A PRECIOUS UNION
Exodus 20:14; Matthew 5:27-28,31-32; 19:3-9
"Thou shalt not commit adultery." Exodus 20:14
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:? 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." "It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:? 32 ?But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery." Matthew 5:27-28 and 31-32.
"The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 4 ?And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,? 5 ?And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?? 6 ?Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.? 7 ?They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?? 8 ?He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.? 9 ?And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery." Matthew 19:3-9.
We have been looking at THE LAW OF GOD AND THE MODERN MAN. We have come through six of the commandments of God four of which deal with our relationship with God, and the latter six dealing with our relationship to our fellow man. We have come to the seventh commandment which has to do with the husband and wife relationship. It is to be one of fideltiy, ie., being faithful to one's spouse.
Sadly, this commandment has been broken too many times, even in the point Jesus makes in Matthew chapter five. The look of lust is an act of adultery. What male/man, in all honesty, can say, "I have not looked with lust at any woman"? Only Jesus could say that.
The Seventh Commandment deals with all sexual sins. Premarital sex is adultery against the future spouse and marriage. Extra-marital sex is adultery to the present marriage and the spouse. It is a betrayal of trust and confidence. One of the quickest ways to ruin a marriage is to commit adultery. Somewhere in most wedding vows is the words, "...Prefering no other..." or something similar. It not only breaks the promise you made to your spouse, it also breaks the promise you made to God. It does not matter if you had a church wedding or if you were wed in the courthouse, the promise was made before God. You have a relationship with another and you are guilty. Homosexuality is an abomination. Beastiality is an abomination and gross perversion. These latter two are still in the class of adulterous relationships, breaking God's laws. There are no degrees of adultery.
The First Institution God Ordained. This first institution is MARRIAGE. This blessed institution is falling by the wayside in our modern society. Our government penalizes married couples by the paying of more taxes in some cases. Elderly couples can receive more Social Security benefits by living together without marrying. This, in essence, is government, our government of the United States; rewarding immoral behavior.
Young couples are living together more and more without marriage. They want to "Test drive" the relationship, similar to test driving a car they want to purchase. This is a relationship not a piece of property. If you test drive a car and buy it there will come a day in a few years, at the most, where you will get rid of that car. If you "Test drive" that relationship, that is what most likely will happen to the relationship too. Why? Because there is need for commitment, and where there is no commitment, there is no power or permanance to the relationship. Either party in the relationship can leave at any time. It is with sadness that I must admit, there are many who enter marriage with this attitude as well. If you are not prepared to spend a lifetime with someone do not marry, but do not make a sham of marriage by living in rebellion to God's law by cohabitating. There is little to no respect for the institution for marriage, and it seems due to the fact of no respect for God and that which is holy, righteous and good.
Marriage is more than, "Just a sheet of paper...". It is in fact the bringing together of two - one man and one woman - before God and they two become "One flesh" (Gen. 2:24; Eph. 5:31). It is in fact a life-time commitment with binding vows that promise one another, and God, that whether "...rich or poor, in sickness or in health, loving no other, until death do we part." That is more than a sheet of paper; it is a "binding contract" with God, and has seriouos repurcussions if the bond is broken any way other than by death.
Adulterous Relationships Are Harmful. Adultery is against society. It breaks down the morality of a good society. Biblical morality has been completely rejected. Things once considered wrong are right, and what was right is now wrong (Isaiah 5:20). Teenage premarital sex is increasing. Homosexual activity is also a form of adultery, and is agressively pursuing the right of marriage in our country. Thank God that the State Supreme Court of the State of Washington upheld the law declaring marriage is between a man and a woman (July 26, 2006).
When it comes to nations and people - a society which continues in this adulterous path are "Given up" by God (Rom. 1:24-27). It is against the nation. By a nation's acceptance and tolerance of adultery - homosexuality and teenage sex it degrades the nation - "Sin is a reproach to any people" (Prov. 14:34). If this degradation continues, there will come a judgment on our nation unlike anything that has ever been seen. "Adultery is treason; the adulterer should be tried as a traitor to his nation". UNKNOWN.
Adultery is against the race. It is against the human race. It is against every race of man.
Worst of all, adultery is against God. David, the man "After God's own heart" committed the sin of adultery. He was confronted by the prophet Nathan (2 Samuel 12:1-14). David confessed he had sinned against God (Ps. 51:1-5). David had lost his joy (Ps. 51:12-13). ADULTERY IS A SIN AGAINST ALMIGHTY GOD.
In order to understand this issue of adultery we need to maybe, ask, What Is Adultery? The Old Testament seems to relegate it to a physical act alone. In the New Testament Jesus (See above verses) equates it to a look, and a thought - the lingering, longing look and thought that is fed (Matthew 5:27-28". "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: ? 14 ?But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.? 15 ?Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." (James 1:13-15). The New Testament is much more powerful and condemning than the Old Testament law. Adultery becomes more than an act, but a look and a thought. The look and the thought is what leads to the actual act. Left to itself this law offers us no hope. We are guilty. We are condemned.
THERE IS FORGIVENESS (John 8:1-11). In the Bible the penalty for adultery is death. The Scripture given previously to the last sentence shows this was what was in the heart and mind of this woman's accusers. Quick to pick up the stones of accusation, slow to mercy, slow to forgiveness. With this woman caught in the act of adultery, Jesus gives her forgiveness. Notice Jesus's words, "...Go, and sin no more". It was not just a blanket forgiveness without responsibility. She had been forgiven, and now her life would reflect the cleansing and forgiveness she had received. Muse on these questions for awhile. Where was the man who was caught in the act with her? What did Jesus write in the dirt on the ground? Why didn't they throw the stones?
The only one who could have stoned her forgave her instead. THERE IS FORGIVENESS FOR THE SIN OF ADULTERY. There is forgiveness for all sin, when you put your faith in Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, The Seventh Commandment Is Valid Today. Matrimony is still a sacred institution and it is reserved for one man and one woman for a lifetime together, and can only be broken legitimately by death of one or the other. Adultery still affects lives and societies, governments, churches, and families in a detrimental way. God still judges adultery. There is forgiveness for adultery.