NIV
Matthew 5
28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
KJV
Matthew 5
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
NAS
Matthew 5
28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
You have mentioned Matt 5:28
Lets examine it from three of the more accepted versions.
Jesus said "But I tell you" But I say to you" "But I say unto you" So we have defined to whom Jesus was speaking.
What was he speaking about? everyone who Looks at, whosoever looketh on, or anyone who looks at; This line will show that it must include your eyes in order to commit the next part, it does not say in any of the three versions that you are thinking about, rather it clearly states a moment of time where you are in the presence of the women you are looking upon. and something occurs.
What is the something that occured?
Lust, thats right the deep desire to have this woman as your mate, or sexual partner, so uncontrollible that if she would you would. that would be lust, it is depraved affections.
It does not condemn the natural desires that are part of the makeup that God himself designed us with. God created me to be attracted to the oppisite sex. So when I think about the oppisite sex is that lust? I may just want to feel good. It does not have to be a certian person I want to be with, maybe just a female, which I might add is part of the natural process or else we would not have populated the earth with out the natural desire. when I think about the natural desire to have sexual intercorse as God designed me then you have implyed that the design has a flaw in it. if there is a flaw in the design then there is a flaw in the designer. Myself I just avoid the thinking about anyone except myself. I want to be with me and enjoy me. I do not have porn and I leave the TV off, no radio or any other distractions.
There is a natural desire and then there is lust. the two are not one and the same. I cannot lust after my spouse no matter how hard I try. But I could lust after my neighbors spouse.
Lust is depraved affections.
Natural desire is just that, natural and God designed.
When you pin-point a certian person then you are involved in the act of lust and then it becomes sin.
2 Corinthians 10
4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.
5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
Notice it says "We are destroying speculations" please do not speculate on the subject, but bring out only the word of God.
it also says "and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God," God knew what He was doing when he creatd us with perfect design.
then it continues with "and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ," Thinking about a certian woman as you look upon her is the way it is decribed in the book of Matt.
Do not try to add to Gods word or take away from it. Jesus came to give us life, and that life is to be more abundent. Worrying about "this is wrong or that is wrong" is not life abundently.
The scribes and pharasees did the same thing to people and tried to pass it off as the commands of God. Jesus condemned them as white washed graves. Dishes that were clean on the outside but inward they were just filth.