The Works of the Flesh -- Adultery


  1. What is Adultery?
    1. In the Old Testament: from the Hebrew naw-af' -- 31 appearances
      1. its primary use is sexual intercourse by a married person with someone other than one's spouse.
      2. the punishment for adultery under the Old Law was death: Leviticus 20:10 (cf John 8:5)
      3. In 3 instances, adultery is used to describe Israel and Judah's idolatry: Jeremiah 3:6-9; Ezekiel 23:37 (cf Hos 3:1?)
    2. In the New Testament: from the Greek moicheia
      1. Used primarily as a sexual word, meaning sexual intercourse by a married person with someone other than one's spouse.
      2. Used figuratively to represent unfaithful Christians:
        1. James 4:4
        2. Revelation 2:20-22


  2. False views of adultery as applied to the Bible teaching on Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage:
    1. "Adultery is not a sexual word. . . . adultery is covenant breaking." Rubel Shelly - 1993
      1. These two false views are taught in conjunction with one another. They are refuted by most every lexicon, dictionary, and word study /reference work.
      2. Read John 8:3-4 and replace "adultery" with "covenant breaking." Does it make sense?
      3. Do the same for Matthew 19:9. According to this teaching,
        1. where would the supposed covenant breaking take place?
        2. where does the actual covenant breaking take place?


    1. "Adultery is a one time act that takes place at the 2nd marriage."
      1. This makes the exchange of wedding vows = adultery.
      2. "commits" = present tense - literally, keeps on committing
        1. Present tense = active / ongoing / progressive action;
        2. Aorist tense = punctiliar, point-action, usu. shown as past tense.


    2. "It is not possible to live in adultery."
      1. Colossians 3:5-7
      2. Ephesians 2:1-3
      3. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11


    3. "Non-Christians cannot commit adultery, or are not amenable to Jesus' teaching on marriage and divorce in Matthew 19:9."
      1. Misuse / perversion of Romans 2:14
      2. Misuse / perversion of Romans 8:7
      3. John 12:48
        1. The non-Christian will be judged by all the words of our Lord in the judgment, just as the Christian will be - Rev 20:12-14
        2. Of course, one's failure to obey the gospel will be sufficient to condemn his/her soul (2 Thes 1:7-9), but
        3. how can the non-Christian be answerable only to Christ's teaching on the plan of salvation?
          1. why is the plan of salvation given? The plan of salvation means salvation from sin.
            1. Sin is a transgression of the law - 1 John 3:4.
            2. If a non-Christian cannot commit adultery, what sins can he commit to make him answerable to Christ's law on the plan of salvation?