Love, Sex & Adultery

Dealing with the subject of adultery, today - In American culture - is tantamount to being like John the Baptist, in another age who said, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness." Extra marital affairs are explained away today.

A recent report found that ... In America, adultery is no longer a crime in half the states, and in the others it is seldom, if ever, prosecuted. But sexual straying from marriage remains a very costly, if not criminal, idea. It was recently estimated that the typical adulterous husband invests almost $26,000 over a four month period in conducting an extra-marital affair. Once his wife discovers his philandering, he can count on another $5,000 in legal bills, plus and $1,800 deposit on a place to live after she ejects him from their home. In addition the report goes on to say: Quite apart from its immorality, adultery is a terrible investment. Only 5 percent of men and women who leave their marriages for someone else actually end up marrying that person.

Recently the sordit tale of adultery and its consequential attempt at cover-up made national headlines and topped TV news when Christie Brinkley and her husband, Peter Cook, took their broken marriage to trial, publicly. This public display captured much air time as details were recounted of an adulterous affair. Additional information revealed not only a broken marriage but broken lives without any visible sign of an anchor to steady the constant drift.

God gave the commandments as expressions of love for each of us ... and as a call to love others as He has demonstrated to us. Adultery is not about sex as much as it is about the broken vows and promises made within a covenant relationship that is founded upon trust. God takes this matter seriously, even if our culture today doesn't. God has set the standard for living the full life Jesus came to give. It's never too late to begin living as He requires of us as His children. Today is an opportunity to start over. Don't miss it.

Written by Dr Carlos Peterson
Christ Community Church
Athens, TN