“THOU SHALL NOT
COMMIT ADULTERY” (EX.
1. When the office phone rings, I try to prepare myself for just about anything.
2. This is necessary because I get some very unusual calls.
3. Many of these phone calls come from non-Christians, but
4. There are also times when I get some interesting calls from brethren.
5. One such call came my way several years ago from a fairly young woman.
6. This woman and her husband were both married; both were members of the church;
7. And both were somewhat unhappy in their marriage.
8. This sister called me up one morning and said, “Brad, I have a question”.
9. I said, “Ok, I will try to answer it”.
10. The sister started off by making a statement: “We sometimes go out to eat.
11. At restaurants there are often waitresses who are young and pretty.
12. My husband looks at these young girls instead of me.
13. My husband is really friendly with them and he hardly speaks to me.
14. I know that he is lusting after these younger women;
15. Is this normal behavior?”
I. MY ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION WAS MORE THAN A QUICK YES OR NO. THIS EVENING I WANT TO PRESENT SOME OF THE MATERIAL THAT I USED TO ANSWER THIS SISTER’S QUESTION, PLUS I WANT TO ADD SOME ADDITIONAL MATERIAL.
A. The beginning place for this scripture lesson is Ex. 20:14.
B. This passage was part of our scripture reading.
C. God said, “Thou shall not commit adultery”.
D. This commandment is very simple, but it is also profound.
E. As one looks at the OT, hundreds of laws are found.
1) There is page upon page when it comes to OT laws.
2) However, only 10 areas were singled out to form the 10 commandments.
3) As God focused on what was really important, he included an area of sexuality.
4) This area was covered in a tasteful but clear way.
5) Because this subject is part of the ten commandments,
6) It is an important area for Christians.
7) This subject is one that still needs to be addressed.
8) And this subject needs to be addressed in the right way.
F. Sexuality is a common topic in the 90’s.
G. All too often people are clear about what they mean, but not tasteful.
H. More times than not, people are also expressing anti-Biblical views.
I. As Christians, we can stand up with the world and say,
J. Yes, sexuality is a strong force in the world. Needs to be discussed.
K. Then we must part from the world and say: There is a standard for sexual behavior.
L. The fact that laws exist for this area is implied in Ex. 20:14.
M. By referring to adultery, God suggests that sexuality comes with rules.
N. These rules, as well as all others, were not given to hinder enjoyment.
O. This is a claim that the world makes; this claim is false.
P. Rules were given so sexual pleasure would be as enjoyable as possible.
Q. As we look at the OT we find several rules that apply to this subject.
R. Some of these verses are:
1) Deut. 22:5; Deut. 23:17; Deut. 22:13-14; 20-21; and
2) Deut. 22:22.
S. READ Deut. 22:5.
1) We have a word for what is being described.
2) This is the word transvestite.
3) Webster says that a transvestite is:
4) A person who derives sex, pleasure from dressing in the clothes of the opposite sex.
5) People like Dear Abby and Ann Landers think this is OK.
6) It might not be their desire, but it’s fine for others.
7) When the OT law was in effect God said:
8) This is an abomination. Paul said in Rom. 15:4—QUOTE.
9) Another verse is Deut. 23:17. READ.
10) Prostitution was wrong.
11) There are people today who are seeking to get it legalized.
12) People say that it doesn’t do any harm.
13) To this practice God said: NO—no son/daughter.
14) Let’s now go back to Deut. 22:13-14; 20-21. READ.
15) Virginity is, by many today, scoffed at.
16) Few expect the mate they marry to be a virgin.
17) In OT times virginity was a serious matter.
18) If a woman lost her virginity before marriage,
19) Under the circumstances described in Deut. 22 she was to be killed.
20) Death by stoning is pretty serious.
21) God tried to teach His people that virginity is right.
22) Rom. 15:4 says that we are to learn from this teaching.
23) The last reference from Deut. 22 is found in v. 22. READ.
24) This reference is to adultery.
25) If a married man had intercourse with another woman, he was to be killed.
26) The woman who was involved in the adultery was also to die.
27) In our day and time, adultery is glorified.
28) Different polls indicate that unfaithfulness is popular.
29) The world suggests that faithfulness is unusual.
30) Maybe this is true.
31) Being in the majority does not automatically make something right.
II. EX. 20:14 COUPLED WITH ROM. 15:4 MAKES A GOOD POINT: GOD DOES HAVE A STANDARD IN THE AREA OF SEXUALITY. INTERCOURSE BEFORE MARRIAGE, INVOLVEMENT WITH PROSTITUTION, ADULTERY, BEING A TRANSVESTITE, AND HOMOSEXUALITY (LEV. 18:22) WERE ALL FORBIDDEN. THESE ACTIONS WERE SINFUL.
A. People not committed to Christ may say, “Why”?
B. Why did God forbid these things?
C. How do these laws actually benefit mankind?
D. My initial answer to this comes from a book I am using.
E. In the Wed. night adult class we are talking about the family.
F. The basis for this study is the book “Building a Healthy Family”.
G. The author of this volume is a licensed Psychologist.
H. On p. 46 of this volume, Brother Flatt tells of John and Carrie.
I.
These two young people were a liberated couple.
J. They decided to have an open marriage.
K. IE, they would have as many sexual partners as they desired.
L. They reasoned, and this is a quote, “It will make our marriage better”.
M. One day John came home. He knocked on the door. No answer.
N. This perplexed John because there was a car in the driveway.
O. John knocked and knocked and then finally kicked the house door in.
P. His wife was just coming to the door and the door caught her in the face.
Q. John knew what was up and ran the half naked man out of their bedroom.
R. John was not as liberated as he thought.
S. Many couples have found that open marriages are unhealthy.
T. Case after case has demonstrated the terrible consequences of adultery.
U. One only needs to look back to 2 Sam. 11-12 for a Biblical illustration.
V. God’s laws make sense, and they have our best interest at heart.
W. No matter how many warnings are issued, some fall into sexual sin.
X. The consequences of this sin are described by Solomon.
Y. This description is in Prov.6&7.
Z. I will be reading this description from a paraphrased version.
A. A paraphrase is not a straightforward translation.
B. A paraphrase is not what you want to study (memorized) from.
C. This version will help to illustrate the thoughts in Prov. 6.
1) READ Prov. 6:26.
2) Is sexual fulfillment worth one’s life?
3) Solomon taught that this could be the cost.
4) History has proven that Solomon’s words are true.
D. If death does not result from adultery, there will be pain-v. 29-READ.
E. The world says, “That’s just a threat; it isn’t true”.
F. Listen to verses 32-33. READ.
G. As Proverbs continues, it is suggested that adultery is initially pleasurable.
H. Prov. 7:18 says, and this is also from the paraphrase, READ.
I. Adultery can offer immediate pleasure; where does it lead?
J. Verses 22-23, and 27. READ.
K. The original thoughts have, as I said, been paraphrased.
L. This paraphrasing does a good job of communicating Ex. 20:14.
M. Sexual sin is something to be avoided at all costs.
III. THE AVOIDANCE OFTHIS SIN COVERS MORE THAN JUST AVOIDING PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH ANOTHER HUMAN BEING.
A. Avoidance includes what Jesus said in Matt. 5:72-28.
B. READ.
C. Sexual sin can occur by contact with another person.
D. It can also occur in the mind.
E. Several years ago Teresa and I had a woman say to us:
F. “Jesus said that adultery allows people to divorce.
G. Jesus said that lust is adultery.
H. My husband is guilty of lust, and therefore guilty of adultery.
I. Therefore, may I divorce him?”
J. I told you at the beginning of this lesson, I get some interesting questions.
K. I do not mind these questions; definitely prevents boredom.
L. To this question I said, “No”.
M. The adultery of Matt. 5 is not the same as adultery in Matt. 19.
N. The Bible teaches us this in 1 John 3:15.
O. READ.
P. If I hate you, am I a murderer? Yes.
Q. Am I a murderer in the sense that I have taken a life? No.
R. There are differences between these two things.
S. The same type of difference is true of adultery.
T. There is a difference between a physical act and a mental thought.
U. This does not mean that impure sexual thoughts are fine.
V. Impure thoughts are considered to be morally equivalent to adultery.
W. These thoughts can come from both men and women.
X. When Jesus gave this teaching, He referred to men.
Y. He talked about a man lusting after a woman.
Z. Do you remember how I opened this lesson? A woman called me….
A. I pointed her to this passage.
B. I tried to show her that her husband was not a pervert or a sex addict.
C. Jesus recognized the power of sexuality in men.
D. He knew that men would need to work to control sexual thoughts.
E. Hence, He warned men to be watchful in this area.
F. In the OT we find a very similar statement.
G. This statement is in Job 31:1.
H. Here Job is describing a covenant that he had made.
I. READ Job 31:1.
1) Job was aware of what lust is,
2) He knew that lust is wrong, and that he had to fight it.
3) Job made a conscious effort to keep himself from lust.
J. This is the right kind of covenant today, for men and women.
CONCLUSION:
1. If we were to summarize this lesson we could say:
2. God has always had a sexual standard for mankind;
3. This standard has been and is for the good of humanity;
4. The only way people can be right with God is by obeying His laws.
5. Are you someone who is obedient?