Lust, Adultery, Divorce, and Adultery

Matthew 5:27-32 (NKJV)

27
"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall
not commit adultery.'
28
But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29
If your right eye causes you to
sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your
members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
30
And if your right
hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you
that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
31
"Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a
certificate of divorce.'
32
But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any
reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries
a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

The free sex movement of the 60s was anything but freedom; we are now enslaved
to sexual lust, bodily passions, and sexual perversions beyond the imagination of
most. The idea of having a monogamous relationship is no longer in vogue. Our nation
has come to the point where it is thought that monogamy only happens in fairy tales
or that there must be something missing in the lives of monogamous people.

One of the most obvious benchmarks of our sexual problem is the rate of divorce. In
the United States a divorce happens every 13 seconds; that amounts to 6,646 per day.
First time marriages divorce at a rate of 41%; second time at 61%, and third time at
the astounding rate of 73%. The top five reasons people give for getting is a divorce
is: 1. Poor communication, 2. Finances, 3. Abuse, 4. No longer attracted to one
another, 5. Infidelity. Unfortunately the rate of divorce among Christians is about the
same as in the society as a whole.



How does divorce start? It starts with lust for the opposite sex. In the Matthew
passage above Jesus talks about men lusting after women; but in todays culture the
same applies to women. We must understand it is OK to admire someones personal
beauty; but when admiration turns to lust a change of heart has taken place. This
change of heart can and often does lead to adultery which ultimately may lead to
divorce.

The only valid reason Jesus gives for divorce is sexual immorality. Notice it is not
mandatory; but it is permissible to divorce for infidelity. Also notice in the stats
above infidelity was the fifth reason given for divorce; considering the negative
consequences surrounding divorce the first four reasons seem trivial.

It is also important to notice, except for abuse, the 3 top reasons given are obviously
unconscionable spin coving the most likely; i.e. the result of being involved in
adulterous relationship. The idea of no longer being attracted to one another as a
cause for divorce reeks with hedonism and is total disregard for the sanctity of
marriage and the mental wellbeing of ones spouse.

It is also important that Jesus said when you divorce your spouse you cause that
spouse to commit adultery. This is based on the premise that when either party
remarries, or has a sexual relationship of any kind, they are committing adultery. The
point is a divorce person may be legally separated from their spouse, but in the eye of
God when two have been joined together they are together for the duration and any
future sex outside of that marriage is adultery.

One last thought, the secular society we live in says Christianity has failed to give
valid reasons as to why adultery, fornication, lusting, and sexual perversions are
wrong; especially in this era of safe sex. But this is a canard and the lack of
reasonable thought demonstrates that adultery is nothing more than a sociopathology
deficient of moral responsibility and/or social conscience. No one can wipe away the
wrongness of sex outside the bonds of a marital relationship by saying we are now in
the era of safe sex. Disease prevention and birth control are not moral standards and
cannot justify promiscuous sex.

Knowledge, like air, is vital to life. Like air, no one should be denied it.
Gregg

I would like to thank Dr. Dan Doriani and Covenant Theological Seminary for making
the course, Christian Ethics, freely available at:
http://www.covenantseminary.edu/resources/courses/christian-ethics-doriani/

All comics can be found at: http://www.gocomics.com