How does Leviticus 18:18 guide us in maintaining marital faithfulness today? The Text: Leviticus 18:18 “You must not marry a woman in addition to her sister as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while she is alive.” What the Verse Meant in Israel’s Setting • Spoken into a culture where polygamy and intrafamily marriages were common • Protects women from rivalry, jealousy, neglect, and injustice (cf. Genesis 29–30) • Establishes that God’s design for marriage is not a rotating set of partners but a stable, exclusive union Principles We Draw for Today • Exclusivity—one man, one woman, one covenant (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6) • Loyalty—husband and wife give themselves to each other alone (Proverbs 5:15-20; 1 Corinthians 7:2) • Protection—guarding the marriage from rival affections prevents pain and division (Hebrews 13:4) • Equality—both spouses deserve undivided devotion; no one is treated as second-class or “extra” Modern Threats to Marital Faithfulness • Physical affairs: new relationships that create a “rival” • Emotional affairs: deep sharing reserved for the spouse now given elsewhere • Pornography: virtual rivals that steal intimacy and distort desire • Relational drift: busyness or unresolved conflict that opens doors to competitors Practical Ways to Apply the Text 1. Prioritize time together—regular dates, honest conversation, shared worship (Ephesians 5:19) 2. Draw clear boundaries—no private texting, lunches, or confiding with potential rivals 3. Celebrate your spouse—affirm strengths, express gratitude, enjoy sexual intimacy (Proverbs 5:18-19; 1 Corinthians 7:3-5) 4. Pursue oneness—pray together, serve together, make decisions together (Ephesians 5:31-33) 5. Seek help early—pastoral counsel or biblical counseling when temptations or tensions arise Encouraging Promise God’s design of exclusivity is not restrictive but protective. When we honor His boundary, marriage becomes the safe garden of Genesis 2:25—“naked and unashamed”—a place where love flourishes without rivals. |
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