Adultery

ADULTERY

Good Morning

Popularity has never been my goal in the ministry. I have tried to teach right and wrong as God demands of any decent preacher.

Isaiah 58:1 “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.”

Leviticus 10:10 “And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;”

Leviticus 14:57 “To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean…”

Ezekiel 22:26 “Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.”

Ezekiel 44:23 “And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.”

The pastor’s job is to show people their sins just as the devil tries to make sin acceptable. I am not advocating hatred or unkindness, but sin should be made exceedingly sinful.

Romans 7:13 “…that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.”

Showing the difference between right and wrong is the preacher's duty. We need no blurred lines as to right and wrong. With all that said, let me address adultery. The first mention of the word is in the Ten Commandments.

Exodus 20:14 “Thou shalt not commit adultery. We need go no farther! It is sin, wrong and violates the law of God. It needs to be confessed, repented of and spoken of as we do of stealing, or any other sin.”

Warnings about adultery are repeated often in Scripture.

Leviticus 20:10 “And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.”

Deuteronomy 5:18 “Neither shalt thou commit adultery.”

Ezekiel 16:30 “How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord GOD, seeing thou doest all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman;”

Americans (American Christians being little different) have begun regarding adultery just as they regard marriage; their view is that marriage is wonderful for a couple who finds their “soul mate.” Television shows glorify couples "moving in together" to live as barn yard animals. When illegitimate children are conceived, many individuals throw baby showers and have parties for children conceived in fornication.

When one commits adultery, God views the situation very differently.

Psalm 50:18 “When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.”

It bothers God when we “have been partakers with adulterers.” When we act as though it is permissible to lie or steal or commit adultery, we are partakers with them. There have always been young people who cross the lines of wisdom and find themselves in inappropriate positions resulting in immorality. There has always been fornication; it is a part of society. But we need not congratulate people as if it is wonderful that they wounded themselves, violated the very soul of another, and forfeited something they can never regain. To be kind to a sinner is obvious, but to honor their sinful deed before innocent young people is imprudent and sows the seeds of future shame.

God wants us to fight against immoral deeds and to literally kill or “mortify” these actions in our lives.

Colossians 3:5 “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:”

vs. 6 “For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:”


Wrath is promised for those who follow the deeds of the flesh.

Proverbs 6:32 “But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.”

Adultery brings “wrath” and “destroyeth” the soul? That is no reason for congratulatory words.

A very unwise person commits adultery. The act is destructive beyond our imagination. I could go on and on telling stories of the incredible harm done to people because of conceiving children out of wedlock (there is a Bible term for the child conceived illegitimately in Hebrews 12:8). The future hurt done to a marriage for years to come because of sinfulness before marriage would take hours to explain. Our earthly view on the subject is nothing when compared to what the Creator of the universe says about immorality.

All through the Scriptures, warnings about immoral activity are written. Just as drinking booze or any other sinful deed, we should grieve over the sin and shame that has crept into the life of a friend.

Proverbs 6:26 “For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.”

One of the reasons for judgment on Israel is because of their lying preachers and adulterous people:

Jeremiah 29:23 “Because they have committed villany in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbours’ wives, and have spoken lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness, saith the LORD.”

Hosea 4:14 “I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.”

God said He was done trying to correct their shameful morals and would allow their nation to simply fall! The society that acts as if living together is fine is sending our nation to hell, bringing a curse upon those we love, and tearing down the moral walls of propriety God has established to protect our youth.


Of course, we are not to be ugly or hateful, but neither are we to congratulate the drunk for his ability to consume liquor, or to write notes of “I’m so happy for you” when someone robs a bank. Terrible is when one posts on Facebook that he got “so drunk” and the stupid, shameful, godless friends “like” the exaltation of shame. Worldly people congratulate shame; but believers who try to be so kind that they, too, begin congratulating shameful deeds is just as wrong.

We all know the Scripture passage of Jesus addressing lust:

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.”

Jesus did not want men looking with lust, for it is as adultery in their hearts.

God has very strong words about the unchaste lady:

Deuteronomy 23:17 “There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.”

God places whores and sodomites in the same category.

Are we going to post happy emojis for the young person who becomes a queer or commits murder? Are we going to have a party for the friend who finally divorces a spouse? No. We will not hate them either; but instea, we should offer prayer, grief, sorrow, and remorse.

Hebrews 13:4 “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”


God promises to judge the adulterer. Period! It is not good! Let us put the situation into context: “Wow, I’m so happy for you. Unless you repent and confess the deed as sin and shame, you will now be under the wrath of God; your relationship to this child and the child’s other parent will be damned! ‘LIKE,’ ‘SHARE,’ and repost with smiling emoji.”

I will love the broken soul. I will sorrow with him. I will even try to help with needs if they have openly called their deed wrong and repented of their shame; but as long as he or she continues to live in adultery (as if God is going to bless the relationship), they will not share my table or fellowship with me. Wow, Preacher, you are hateful, ugly, and unChristian! Really? Let us see what God says about the Christian’s relationship to the adulterer.

1 Corinthians 5:11 “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.”

Do not keep company or eat with them; that is how God says we are to treat the adulterer. Of course, we are to be kind. Yes, we are to love people, and even more so if they are not saved.

1 Corinthians 5:9 “I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:”

vs. 10 “Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.”


If someone is not saved, I am to treat him like any other sinner in need of salvation. But a brother or sister in Christ, a child of God, who commits adultery needs to be set apart from fellowship until they are willing to admit their sin, confess it, and turn from their wrong.

Make no mistake, God hates sin and loves sinners; but as believers, if we do not show a difference between right and wrong in our daily lives, the sin will spread like a cancer and be picked up by others. The crab grass of filth will grow in the hearts of the innocent.

At our church, we do not have “church weddings” for those who are living together. We are happy when a couple realizes they need to do the right thing and marry. When a couple will confess their wrong, seek counsel for reconciling their relationship to God, and seek the best way to right a wrong, that is wonderful. We will share in a small wedding in private with a handful of friends or family, as we have done so many times. We have made a sweet moment with a group in an adult Sunday school class or in my office. But the, “HERE COMES THE BRIDE,” the “Walk down the aisle,” the “white dress” picturing purity, the “Who gives away the bride,” the sacred music, the God-honoring ceremony, the reception, the cake, and all its beauty are reserved for the couple who is about to vow for life, move in together, and start a life together. 

How do I, as a pastor say, “Who gives away the bride?” She is already taken! How do our ladies have the intimacy of a private shower with gifts for the consummating of their relationship when they are living as if they are already married? How do we bring our young ladies into the wedding as brides maids and bring others into the church to sit dreaming of their wedding day, and lift up this sacred moment when everyone in the room knows the girl is six months along with a child and living with the father already.

Forgiveness is always available for those whose heart breaks over their sin, not for those who glory in it. Reconciliation is for the repentant child of God who cannot stand the foolishness of his past, unchangeable choices. Closeness is welcomed when other girls see the loss of showers and the forfeiture of the splendor of a wedding ceremony and reception. Our Lord’s words, “Go and sin no more” are the guide. Move out, stop sleeping together as if you were married. Confess the wrong of your actions to family and friends who know the situation. Have a small, but legitimate marriage ceremony, and then seek the mercy of God.

In the Bible, more death and destruction over adultery can be found than any other sin. Do not act as though sleeping together unmarried, conceiving children, and living like the lost world around us is okay. Unless the couple repents and labors to conquer the seeds of ruin, divorce is inevitable, and single parenthood is on the way. A child will grow up without parents and no smiling face is appropriate in this scenario.

Proverbs 28:13 “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

—Pastor Goddard