Adultery, Real or Imagined? Either One Works the Same Way

"Whoops, What goes on here?"

Adultery is any act of sexual impurity, sexual misconduct or intercourse, real or imagined, that violates the marriage union of its expected fidelity and exclusiveness. We think of this sin in terms of sexual encounters, GOD takes it to a higher level of vows and faithfulness.

A very scary scripture on adultery we have to face...

1 Corinthians 6.9-10 " Don’t you know that those doing such things have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who live immoral lives, who are idol worshipers, adulterers or homosexuals—will have no share in his Kingdom. Neither will thieves or greedy people, drunkards, slanderers, or robbers."

There are two ways to evaluate this scripture. Neither is pleasant. But, there is hope for all of us. The scripture in 1 Corinthians 6.9-10 indicates behavior that is ongoing... It appears that an individual who has indeed been guilty of this outrageous sin would have to still be doing it - But look at the next verse... 16. "Some of you were like that... But now your sins are washed away. You were set apart for God-like living to do His work.You have changed... You were made right with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by the Spirit of our God."

"Some of you were like that..."

Paul is making some important points here: "some of you were like that"..

Paul is speaking to the disciples, to believers...and Paul says, some of you were

• idol worshipers
• adulterers
• homosexuals
• thieves
• greedy people
• drunkards
• slanderers, or liars
• robbers, or thieves

But you are not now!

This is where the "rubber meets the road!"

Our past sin - repented of, is gone. That is what being born again is all about. Have a look at the offer.

It is the only life-line we need to deal with the consequences of past sin.

There is another issue here as well.

It can be an ongoing battle - and that is what goes on in the "movie theater of the mind," in the imagination, spiritual heart...

Matthew 5.27-28 "“The laws of Moses said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say: Anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye [imagination] has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

This is where the real issue lies...in our thought-life.

What are some of the consequences of this lifestyle?

Hebrews 13.4 "Honor your marriage and its vows, and be pure; for God will surely punish all those who are immoral or commit adultery." This is the place of moral safety.

Proverbs 5.15,18 " Drink from your own well, my son—be faithful and true to your wife. 18 Be happy, yes, rejoice in the wife of your youth."

What starts this problem?

Marriage is in trouble as discontentment is allowed to fester in the relationship. There are many warning signs that the marriage is moving in the wrong direction.

What is GOD really speaking to us about here?

There always is a spiritual manifestation or higher level of purpose for what we might consider an earthly contract or relationship. In this case - marriage and the huge threat of "adultery" on the relationship.

Here is a thought...

1 Corinthians 15.46 "However that which is spiritual was not first, but that which is natural, and afterward that which is spiritual."

Fascinating! Does earthly marriage indicate a higher "spiritual" marriage?

Revelation 19.7-9 "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."

Did you know GOD had a spiritual marriage
with Israel? It ended in divorce...

GOD agreed to give Israel the Kingdom and the blessings of the birthright ISRAEL agreed to submit to GOD's authority and obey His laws

Exodus 19.3-9 Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites. So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the LORD had commanded him to speak. The people all responded together, We will do everything the LORD has said. So Moses brought their answer back to the LORD. The LORD said to Moses, I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you. Then Moses told the LORD what the people had said.

What Happened?

Israel violated this contract with GOD. Israel was incapable of full obedience, and refused to repent.

What did GOD do?

Jeremiah 3.8 "Yet she paid no attention, even though she saw that I divorced faithless Israel. But now Judah too has left me and given herself to prostitution, for she has gone to other gods to worship them." - Living Bible

Amplified Bible - "And I saw, even though [Judah knew] that for this very cause of committing adultery (idolatry) I [the Lord] had put faithless Israel away and given her a bill of divorce; yet her faithless and treacherous sister Judah was not afraid, but she also went and played the harlot [following after idols].

King James Version - "And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also."

Can you now understand why GOD is against adultery? Both physical and mental? Both natural and spiritual?

Here are another couple of scriptures...

Deuteronomy 24.1-4 "If a man doesn’t like something about his wife, he may write a letter stating that he has divorced her, give her the letter, and send her away. 2 If she then remarries 3 and the second husband also divorces her or dies, 4 the former husband may not marry her again, for she has been defiled; this would bring guilt upon the land the Lord your God is giving you."

GOD totally casts off Israel's privileged relationship with Himself that He had negotiated with Moses...

Hosea 2.2 "Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts;"

GOD makes it clear to Israel that He is no longer Israel's husband, and she is no longer His wife...and because Israel was the guilty party, GOD's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ will take a (spiritual) bride to Himself.

Marriage as we know marriage here on earth will not exist in heaven..

Matthew 22.30 "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven."

There is a lot to learn about the reasons that relationships get destroyed. GOD has promised to never leave us, nor forsake us...are we that committed to Him?

GOD's faithfulness to us is without question. Are we that faithful to Him?

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