The 7th Commandment
"You shall not commit adultery." Exodus 20 : 14. These are the words of God, not the mandate of man. Life is our most precious possession. Marriage is our second most precious possession because in marriage our spouse becomes one with us, flesh of our flesh.
A recently released Barna survey reveals that 40% of Americans see nothing " morally " wrong with sexual dalliances between married men and women with people of the opposite sex who are not their mates. " Unmarried America " is becoming a larger group in America. Many young couples talk about " hooking up " or " relationships " not marriage. The 2000 U.S. census found 5.5 million couples living together outside of marriage.
Marriage is vitally important for these 2 reasons ; First, it is God's chosen mechanism to bring forth life created in His image. God made sex enjoyable so that married couple would have an incentive to procreate and sustain the human race. Second, marriage is important because marriage is essential for the care and nurture of the young.
The consequences of adultery and the breakup of the " family" are tremendous. The husband's unfaithfulness to the marriage vow is damage to the husband's future, damage to his wife, damage to civil, moral, and financial health of a community. The results of a wife's infidelity are often, even more wide spread. No wonder God said, "I hate divorce. " - Malachi 2:16
Observance of the 7th Commandment has many blessings. First, it is a safeguard against STD (sexually transmitted diseases) . Second, it brings peace of mind. The happily married mate can think how nice it is to have his/her mate chose him/her above all others to love and cherish. Third, it brings a higher quality of life. To be able to trust your mate is a great blessing. To live with peace of mind, not suspicion and jealousy, is a higher way of living. Fourth , it creates a secure emotional state of mind. To have no guilt's on your conscience that you are afraid that your mate uncovers brings contentment. That emotional stability is the best environment to raise children. A lot of the kid problems in school are the result of an insecure environment in the home. This insecure environment often includes sexual sins.
The greatest blessing of obedience to the 7th commandment is our unbroken relationship with God. It results in greater fellowship with God. The spirit that drives adultery is a hungry, dissatisfied spirit. That definitely is not a Godly spirit !