What is adultery? The Biblical Definition and Consequences
«He who commits adultery lacks sense; the one who does it destroys himself. Learn the true biblical meaning of adultery and its real consequences.
«He who commits adultery lacks sense; the one who does it destroys himself. Proverbs 6:32
“May marriage be celebrated in honor among all, and may the marriage bed be unclean, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.” Hebrews 13:4
definition of adultery
The definition of adultery is “voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than that person’s current spouse. »
Synonyms for adultery include terms such as cheating, infidelity, and infidelity. Sometimes there is confusion between adultery and fornication. Although they are related topics, there are notable distinctions between the two.
Biblical meaning of adultery
According to Easton’s Guide to the Study of the Scriptures, the simple meaning of adultery is marital infidelity. An adulterer was a man who had illicit sexual relations with a married or engaged woman, and such a woman was an adulteress. Coitus between a married man and an unmarried woman was fornication. Adultery was considered a great social evil, as well as a great sin.
The Mosaic Law ( Numbers 5:11-31 ) prescribed that the suspected wife should be tried by ordeal with the “water of jealousy.” However, there is no recorded case of the application of this law. In later times, the rabbis made various regulations in order to discover the culprit and to achieve a divorce. It has been inferred from John 8:1-11 that this sin became very common during the era before the destruction of Jerusalem.
Idolatry, covetousness, and apostasy are spoken of as spiritual adultery (Jeremiah 3:6-9; Ezekiel 16:32; Hosea 1:2-3; Revelation 2:22 ). An apostate church is an adulteress (Isaiah 1:21; Isaiah 23:4-37 ), and the Jews are the style of “an adulterous generation” (Matthew 12:39 ).
Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology also offers the following description of sexual immorality in the Bible, including the sin of adultery:
When God entered into a covenant relationship with the Israelites, He provided them with certain fundamental regulations engraved in stone to symbolize their permanence. These “Ten Commandments,” as they are styled, contain certain moral commandments dealing with adultery, theft, bearing false witness, and covetous behavior (Exodus 20:14-19). The last three offenses are of a social nature, involving the community of God to a greater or lesser degree. But the commandment prohibiting adultery refers to an act of a highly personal nature, occurring between normally consenting adults, that violates the “one-flesh” character of marriage. What Is Adultery In The Bible?
consequences of adultery
There are rational reasons and practical benefits for each of God’s laws. He established them as intelligent designs. However, since human beings have fallen, and we sometimes think that we will not suffer the results of transgressing the truth of it, we do not even consider the consequences. We must make the conscious decision and effort not to live by the flesh, but by the Holy Spirit within us. “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” ( Romans 8:6 )
Jessie Warner describes the consequences of adultery by saying:
Unhealthy soul ties could be created when choosing to lust for another person, which could make it difficult to free yourself from sin, necessitating God’s intervention to cut the tie. The pleasure of leering, entertaining someone else’s idea, or having a “crush” on someone other than your spouse can be “fun” for a moment, but realize what you’re signing up for when you do it. Not only could you lose your wife/husband, and your family, not be able to see your children anymore, pay heavy child support fines for a large amount of your life, be distant from your spouse and dissatisfied with them, bring struggle and stress to your marriage and home, be a bad example to other believers, and send the message to others that you are not serious about following Jesus,
“But whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding: he who does so destroys his own soul. A wound and dishonor will get, and his reproach will not be erased. ( Proverbs 6:32-33 )
So what should you do? The instructions in the Bible are clear. Protect your heart and flee from evil. When you feel that touch of attraction, it’s time to run away. Get out of the situation as soon as you can because anything less is in agreement with adultery. «A prudent man foresees the evil, and hides; but the simple step, and they are punished. ( Proverbs 27:12 )
Clearly, the cost of committing adultery in any form is high. You have to decide for yourself if it’s worth it. A major pitfall is thinking that you are “above” sin and won’t. The Bible makes it clear in 1 Corinthians 10:12: “Therefore let him who thinks that he is standing to take the session so as not to fall.”
bible quotes about adultery
“You shall not commit adultery.” • Exodus 20:14
“And I tell you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” Matthew 19:9
“You have heard that it was said: ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in her heart.” Matthew 5:27-28
“Or do you not know that the unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor the idolaters, nor the adulterers, nor the men who practice homosexuality, nor the thieves, nor the greedy, nor the drunkards, nor the bad biters, nor the swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God .” 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
«No temptation has overcome you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your capacity, but with temptation, he will also provide the way of escape so that you can endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13
Life by the Spirit – Romans 8:1-11
Therefore, now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit that gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be an offering for sin.
And thus he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law would be fully fulfilled in us, who do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind ruled by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh, but are in the realm of the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if someone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
