Introduction: (The word "adultery" basically means to have carnal relations with the spouse of another. The English word, as well as the Greek and Hebrew words it translates, involves the idea of breaking a covenant, especially the marriage covenant. Our study will focus in particular on the fact that adultery violates so many relationships. We will do this to show just how bad adultery is. We desperately need a dose of this medicine because the church is plagued with this problem.)
1. A Common Problem: (First, we need to establish that it is a common problem. We sometimes fail to realize how vulnerable we as individuals can be to this sin. We also fail to realize how common it is in society and even in the church.)
1. Judah: Gen. 38:12-18 (This case shows that Judah went to a woman thinking she was a prostitute. We think of him as a good man, a patriarch of Israel. Yet he gave in to carnal temptation.)
2. David: 2 Sam. 11:1-4 (David is another example of a good person yielding to the temptation of adultery. He was a man of great character and exemplary faith, yet he had this weakness. Both of these cases serve to illustrate the point that adultery is a problem all too common. It is still common today.)
2. Breaking A Covenant: (In this section we will discuss how adultery violates so many covenants. This is not to say adultery violates each covenant in the exact same sense it violates the marriage covenant. We are attempting to see the casualties of adultery.)
1. With God: Jas. 4:4 (Adultery violates a covenant with God because it makes you God s enemy.)
2. With Your Spouse: Mk. 10:11 (Perhaps the most obvious casualty of adultery is your spouse. The scriptures portray adultery as an act against her [or him].)
3. With Your Partner s Spouse: Prov. 6:32-35 (Not only does adultery violate your marriage covenant, but it violates the marriage of your partner in crime. The Bible warns of the jealousy of your partner s spouse.)
4. With Your Children: 2 Sam. 11:1-4, 2 Sam. 13:1-15, 2 Sam. 15:1-6, 1 Kings 1:5, 1 Kings 11:1-4 (When you commit adultery, it not only hurts your spouse, it hurts your children. Look at David s example. His adultery was a betrayal of his entire family. His children had severe problems, some with carnal misconduct. His adultery betrayed them and set a bad example before them, causing great pain.)
5. With The Church: 1 Cor. 5:1-6 (You may not realize it, but you are betraying the church with your adultery. God warns us of the evil influence of sin such as this. By indulging in adultery you bring shame on the church and risk being an evil influence on the entire flock.)
6. With Your Friends And Associates: 2 Tim. 2:21 (You also betray friends and others you might have otherwise had a positive influence with. Because of your adultery, your reputation will be damaged and good you might have done will be destroyed. To be useful in God s kingdom you must purge yourself of this kind of iniquity.)
7. With Yourself: 1 Cor. 6:18 (There is something unique about carnal sin that makes it a sin against the whole body. When you commit adultery you are betraying yourself because you defile your body.)
3. Flirting With Disaster: (Sometimes we put ourselves in extremely dangerous situations that fall short of the physical act of adultery. At these times the guilty party may be very defensive.)
1. Pornography: Mt. 5:27-28, Prov. 7:6-27 (Jesus forbids us to look lustfully at another. He tells us this is adultery of the heart. You can spin it however you like, but the bottom line with pornography is it involves looking with lustful intent. Before the young man ever committed adultery with the loose woman he visited her street corner. When you use pornography you are going to her street corner, just begging to be led away to the slaughter.)
2. Loose Talk: Eph. 5:12 (Some get involved in loose talk or outright vulgar talk [phone sex]. The Bible teaches it is shameful to even speak about these evil things.)
3. Loose Situations: Prov. 4:14-15, Rom. 13:14 (The Bible clearly warns us not to make provisions for sin, not to go anywhere near the dangers of sin. Some put themselves into compromising situations, indulge in flirtation and such like. This is definitely dangerous and is often the starting place of adultery.)
4. Loose Books: Mt. 15:19-20 (Jesus warned that evil thoughts are what defile us. You may disdain pictures or movies that portray graphic carnal content. What about the books you read? Is a romance novel with a graphic literary portrayal of carnal misconduct really different from a pictorial of the same?)
5. Loose Shows And Movies: Ps. 101:3 (David said he would not set wicked things before his eyes. You may not watch something rankly pornographic, but you will watch something very loose. If it presents to opportunity to look or think lustfully is it really that different?)
6. Loose Thoughts: Job 31:1 (Job said because he had made a covenant not to look lustfully, he wouldn t even think about a young girl. When you deliberately entertain evil thoughts it is the same as looking lustfully. This can lead to worse things.)
7. Loose Behavior: Col. 3:5 (The Bible teaches us to put to death evil lusts and lasciviousness. These terms relate to promiscuous behavior that fall short of the carnal act. Heavy petting and such lewd acts fall into this category. This is another kind of behavior that can lead to worse.)
8. Loose Dress: 1 Tim. 2:9-10, Prov. 7:10 (God warns against immodest apparel. Suggestive clothing is particularly dangerous because it sets the trap for adultery. Let s not kid ourselves into thinking people don t dress to allure. The harlot wears distinctive attire for the purpose of enticing her prey.)
4. Making A Change: {OPTIONAL SECTION} (Follows are some thoughts on how to change and make a positive difference relative to these problems.)
1. Build A Good Marriage: Prov. 5:15, 1 Cor. 7:1-5, Heb. 13:4 (God teaches that marriage is the appropriate outlet for carnal passion. To avoid adultery you need to build a good marriage relationship in which you can experience appropriate release.)
2. Don t Make Opportunity: Rom. 13:14 (Avoid things like those mentioned above, flirting with disaster. Adultery almost always begins with those kinds of behaviors.)
3. Confess In Prayer: Ps. 51:1-10 (Like David, you need to confess in prayer your sin to God. Solicit his aid in helping you overcome the problem.)
4. Confess To Others: Jas. 5:16 (The scriptures teach us to confess our faults to others. You need to seek the aid of a trusted Christian friend and confess your sin. Pray for each other and be accountable to each other.)
5. Walk In The Spirit: Gal. 5:16, 2 Tim. 2:22 (To walk in the Spirit is not some meaningless clich . It involves building a pattern of godly living, following the leading of the Spirit in scripture. Paul told Timothy to flee youthful lusts by godly living.)
Conclusion: Prov. 6:23-29 (We cannot measure the danger or the damage caused by adultery. You need to look seriously at this problem and avoid the trappings of carnal sin. Satan is crafty and will stop at nothing to lure you into his trap of death.)
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