Adultery in the New testament

Adultery in the New testament. Jesus confirmed the commandment against adultery in the gospels, saying, “But I say to you, anyone who looks at a woman and lusts after she has already committed adultery with her.” “He explained that the outward act of adultery is not an independent process from the sins of the heart: “From within people we find evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deception, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly, etc.

There are all these evils within us that defile.” However, some commentators, including Thomas Aquinas, believe that Jesus was making a point about the commandment, In Genesis, Jesus explained that marriage is a divine institution that comes from God, so do not covet your neighbor’s wife.And ends with this interesting note: “Now they are one flesh instead of two”.

Consequently, what God has joined together, no man must separate.” Jesus dismissed expedient provisions allowing divorce for almost any reason and stated that only sexual immorality (breaking of the marriage covenant) could lead to divorce without adultery. Similar teachings were taught by the Apostle Paul (commonly referred to as Pauline privileges).

To keep the marriage together, I give the charge, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband… and that the husband should not divorce her. For the rest, I say, not the Lord… Nevertheless, if the unbeliever wishes to separate, that is their choice; in that case, the brother or sister is not bound by the decision. We are to live in peace according to God’s will.

A woman caught in adultery is the subject of the gospel of John. The leaders responsible for executing justice brought her to Jesus for judgment. While Jesus clearly identified adultery with sin, his statement “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone” did not refer to the precepts of law but to conscience. There should also have been a man on trial if the woman had been caught in adultery, say some commentators.

It was clearly stated in the law that both parties would be sentenced to death. As a result of failing to bring the guilty man to justice, these leaders shared in the guilt and were unfit to carry out the punishment. “Go and sin no more,” Jesus warns the woman in parting, not condoning her adultery.

Adultery is a grave sin, according to the Apostle Paul:

There is no inheritance in the kingdom of God for the sexually immoral, the idolaters, the adulterers, the homosexuals, the thieves, the greedy, the drunkards, the revilers, or the swindlers. There were some of you who were like that. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God, you were washed, sanctified, and justified.

Relationships between spouses are expected to be sexually active and encouraged. Neither the wife nor the husband has authority over their own bodies, but the husband does. As “one flesh,” the husband and wife share this right and privilege; intimacy is not depicted as something held in reserve by each spouse to be shared on condition.

The husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.”The purpose of maintaining marital relations is to reduce the temptation to adultery, so stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time that you may devote yourselves to prayer and come together again so that Satan won’t tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”

While Scripture does not clarify whether Paul was never married or widowed, it does state that he was unmarried. They note, however, that he realized the practical benefits of remaining single. In his view, celibacy was a gift, while sexual desire was a more common condition. Thus, he suggests that most people would be better off getting married to avoid being tempted beyond their capacity or going through life “burning with passion.”

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Spiritual Adultery: Adultery in the New testament

A person who commits spiritual adultery is unfaithful to God. In other words, it is having an over-indulgent love for worldly things. As unfaithfulness to a spouse, spiritual adultery is analogous to unfaithfulness to one’s spouse: “Like the unfaithfulness of a woman to her lover, so have you been to me, O house of Israel.”

Aside from the Israelites, other nations like the Ammonites, the Philistines, etc. Did not know or serve God. As a result, they offered their worship to deities such as Molech, Baal, and others. Despite this, the prophets did not describe what these pagan nations were doing for religion as adultery, since they were on their own.

God’s people, Israel, embraced foreign religions, accepted foreign deities, made idols, and served them, which the prophets described as adultery for it was like a married woman having an affair with another man.

Any act of worship offered to foreign deities, such as burning incense, offering sacrifices to foreign deities, performing rituals in the name of other gods, building shrines and high places for other gods, etc. All of these constitute spiritual or religious unfaithfulness, which is why it is called spiritual adultery – spiritual adultery.

What is the Punishment?

It is clear from Leviticus (20:10-12) that stoning is the punishment for adultery specifically: “If an adulterer commits adultery with another man’s wife, even with the wife of his neighbor, he must be executed as both an adulterer and an adulteress…” In addition, Deuteronomy (22:22-24) states that “If a man happens to meet a virgin who is vowed to be married in that town and sleeps with her, you should stone both of them to death at its gate.”

As of today, there is no such punishment for adultery in the Bible. Adultery, however, comes with its own punishment. Sexual sin is an offense against one’s own body (1 Corinthians 6:18). It is written in Proverbs that adultery has the following consequences: loss of honor and strength (Proverbs 5:9–11), ruined reputation (Proverbs 5:14), bondage and death (Proverbs 5:22–23), self-destruction (Proverbs 6:32), and the vengeance of a jealous spouse (Proverbs 6:34).

Does a man’s clothing burn when he scoops fire into his lap? Can a man walk on hot coals without getting burned? It is strictly forbidden to touch another woman or sleep with her.

External resource: Wikipedia

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