The Seventh Commandment
Exodus 20:14
“You shall not commit adultery.”
The seventh commandment is about faithfulness and loyalty in marriage. Faithfulness and loyalty are two of the most important characteristics of our Creator. Unfortunately, they have little value to the culture around us.
Jesus had a lot to say about adultery. He told us that it is not just a physical act of unfaithfulness, but that we are unfaithful even when we entertain thoughts of infidelity. Adultery, then, is more of an issue of love and commitment. As usual, Jesus took a very compassionate view of those who were guilty of this sin. In John 8:1-11, He saved a woman from a mob execution even though she was caught in the act.
Adultery is, primarily, an offense against God. Even though our human partners are the victims, God takes personal offense at it. In Psalms 51:10, David prayed for forgiveness for his own act of adultery by praying to God:
Psalms 51:3-4
“For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned...”
Why is adultery so important to God? Marriage is much more than most people make of it. We don’t get married just because it’s convenient or financially sensible. Marriage is a divine covenant instituted by God that teaches us about Him. It is patterned after what we see in heaven.
Marriage models headship, submission and obedience to us. Those are the qualities of God the Father, Christ The Son and the Holy Spirit. This sin is more than just “cheating on your spouse.” Adultery is a rebellion against God’s plan and a rejection of God Himself.
Our society has little respect for faithfulness and loyalty in general. If we were to take a good and honest look at the current state of our world, we would find that the consequences of that attitude have been nothing short of catastrophic. The family unit, the foundational building block of God’s design, has crumbled. We need a healthy view of marriage and faithfulness. That’s how God designed us to work best.
Mark 10:8
“And the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh.”