Adultery

Adultery refers to sexual relations with other partners while married. The Word of God prohibits adultery. Exodus 20:14; Deut. 5:18.

““You shall not commit adultery.”  (Exodus 20:14, NASB)

“‘You shall not commit adultery.”  (Deuteronomy 5:18, NASB)

In Ephesians 4:19, “greediness” is πλεονεξία (pleonexia) in the Greek means insatiable desire and refers to believers building scar tissue through adultery.

“and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.”  (Ephesians 4:19, NASB)

Fornication referred to sexual relations in the heathen temples making the sex act a form of religion. Fornication is said to “wage war against the soul” in 1 Peter 2:11.

“Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.”  (1 Peter 2:11, NASB)

Marriage protects the human race from self-destruction as a Divine Institution. That is why God's divine discipline for adultery is so severe. Prov. 3:12; Heb. 12:6.

“For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.” (Proverbs 3:12, NASB)

“FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."” (Hebrews 12:6, NASB)

Adultery is a destroyer of the soul. Prov. 6:32.

“The one who commits adultery with a woman is lacking sense; He who would destroy himself does it.”  (Proverbs 6:32, NASB)

Sexual love (eros) is sanctioned only in marriage. 1 Thess. 4:3; Heb. 13:4.

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;”  (1 Thessalonians 4:3, NASB)

“Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”  (Hebrews 13:4, NASB)

Adultery has an adverse effect on the body. Repercussions of the soul extends into the body. 1 Cor. 6:13-18.

“Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.” But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.”  (1 Corinthians 6:13-18, NASB)

Adultery results is sex frustration and a frantic scramble for sexual experience. This can cause nymphomania, frigidity, etc. However, the principle goes beyond adultery – into mental attitude sins. When a husband seeks to respond to a woman other than his wife in adultery, the husband destroys his soul. It also results in very damaging long-term consequences outside of the marriage. By application, this principle also applies to the wife. Prov. 6:32.

“The one who commits adultery with a woman is lacking sense; He who would destroy himself does it.” (Proverbs 6:32, NASB)

In Proverbs 6:32, “destroy” is a term for putting scar tissue on the soul that effects the self-consciousness, mentality, volition, emotion and conscience of the soul. Scar tissue twists, distorts, perverts, and wrecks the soul and any chance for happiness within the marriage relationship.

Destroying the soul is also spelled out in Romans 1:26-27 and Romans 1:32 regarding sexual perversions such as homosexuality and lesbianism. Ephesians 4:19 talks about being without feeling. This is a callousness or scar tissue on the soul.

“For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.” (Romans 1:26-27, NASB)

“and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.” (Romans 1:32, NASB)

“and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.” (Ephesians 4:19, NASB)

Scar tissue on the soul leads to a frantic search for happiness in all the details of life. For the believer minus Bible doctrine, the details of life compound their misery. There is no capacity for happiness of love apart from Bible doctrine in the soul. Therefore, believers with scar tissue are left with frustrated desires and insatiable lusts. Mental attitude sins continue to result in self-induced misery. Scar tissue is only removed by intake and application of Bible doctrine and the buildup of the edification complex of the soul. Therefore, to remove scar tissue means a crash program of intake of Bible doctrine.

David Teaching His Son Solomon about Adultery

In Proverbs 7:1-5, David is teaching his son Solomon with a warning about the evils of an adulteress called the “foreigner.”

“My son, keep my words And treasure my commandments within you. Keep my commandments and live, And my teaching as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call understanding your intimate friend; That they may keep you from an adulteress, From the foreigner who flatters with her words.”  (Proverbs 7:1-5, NASB)

She is a married woman out on the street as a prostitute. Prov. 7:16-19.

““I have spread my couch with coverings, With colored linens of Egypt. “I have sprinkled my bed With myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. “Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning; Let us delight ourselves with caresses. “For my husband is not at home, He has gone on a long journey;”  (Proverbs 7:16-19, NASB)

She uses seductive and persuasive flattery to seduce and makes the prospect of sex very attractive. However, the end result of following her is destruction.  Prov. 7:21-27.

“With her many persuasions she entices him; With her flattering lips she seduces him. Suddenly he follows her As an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as one in fetters to the discipline of a fool, Until an arrow pierces through his liver; As a bird hastens to the snare, So he does not know that it will cost him his life. Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, And pay attention to the words of my mouth. Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths. For many are the victims she has cast down, And numerous are all her slain. Her house is the way to Sheol, Descending to the chambers of death.”  (Proverbs 7:21-27, NASB)