“If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death.”
-Leviticus 20:10, NLT
This verse says it all. It teaches us that God viewed adultery as a marriage ending sin.
How so?
God required the adulterous spouse to die in light of said sin. Thus, the marriage ended with the death of the adulterous party. This is what the Old Testament says is the righteous and just thing to do.
Now, I agree that we no longer kill adulterous parties for said sin in the civilized world.
But that does not change how seriously God views this sin (and all its accompanying sins)!
The mercy of allowing adulterous spouse to survive does not negate the priority of God’s justice. God clearly thought preserving a marriage following adultery was less important than dealing with those who had engaged in covenant mocking behavior.
I do not see this priority of righteousness over keeping a marriage “intact” changing in the New Testament. Divorce simply replaces the death penalty (see Matthew 1:19).
Taking Adultery Seriously!
I know my position is–sadly–controversial in evangelical Christian circles. Plenty of other websites and books exist that make adultery a side issue and divorce the “unpardonable sin.”
This is NOT one of those places!
Whenever divorce avoidance is treated as more important than adultery repentance, the pastor–or other counselor– is not treating adultery seriously!
Hi DM. I appreciate your effort to help me with the ending of the “one-flesh” question I had. I think you’re saying that “since penalties were put into place regarding adultery, and since her sin should lead to death, I can treat it as if my wife is really dead, which would free me from the one-flesh relationship that God created.” As noted before, that is how the Westminster Confession viewed it also…Chap 24 of the WC…
V. … In the case of adultery after marriage, it is lawful for the innocent party to sue out a divorce, and after the divorce to marry another, as if the offending party were dead.
Jesus (God) had a woman caught in the act of adultery brought to him after one of the festivals. Did He kill her? or did He regard her “as if” she were dead?
Regarding your most recent post from today, our instructions from Paul are made clear…
1Co 7:11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. (No reason is given here as to her reason for departing, yet our instruction to the man is made clear…he is not to divorce her.)
The word for “bondage” (g1402, douloo) in v.15 is different from the word “bound” in covenant in 1 Cor 7:39 (The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband lives), which is g1210, deo, meaning knit or tied, like David and Jonathan. The meanings of the 2 words are completely different, which undermines the logic of your conclusion that Paul allows remarriage while a covenant spouse lives, which he doesn’t.
The disciples were astonished at how Jesus taught about divorce and remarriage. When they heard him explain it, they said it would be better to never get married. If they were here today, would they say your version is like Jesus or like the chump lady?
“The meanings of the 2 words are completely different, which undermines the logic of your conclusion….” This is flat out false. If they were “completely different,” then English translators wouldn’t use the same words to translate them. Clearly, they have overlapping meaning.
These ARE different words. But that does not necessarily undermine my argument. “Tie” and “bind” are two different words with similar meaning. The same idea, I argue, is at work here. You are free to disagree, but having two different words does not decidedly settle the argument.
Bill,
Jesus told the woman caught in adultery (married several times plus being in a relationship with someone who wasn’t her husband) to “GO & sin no more!” She was told to stop committing the sin of adultery, & repent. He would not condemn her if she followed His instructions. He doesn’t tell her to return to her first husband (she’s defiled & he cannot take her back according Old Testament)
God warns against breaking the covenant. Adultery breaks the marriage covenant & the faithful spouse is therefore released from it because they are not the covenant breaker.
Just as it is better for someone to never have been born than to cause little ones to sin; the disciples seem to grasp that it is better to never marry than be unfaithful in the marriage Covenant.
I do not see where Jesus ever tells
victims to stay with abusers. Jesus died & rose again to save us from sin! He doesn’t want us to be victims of sin!