INTRO:

Not only does this commandment expressly forbid something but it implies something else and that is that the ordinance of marriage should be observed.

"Let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband." (1 Cor. 7:2) Marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled, (Heb. 13:4). God institute (marriage in paradise; he brought the woman to the man (Gen. 2:22). He gave them to each other in marriage. Jesus Christ honoured marriage with his presence. (Jn. 2:2) The first miracle he wrought was at a marriage, when he turned the 'water into wine.' Marriage is a type and resemblance of the mystical union between Christ and His Church. (Eph. 5:32)

Among other things, the Bible states the transgression deserves capital punishment (Lev. 20:10); it can be committed in secret in the heart (Job 24:15; Matt. 5); is is responsible for illegitimate children (Isa. 57:3); it is abhorred of God (Eze. 23; Mal. 2); it merits death by stoning (John 8:4), and the commandments against it are repeated under grace (Rom. 13:9) as well as the Law (Hos. 4:13).

I. THE CAUSE

A recent survey revealed the following results:

[1]. Out of every 100 girls who get married under the age of 18-40% are shot gun weddings.
[2]. 32 out of those 40 will divorce within 5 years.
[3]. Children of these unions make up much of the population of America's prisons.
[4]. Of all young people who marry between the ages of 18-21, have only a 40% chance of making their marriage last.
[5]. There is a 50% chance for those between 21-23.
[6]. For those who are 25 or older there is a 75% chance.
[7]. Couples who have courted for 6 months to 1 year have twice as much chance as those who did for 6 months or less.

With these figures consider that in a recent year 1,600,000 girls were married in the U.S. One half of those were teenagers and 112 of the teenagers were under 18. There are presently more than 20,000 people in the U.S. who are married and between the ages of 12-15.

B. Magazines, Movies and T.V.

Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Pennsylvania had an article in their Winter 1981 Journal of Communications we found interesting. Entitled "Update: Physically Intimate and Sexual Behavior on Prime-Time Television, 1978-79." The article compared the amount of sex on television during that season with an earlier study done in 1975. We found some of their results interesting and desire to pass them along to you.

The study found that the frequency of flirtatious or seductive behaviors quadrupled over the period; the frequency of sexual innuendo increased five times and the tendency to imply an act of sexual intercourse increased 10 times!

Remember, this study was done two years ago before the networks really increased the content.

Some other material was also interesting. "Specifically, contextually implied inter,course increased from no weekly occurrences in 1975 to 15 in 1977 to 24 in 1978; actual innuendoes increased in frequency from about one reference per hour in 1975 to 7 in 1977 and to almost 11 in 1978. Most dramatically, direct verbal references to intercourse increased from 2 occurrences per week in 1975 to 6 occurrences in 1977 and to 53 in 1978."

In another area the report stated: "There was a substantial increase in frequency for two categories: allusions to prostitution increased more than fourfold, and allusions to aggressive sexual contacts increased threefold from 1977 to 1978."

C. Extenuating Circumstances

Using the word extenuating is by no means an effort to justify the sin but rather to illustrate that certain circumstances do exist.

[1]. Certain divorces - (Matt. 19:9)
[2]. Certain remarriages - (Deut. 24:1-4)
[3]. Overseas duty - (Deut. 24:5)

 

II. THE CURSE

B. Bad effects on children - Adultery often leads to divorce which affects children. According to a recent report there are over 9,000,000 children in a stepchildren situation in America. Sociologists agree that the problems in a home like that are approximately 4 times that of a one time marriage.

C. The Divine Judgment - (Prov. 5:20-23; 6:32,33, 7:22,23).

 

III. THE KINDS

B. Mental - (Matt. 5:27,28) - The last days are characterized by a people whose eyes are "full of adultery" (1 Pet. 2:14). An action had to be preceded by a thought which had to be preceded by a look.

C. Spiritual - As evil as David's sin was Solomon's was worse in that his sin was spiritual adultery (1 Kings 11:3-13). The entire book of Hosea is about Israel's adulterous ways as she was unfaithful to God. In a spiritual sense you (if you are saved) are the wife of Jesus Christ. How faithful have you been to him. (Hos. 4:15-19)

 

IV. THE CURE

B. Be careful with your eyes - (Job 31:1)

C. Be careful with your conversation - (1 Cor. 15:33)

D. Look after your heart - (Prov. 4:23; Matt. 15:19)

E. Pay special attention to your dress (7:10)

F. Avoid bad literature and pictures.

G. Avoid idleness - (Eze. 16:49)

H. Ask God for a Christ-like love for your mate - (Eph. 5:25)

I. Labour to get the fear of God into your heart - (Prov. 16:6)

J. Take delight in the Word of God - (Ps. 119:103)

K. Pray against this sin - (Ps. 51)