to spot. You want to see through the cosmetic touches and find out what really needs to be fixed,

and deal with those issues sooner rather than later. That's really what John MacArthur's current study at Grace to you is all about.

It's called the sinfulness of sin, and in it, John is helping you take a penetrating look at

your spiritual condition, right down to the heart attitudes no one can see, the place where sin

takes root. Every Christian needs to regularly inspect those attitudes,

and John's study will help you do that. So follow along now. Here's today's lesson.

We're looking at Matthew chapter 5 in our study. We're going to look at the passage in verses 27 through 30, Matthew chapter 5, verses 27 to 30.

While you're turning to it and getting ready for our study, let me say that in the fifth chapter of Matthew,

our Lord answered the question in the forefront of the minds of the people who had seen

his miracles, the people who had heard some of what he had said, and were really wondering whether

he was the Messiah. They were curious about whether this miracle worker was in fact the one who would bring God's

kingdom. There were certain elements in the teaching and the life and ministry of Jesus that made

them think he might be the Messiah, and so they were quizzical. They wanted to know if he was. They wanted also to know

what his standards were for his kingdom. They were curious to know that if he was the Messiah,

he should pretty well square with what Moses said. And so they were curious about how he viewed the things of the law of God,

the things of Moses. Now, Jesus summarized his message to them in verses 17 through 20 of chapter 5.

He said, think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets, I am not

come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass,

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