Pastor’s Pen 11/17/2019

Pastor’s Pen 11/17/2019

The Seventh  Commandment

“You shall not commit adultery.” Exodus 20:14

Webster defines adultery as,  “voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone    other than that person’s current spouse or partner”.  The Bible sates in  Leviticus 18:20, “Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor’s wife and defile yourself with her,” and in Deuteronomy 22:22, we find a similar definition, “If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die.” It is clear from these definitions that adultery refers to a consensual sexual union.

The following was written by Scott Sauls of Ligonier    ministries:

“Jesus affirms that from the beginning, “God made them male and female, and the two will become one flesh.” A qualified elder must either be single and chaste or a     one-woman man—the “husband of one wife.” Jesus restores dignity to a woman caught in adultery, but also tells her that she must stop committing adultery (John 7:53–8:11). To the scribes and Pharisees, he calls for a deeper and truer application of the chastity principle. Even lust—fantasizing about women in general versus covenantally desiring one woman in particular—comes from an adulterous imagination (Matt. 5:27–30). With  pornography, the hookup culture, and nonconventional expressions of sexuality becoming mainstream, classic biblical teaching is becoming less popular in our late modern times. Yet, if the true relevance of Scripture is that Scripture shows no interest in being relevant—that is, it shows no interest in being adapted, revised, or censored in order to stay current with the ever-shifting times—then the sex question is one with which sincere believers must wrestle. We must remain committed to being countercultural where the culture and the truth are at odds with one another.

This, and this alone, is what will make Christians truly relevant in the culture. Jesus, who was a lifelong  unmarried and celibate man, affirmed sex within the male-female marital union. He invented sex. Sex is not a no-no. It is not taboo”.

And this from gotquestions.org, “The intimate relationship between a man and women in marriage is a beautiful and enjoyable blessing from God. Satan would seek to corrupt what God has given to us to enjoy.   Adultery is the complete corruption of God’s good creation of marriage. Through the sin of adultery, Satan tempts us to seek sexual fulfillment in avenues other   than the one God has ordained, within the bounds of  monogamous, heterosexual marriage. Adultery rips at the fabric of society because it tears apart marriages and families which are the building blocks of society. God’s law in general, and the 7th commandment in particular, is held up as the standard for Christian behavior.”

Your Shepherd,

Pastor Mark

 

 

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