Adultery – The 7th Commandment
Matt 5:27-32

In the Old Testament, the commandment stated, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”  Basically, that meant a husband wasn’t supposed to cheat on his wife and she wasn’t supposed to cheat on him, as in the case of David and Bathsheba (2 Sam 11:4, 12:13).  But the Lord described adultery as more than marital infidelity.  He said that it was a condition of the heart and eyes.  The Lord’s teaching on adultery shows that adultery is:

1)    Committed by looking and lusting 28

a)      It starts with a look [2 Sam 11:2] –

i)        1 Jn 2:16 lust of the eyes

ii)       2 Pet 2:14 eyes full of adulteries

b)      It is fueled by lust

i)        Jas 1:13 he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed

ii)       Gal 5:16, 17 his own lust is in his flesh [Rom 6:12]

c)      It can be furthered along by the woman

i)        Prov 6:25 by eye contact (what some call “body language”)

ii)       Eze 23:40 by dressing to catch his attention

iii)     Thus, women are commanded to dress and fix themselves modestly [1 Tim 2:9-10; 1 Pet 3:2-4; Titus 2:3-5]

d)      It is committed in the heart

i)        Mk 7:21-23 out of the heart of men proceed … adulteries

 

2)      Controlled by mortifying the flesh 29-30

a)      Not self-mutilation [Eph 5:29].  The point is that if you had to choose between destroying a part of your body that was causing you to sin and spending eternity in hell, you’d be better off destroying the part of your body that was sinning.

b)      Rather, mortifying the deeds of the body through the Spirit [Rom 8:13]

c)      This is the self control that Paul practiced [1 Cor 9:27]

 

3)      Punishable by an eternity in hell 29-30

a)      Jesus preached a literal hell [Matt 18:8-9; Mk 9:44-48; quoting Is 66:24]

b)      There was no Old Testament sacrifice for adultery [Ps 51:16 and context]

 

4)      Caused by unscriptural divorce 31-32

a)      Divorce results in adultery unless the cause is:

i)        Fornication [1 Cor 6:13; 16-18]; or

ii)       Desertion [1 Cor 7:15]

b)      Remarriage is permitted in these two cases [1 Cor 7:27-28]

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