Before beginning our discussion of the seventh commandment, let us review the principles laid down in the introduction to this series concerning the role of the Ten Commandments in the life of the Christian. We who have put our trust in the finished work of Christ for salvation "are not under the law, but under grace" (Rom. 6:15). This means not only that we do not strive to be saved by the deeds of the law (Rom. 3:20), but also that we who are saved do not try to use the law as a means of achieving holiness or perfection. If the focus of our Christian lives is the Ten Commandments or the Sermon on the Mount or any other set of rules or commandments, we will fail to achieve God’s standard of holiness for two reasons:(1) There is no power for right living to be found in sets of rules (Rom. 7:8-11), and (2) all such sets of rules_even though derived from Scripture itself_fall far short in showing the way to the absolute sinless perfection that is found in Christ. The Christian’s rule of life_that which should be our all-consuming desire_is to "win Christ"(Phil.3:8);to "know Him and the power of His resurrection" (3:10); to "follow after" Christ and "press toward the mark" (3:12,14); "to walk, even as He walked" (1 John 2:6); to set our "affection on things above" (Col. 3:2); to be "followers [or imitators] of God" (Eph. 5:1). When we have Christ as our object, and are walking according to the Spirit, "the righteousness of the law [will] be fulfilled in us" (Rom. 8:4), The standard of holiness that is found in Christ Himself is much, much higher than the law. The best one could possibly do whose rule of life is the Ten Commandments is to keep from violating these commandments. But if Christ is our life, if "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made [us]free from the law of sin and death" (Rom. 8:2), then not only will the righteousness of the law be fulfilled in us (8:4), but we will manifest the fruit of the Spirit_"love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance" (Gal. 5:22,23)_as well, which go far beyond the deeds of the law.
Thus, the power and motivation for living a holy life comes from having our eyes of faith, our hearts, our minds fixed on Christ who lived here on earth as our pattern and example (Phil. 2:5-8; 1 Pet. 2:21-23), died as our substitute (1 Pet. 3:18), was raised as our justifier (Rom. 4:25), lives now in heaven as our merciful high priest (Heb. 4:14-16), and is coming for us as our bridegroom (Matt. 25:6; Rev. 19:7,8). However, the basic principles and instructions for that holy life are found in the Scriptures, including the Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, and the many precepts found in the New Testament Epistles. It would be folly to think that one could become a great composer simply by listening to recordings of works by other great composers and not ever learning how to read music or the basic principles of melody, harmony, rhythm, and dynamics. Just so, it would be folly for a believer to think that he could live a holy life simply by trying to think about God and meditate upon the person and work of Christ while remaining totally ignorant of the instruction for right behavior and holy living given in God’s Word.
The more we become aware of God’s instructions for us through our study of the Scriptures, the more easily the indwelling Holy Spirit can witness to our spirits as to areas in our lives that are not yet conformed to the image of Christ. Therefore, the purpose of this series of articles is to help increase the awareness of our readers of the instruction given in the Word concerning various areas of behavior toward God and toward our fellow man. Many of these instructions fit into the outline provided by the so-called "Ten Commandments" (Deut. 4:13). Thus, in these articles we are following the basic outline provided by the Ten Commandments and then bringing in additional scriptures in both the Old and New Testaments that build upon, amplify, and illustrate the basic theme.
The seventh commandment, "Thou shalt not commit adultery" (Exod. 20:14), like the others, seems very simple and straightforward on the surface, but is found, when other scriptures are brought in, to have many ramifications. This commandment basically is directed toward those who are living with or behaving toward one of the opposite sex as if they were married, when that is not so. If this is the case with one who is married to another, it is termed "adultery." The term "fornication" is more commonly used in Scripture if it involves those who are not married; also "fornication" is often used in the New Testament as a more general term that includes both married and unmarried persons who commit sexual sin.
Warnings against adultery or fornication are frequent in the New Testament:
"Be not deceived:neither fornicators, . . . nor adulterers, . . . shall inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Cor. 6:9,10).
"Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body" (1 Cor. 6:18).
"To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband" (1 Cor. 7:2).
"But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints" (Eph. 5:3).
"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth:fornication, uncleanness, . . ." (Col. 3:5).
"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication" (1 Thess. 4:3).
"Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled; but [fornicators] and adulterers God will judge" (Heb. 13:4).
For additional examples, see Acts 15:20,29; 21:25; Rom. 13:9; 1 Cor. 5; 1 Cor. 10:8; 2 Cor. 12:21; Gal. 5:19; Jas. 2:11.
Under the Old Testament law, the punishment for committing adultery was death:"The man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, … the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. And the man that lieth with his father’s wife, . . . both of them shall surely be put to death" (Lev. 20:10-12).
While the death sentence was not always carried out for cases of adultery, King Solomon pointed out the particular reproach connected with this sin:"Men do not despise a thief if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry. . . . But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding; he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. A wound and a dishonor shall he get and his reproach shall not be wiped away" (Prov. 6:30-33).
In the New Testament, for the believer in Christ, the death penalty for adultery is replaced by discipline carried out upon the sinner by the members of the local assembly of believers. In 1 Cor. 5 we read of a man in the assembly of believers at Corinth who was committing fornication with his father’s wife. The assembly was enjoined by the apostle Paul "to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus," or in other words, "Put away from among yourselves that wicked person" (1 Cor. 5:5,13). The purpose and goal of such disciplinary action was to help the sinner realize how much he had been dishonoring God and behaving like an unbeliever and thus, it was hoped, result in his restoration of communion with the Lord and thence his restoration to the assembly. In the case of the man of Corinth, such restoration did occur, praise God, as we find recorded in chapters 2 and 7 of 2 Corinthians.
In the present day and age, when a great many moral values are being discarded as out of date, it is common among some people to experiment with sex. The public has been hoodwinked by television, movies, magazines, newspapers, and novels into believing that premarital sexual experimentation is the normal thing to do_and thus, by implication, the right thing to do. It has become such a common thing that even young believers in Christ are sometimes surprised to find that the Bible forbids it. And even if some are able to resist the pressures and temptations to engage in sexual activity within casual relationships and friendships, they may not be prepared to resist the additional temptations present while "going steady" or while preparing for marriage during an engagement period. It may even be argued by some, "What harm can it do? We are planning to get married anyway." In addition to the many scriptures already referred to forbidding fornication, we note in Deut. 22:13-21 that it was expected of young women that they should enter into the marriage relationship as virgins. (And we can be sure that the intent of Scripture is that the young men should enter into marriage as virgins as well.)
Mary could never have been chosen as the mother of the Messiah if she had been influenced by the thinking that characterizes the world today_and is influencing many Christians as well_that if two people are in love or engaged to be married, then any degree of physical demonstration of their love is acceptable. God honored Mary’s purity and He will honor all young men and women who wish to please Him by remaining virgins until marriage by helping them to achieve truly happy marriages.
As a further scriptural evidence against premarital sexual activity, consider the apostle Paul’s words to the church at Corinth:"I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ" (2 Cor. 11:2). Marriage is a type of the union between Christ and His Church (Eph. 5). This "Church age" is actually the Church’s engagement period; the marriage ceremony will not take place until after Christ comes to raise up the Church to Himself in the "rapture" (1 Thess. 4:13-18; Rev. 19:7). Just as the Church is to be presented as a chaste virgin to Christ, our Bridegroom, so it is beautiful and pleasing to God when a Christian couple enters into marriage as virgins.
This topic will be continued, Lord willing, in the next couple of issues with a consideration of committing adultery in one’s heart, divorce, homosexuality, and, on a more positive note, elements of a happy marriage.