Adultery is when a married person has sexual relations with someone who they are not married to. The Bible clearly condemns this as we read in Exodus 20:14: “You shall not commit adultery.” If you do this, you break the promise that you made before God to be faithful to your marriage partner.
It is written that God “has made everything beautiful in its time,” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) and the time He has given for sexual intimacy is for a man and a woman within a marriage.
To have this sexual relationship before marriage or with another person after marriage is in direct disobedience to the will of God, as it says in Hebrews 13:4 (CEV): “Have respect for marriage. Always be faithful to your partner, because God will punish anyone who is immoral or unfaithful in marriage.” Even if your partner would agree to an adulterous experience, this does not make it acceptable in God’s eyes.
Stay far away from sexual immorality
Paul warns clearly against all such behaviour in 1 Corinthians 6:18 (NCV): “So run away from sexual sin. Every other sin people do is outside their bodies, but those who sin sexually sin against their own bodies.” We should use our body to honour Him who gave it, as it says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NCV): “Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you? Don’t you know that you have the Holy Spirit from God, and you don’t belong to yourselves? You have been bought and paid for, so honour God with your body.”
And in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 (NCV) it says: “God wants you to be holy and to stay away from sexual sins. He wants each of you to learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable. Don’t use your body for sexual sin like the people who do not know God.”
Jesus says that it is adultery even if you only want to sin sexually with someone, if it is a hidden intention in your heart and mind: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You must not be guilty of adultery.’ But I tell you that if anyone looks at a woman and wants to sin sexually with her, in his mind he has already done that sin with the woman.” Matthew 5:27-28 (NCV).
Jesus also speaks of how serious we should take it to avoid such sin: “If your right eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” Matthew 5:29-30 (NCV).
Jesus knows how to help us
When we are tempted to unclean thoughts, we can remember that Jesus made it possible for us to overcome. We read in Hebrews 4:15-16 (NCV): “For our high priest is able to understand our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin. Let us, then, feel very sure that we can come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we can receive mercy and grace to help us when we need it.”
At the throne of grace, through Jesus, we will receive the help we need. Jesus understands how weak we are, and He knows exactly how to help us, like it says in Hebrews 2:18 (NCV): “And now he can help those who are tempted, because he himself suffered and was tempted.”
There is no real happiness for a Christian outside the will of God. The “pleasures” of adultery are very short but the sorrow afterwards is for a very long time. Blessed is everyone who, just like Jesus, chooses to do the will of God, and doesn’t give in to temptation, even if it means a battle and a suffering for a time. Then we will become a blessing and example where we are. And when we are faithful here on earth, we will be full of joy, now and in eternity.