The Seventh Commandment
Why is adultery so serious to God? Because marriage is far more than most people realize.
The Seventh Commandment
Exodus 20:14
“You shall not commit adultery.”
The seventh commandment is about faithfulness and loyalty in marriage. These are two of the most important characteristics of our Creator. Unfortunately, they hold little value in the culture around us.
Jesus had much to say about adultery. He taught that it is not only a physical act of unfaithfulness but also a matter of the heart—when we entertain thoughts of infidelity, we are already unfaithful. Adultery is ultimately an issue of love and commitment. Yet, as always, Jesus responded with compassion toward those who were guilty. In John 8:1–11, He saved a woman caught in the very act of adultery from a mob execution.
Adultery is, above all, an offense against God. While human partners suffer the immediate pain of betrayal, God Himself takes personal offense. In Psalm 51, David confessed his own sin of adultery and prayed for forgiveness:
Psalm 51:3–4
“For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned…”
Why is adultery so serious to God? Because marriage is far more than most people realize. We don’t marry merely for convenience or financial sense. Marriage is a divine covenant instituted by God that reflects His very nature. It is patterned after what we see in heaven.
Marriage models headship, submission, and obedience. These qualities are displayed perfectly in the relationship of God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Adultery, then, is far more than “cheating on a spouse.” It is rebellion against God’s plan and a rejection of God Himself.
Our society has little respect for faithfulness and loyalty. If we take an honest look at the state of our world, we see that the consequences of this disregard have been catastrophic. The family unit—the foundational building block of God’s design—has crumbled, and society reels in its wake. We need a renewed, biblical view of marriage and faithfulness. That is how God designed us to flourish.
Mark 10:8
“And the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh.”
