SCRIPTURE AND ADULTERY 201

In both the old and new testaments we see God's harsh condemnation of the unrepentant adulterer. One who has hardened his heart and lingers in infidelity faces receiving a certificate of divorce from our Lord.

Jeremiah 3:7-8 (KJV) "And I said, after she had done all these things, 'Return to Me.' But she did not return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it. Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also."

In our day the adulterer, like Israel, is unlikely to return to their God or their spouse. Rather they pursue the lust of their hearts. Loved ones, before whom they declared their vows, are cast aside like a piece of clothing that is "battered" and torn by its owner. We will speak a little later about those few who see the error of their ways and wish to return to fellowship with our Lord and their wives.

Jeremiah 5:7. "How shall I pardon you for this? Your children have forsaken Me and sworn by those that are not gods. When I had fed them to the full, then they committed adultery."(KJV)

The Expositors Bible places this verse and those that follow it into the following perspective:

"Let us see what it was that called so loudly for amendment, and then we may become more fully aware of the gulf that divided the God of Israel from the idols of Canaan, and His service from all other service. It is important to keep this radical difference steadily before our minds, and to deepen the impression of it, in days when the effort is made by every means to confuse Iahvah with the gods of heathendom, and to rank the religion of Israel with the lower surrounding systems."

Jeremiah7:9-11 (KJV) "Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, 'We are delivered to do all these abominations?' Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it," says the Lord.

In this scripture we can clearly see the company with whom the adulterer is classed. It is an unseemly crowd of sinners. Notice the two faced character of the individual. He tries to eat his cake and have it too. He continues in sin while putting on a pious front in the house of our Lord along with deceiving his own family.

The Expositors Bible explains: "Jeremiah accuses his countrymen of flagrant transgression of the universal laws of morality. Theft, murder, adultery, perjury, fraud, and covetousness, slander and lying and treachery (Jeremiah 7:9, 9:3-8), are charged upon these zealous worshippers by a man who lived amongst them, and knew them well, and could be contradicted at once if his charges were false. He tells them plainly that, in virtue of their frequenting it, the temple is become a den of robbers."

"And this trampling upon the common rights of man has its counterpart and its climax in treason against God, in "burning incense to the Baal, and walking after other gods whom they know not" (Jeremiah 7:9); in an open and shameless attempt to combine the worship of the God who had from the outset revealed Himself to their prophets as a "jealous," i.e. an exclusive God, with the worship of shadows who had not revealed themselves at all, and could not be "known," because devoid of all character and real existence. They thus ignored the ancient covenant which had constituted them a nation (Jeremiah 7:23)"

In the light of the depravity involved in an adulterous relationship is there any hope of reconciliation?

In Jeremiah 3:20 through 4:2 we get a glimpse of how restoration to our Lord and perhaps to the victimized spouse, may come about. Jeremiah 3:25 - "Let us lie down in our shame, and let our disgrace cover us. We have sinned against the Lord our God, ... we have not obeyed the Lord our God." (NIV)

Note that here we find a recognition and confession of sin. This is a prerequisite for restoring of fellowship with God and family.

Then notice the conditions our Lord placed upon Israel: " ... declares the Lord, 'If you put your detestable idols out of my sight and no longer go astray, and if in a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, as surely as the Lord lives, then the nations will be blessed by him and in him they will glory'." (NIV)

"She is, therefore, invited to repent and return to her alienated God, which will involve a return from exile to her own land; and the promise is given of the reunion of the two peoples in a restored Theocracy, having its centre in Mount Zion (11-19). All Israel has rebelled against God; but the prophet hears the cry of universal penitence and supplication ascending to heaven; and Iahvah's gracious answer of acceptance (Jeremiah 3:20-22). (Expositor's Bible)

In John 8:11b Jesus told the woman caught in adultery a simplified version of what the prophet Jeremiah declared: "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared, "Go now and leave your life of sin." (NIV)

We hear much today about tough love, here we see something of God's application of it.

One of my favorite verses of scripture is found in Jeremiah 31:3: "The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying, 'I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have drawn you with loving-kindness'." (NIV)

This verse is found in a text dealing with the restoration of God's people following their repentance. Notice that it is what God had told them in the past, they had pulled themselves away from the fellowship of His embrace, but with their repentance he was drawing them back.

We see Jesus opening God's everlasting love up to the whole world when we read John 12:32-333: "But I, when I am lifted up from the earth will draw all men to myself." "He said this to show the kind of death He would die." (NIV)

I have been a hugger for many years, and whenever I read these verses, I get a picture of God hugging me. A few months ago I went to the store with a friend. As we got out of the car I saw a Vietnam veteran in an old army jacket. He had a small sign "disabled vet -hungry." I walked over to him, gave him a hug and some money. As I turned to leave he saluted me. When we were walking into the store, the friend turned to me and asked, "Why did you hug him, don't you know you could get lice?"

As I thought about it, it struck me that when God embraces me he does not worry about my "lice" even though He is hugging a far worse bundle of humanity. God's love is not only for the beautiful it extends to even a "wretch like me."

If a spouse has been the victim of the infidelity of their mate they are under no obligation to continue the relationship with them.

The question then arises, is there enough love in his/her heart to accept the partner back into a relationship? In previous scripture we have looked at some of the things that had to occur in the hearts of the adulterous Israelites to restore their fellowship with our Lord. Let's take a look at them in the context of a husband-wife relationship:

1. Repentance which means "To feel so contrite over one's sins as to change, or decide to change, one's ways. Has the unfaithful spouse turned away from the other person involved in his infidelity? Have all connections been severed? Has the "detestable idol" been set aside?

2. Has the individual fully committed to a renewed relationship? What assurances are there that he/she will not stray again?

3. There is also a call to truthfulness. Can the errant partner ever be trusted again? Is there clear communication of expectations by both spouses?

4. Has the unfaithful spouse come to a point where he/she "glories in the other spouse?" Does each spouse love the other as "Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it?"

5. Is the relationship moving toward a just and righteous one? Do the spouses treat one another fairly and with respect? What role does our Lord play in the relationship?

Clearly, reconciliation attempts following infidelity of a partner are most difficult and I believe that spouses attempting to reconcile need to seek professional counseling. For a Christian it would be wise to involve a Christian counselor.

We often hear Ephesians 2:8-9 quoted in relationship to God's grace saving us. I would like to conclude today with the verse that immediately follows them: Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."(NIV)

The marriage reunion following infidelity takes work. May we take into it the realization that we are created in Christ to do good works. How important it is to apply these works to our marriages. It is well worth the effort. By our fruits we shall be known. Hugs, In Christ's and My Love,

Don E. Cunningham, Author ©11/6/07 1598