Adultery

 

Exodus 20:14 You shall not commit adultery.

 

What is adultery?

Only married people can commit the sin of adultery.  When one person (or both) in a marriage is unfaithful to their partner and has a lover-type relationship with another person, this is adultery.

 

Why is adultery so bad?

Adultery deeply hurts all members of the family, most especially the betrayed spouse.

 

What are the possible consequences of adultery?

1. Divorce
2. Financial hardship (everything may have to be split)
3. Much sorrow and weeping.
4. Murder (if the betrayed person responds violently.)
5. Children suffer because sometimes their parents are so occupied  with their own problems they don’t see or meet the emotional needs of their children.

 

What are marriage vows?

Marriage vows are promises that the husband and wife make to each other when they get married.  There can be different promises made, but the universal one is the promise to cleave to each other, forsaking all others.

 

How could a marriage stay together and be better even after adultery happened?

The Adulterer could demonstrate true repentance and remorse for the unfaithfulness and the pain caused.  The betrayed spouse could forgive.  The couple could receive counseling and begin to communicate and get to the root of the problem.

 

What is God’s purpose for marriage?  Why not go from partner to partner?

 

Malachi 2:15          “What does he want from marriage?  Children of God, that’s what.  So guard the spirit of marriage within you. Don’t cheat on your spouse.  I hate divorce, says the God of Israel.  (The Message)

 

Scriptures to Study:  Leviticus 20:10, Proverbs 4:23, Matthew 5:28, Song of Solomon 8:4, 2 Corinthians 10:5, 2 Tim 2:22