How does Deuteronomy 5:18 define the sin of adultery in today's context? The Command Stated • Deuteronomy 5:18: “You shall not commit adultery.” • A plain, literal prohibition of any sexual relationship that violates the marriage covenant between one man and one woman. Biblical Definition of Adultery • Rooted in Genesis 2:24 – “A man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife.” • Adultery is any sexual act, physical or emotional, outside that God-ordained union. • Proverbs 6:32 – “He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.” • Hebrews 13:4 – “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept undefiled.” Expanded by Jesus • Matthew 5:27-28 – “Everyone who looks at a woman to lust has already committed adultery in his heart.” • The Lord moves the line from mere behavior to the motives and imaginations of the heart. • Lust fantasizes about breaking covenant; Jesus calls that inner act sin. Contemporary Expressions of Adultery • Physical affairs: any sexual intercourse outside marriage. • Emotional affairs: secret, romantic bonding that steals loyalty from a spouse. • Pornography: digital lust that treats people as objects and feeds unfaithfulness. • Sexting, erotic chats, and virtual reality liaisons that bypass physical contact yet violate purity. • Cohabitation or “open marriages” that normalize infidelity. • Entertainment that celebrates or trivializes marital unfaithfulness. Why God Forbids It • Protects the covenant picture of Christ and His church (Ephesians 5:31-32). • Guards families, children, and communities from broken trust and instability. • Preserves personal holiness: “Flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). • Upholds our witness: believers are called to be “blameless and pure” (Philippians 2:15). Living Faithfully Today • Nurture your marriage: time, transparency, forgiveness, joyful intimacy. • Guard eyes, mind, and media intake; put filters on devices if needed. • Cultivate accountability with mature believers. • Saturate life with Scripture, prayer, and worship—staying close to the Lord curbs temptation. • Practice contentment: “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). Grace for the Repentant • Adultery is serious, yet not unforgivable. • 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us.” • 1 Corinthians 6:11 – “Such were some of you. But you were washed…justified in the name of the Lord.” • Genuine repentance, restitution where possible, and reliance on Christ lead to restoration and renewed purity. |
    |