PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)
NCE (English); Dip (Computer Studies); ND/HD
(Journalism); Dip, BA (Theology) MA, PhD.
THE
BIBLE AND ADULTERY (Part 1)
The Snare of Adultery
Devotional Text: Lev. 20:10; John 8:1-11
Introduction:
The EN English Dictionary defines “adultery”
as “sexual intercourse by a married person with someone other than their
spouse”. According to the main text of this lesson, in the Old Testament, the
man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, even he who commits adultery
with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put
to death”,(Lev. 20:10). However, in the New Testament, Jesus associates the sin
with divorce, as He says,…”whoever puts away his wife except for the cause of
sexual immorality makes her an adulteress, and whoever marries her when she is
put away commits adultery”, (Matt. 5:32). But, adultery is adultery, whether
with someone in marriage or with someone put out of marriage, as the simple
biblical verdict on the subject-matter remains, “thou shall not commit adultery”,
(Ex. 20:14).
GENERAL REMARKS
(1)
Adultery is
a snare to death, (Lev. 20:10)
(2)
Adultery is
equally a snare to social disgrace, (John 8:2-4)
(3)
Adultery is
also a snare to seduction and false doctrine, (Rev. 2:18-21)
(4)
Adultery is
finally a snare to hell, (Rev. 21:8).
ADULTERY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
No controversy, “he who commits adultery with
a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul”, (Prov.
6:32). Thus, the Lord, by Moses, puts a ban on adultery, to cushion the effect
of the foolishness arising from the despicable act. Adultery, in the Law of
Moses, was a snare to physical death, (Lev. 20:10). And, those who were victims
of the menace, were indeed, void of understanding, (Prov. 6:32). Even today,
adultery remains a snare to death, and can still result in physical death (Lev
20:10), as well as eternal death, (Rev. 21:8), as many have been physically
killed or died under mysterious circumstances because of their involvement in
the sin of adultery, which hitherto, has sent them to hell, which is eternal
death, (vs 8). To this end, therefore, please note that the Law of Moses which
bans adultery is a moral and universal law, since it comes from the God of the
whole universe, and so, applicable to all mankind. In line with the forgoing,
it becomes biblically proper to state that;
i)
Adultery was
a snare to death in the Old Testament (Lev. 20:10), and remains
a snare to eternal death (Rev. 21:8) in all
generations.
ii)
Those who
committed adultery in the Old Testament were void of understanding (Prov.
6:32),
as
those who do the same in today’s world also
wallow in foolishness and self destruction, (vs. 32).
iii)
Adultery
should strictly be avoided, as a way of stopping the physical death (Lev.
20:10)
it could bring, as well as the eternal death
(Rev. 21:8) it leads to, hereafter.
ADULTERY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
In the Gospel, according to Luke, Jesus
remarks that, “everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits
adultery. He who marries one who is
divorced from a husband commits adultery”, (Luke 16:18). Please note that
Luke’s account of the Gospel gives no reason that could warrant a divorce, but
simply states the obvious truth that, one who disengages from marriage, male or
female, for another partner is automatically in adultery, (vs 18). This
emphatically means that, if one must divorce, one must not remarry. Yet, this
is not the original plan of God for marriage institution, which declares that,
“what God joins together, no one should put asunder”, (Matt. 19:4-6). And so,
in God’s order of marriage, there is nothing like, married, but separated,
which is expressed in today’s world as “MS”, (vs. 6). Therefore, the whole
thing boils down to the biblical truth that;
(i)
One who
divorces one’s partner for another commits adultery (Luke 16:18) and also in
violation
of
God’s Word, “what God joined together, let no one put asunder”, (Matt 19:4-6)
(ii)
One who
divorces one’s partner with the decision to remain un-married is yet guilty of
another Scripture , “it is not good for one to live without a partner” (Gen
2:18), as well as in violation of the Scripture,
“what God joins together, let no one put asunder”, (Matt. 19:4-6).
(iii)
One can only
be free from the consequences of adultery (Luke 16:18) and separation
(Matt.
19:4-6) that come as a result of divorce, only when one marries and remains
faithful in marriage (vs. 4-6),
until death do them part, (Rom. 7:2-3)
ADULTERY AND CHURCH JEZEBEL
The name jezebel in the Bible is first
mention in reference to the wife of Ahab, who became an evil influence on her
husband, (1 kgs. 21:25). Also, the second time the name is mentioned, now in
the book of Revelation, Jesus, as well pictures it as an evil influence of
adultery, though, this time, not in reference to the wife of Ahab. In a message
to the church in Thyatira, the Lord remarks thus, “I know your works, your
love, faith, service, patient endurance and that your last works are more than
the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel,
who calls herself a prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit
sexual immorality (adultery) and to eat things sacrificed to idols”, (Rev.
2:19-20). Today, in the Christian church, no doubt, there are “Church
Jezebels”, in other words, women of easy virtue, who may be
prophetesses or not, whose stock in trade is to seduce God’s people into
adultery and other forms of immorality. To such a category of women (and men),
and those snared or seduced into adultery in the present day church, the Lord
still says, if you fail to repent, adultery could;
(i)
bring you to
a sickbed, (vs. 21-22)
(ii)
lead you
into great oppression, (vs. 21-22)
(iii)
cause the
death of your children, (vs. 23)
In
conclusion, please,
remember that this lesson depicts adultery as a snare to death (Lev. 20:10),
social disgrace (John 8:2-4), seduction/false doctrine (Rev. 2:18-21) and hell,
(Rev. 21:8), as it says that, “he who commits adultery is void of
understanding, and by so doing destroys his own soul”, (Prov. 6:32). THINK ABOUT IT!
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