Let's look at the 7th and 8th of the Ten Commandments as most Protestants count them.
Adultery
Exodus 20:14 You shall not commit adultery.
This is not just a command only against the physical act, but in the spirit of the law, Jesus warned in Matthew 5 against careless glances, which by extension would include pornography and wearing attire that places temptation in anyone’s way, and careless touches, which could include lingering during a “holy kiss” (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:26) or a “holy hug” as is often custom in the west. He also warned against careless divorce, which would also lead to adultery.
Our society’s values are geared towards adultery rather than seeking to prevent it, by mixing genders in the workplace. In the name of equality, we put temptation before men and women and endanger the most precious building block of our society, our marriages. The wise and upright Christian must be constantly on guard because this world has thrown caution to the wind.
Now, there is probably not a man or woman on earth who has never looked or touched and lusted. Thank God for His mercy. Thank Jesus for His sacrifice.
Theft
Exodus 20:15 You shall not steal.
Avoiding theft is something that is hard to obey, even in the letter. How many of us have stolen honor from someone to whom we ought to have given it? How many of us have stolen even just a moment of work time from an employer, or just and fair wages from an employee, because they were too shy to demand it, or because corrupt employment law did not demand it? How many of us have stolen from our future spouses the purity of a monogamous sexual relationship, because we have been with other partners before marriage? Do I need to go on?
How many manufacturers steal from customers daily in either the quality of merchandise or the price charged? How many food processors steal from the health of their clients by including potentially dangerous chemicals or producing packaging that contributes to our environmental garbage pile that we all live in?
How many steal from God by robbing Him of honor? Do we cheer loudly at a sports game or respectfully salute at a veteran’s parade, but yawn when God’s Holy Word is preached, or roll our eyes when a song with good and holy words is not sung in our favorite music genre? How often do we rob the church of joy by tearing it down with nit picking criticism instead of building up the church and those weary souls who lead us? How often do we excuse stealing from the poor and needy, which is a God-given mandate through the entire Bible, but instead Christians excuse voting against welfare or vote for politicians who want to oppress tired and hungry illegal immigrants escaping crime and poverty in their homelands?
Can we avoid stealing in spirit? I doubt it. We are experts at giving ourselves excuses. The reader may have found an excuse or two as the above examples were listed. Thank God for His mercy, and thank Jesus for the cross.
