Adultery: the opposite of love

Adultery

We usually think the opposite of love is hate. And there is plenty of scripture that defends that position.

Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

When the prophets talk about adultery, it is frequently in the context of rejection of God.

Jeremiah 3:6-9 During the reign of King Josiah, the LORD said to me, "Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every spreading tree and has committed adultery there. ... I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery. Because Israel's immorality mattered so little to her, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stone and wood.

Jeremiah 5:7 "Why should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken me and sworn by gods that are not gods. I supplied all their needs, yet they committed adultery and thronged to the houses of prostitutes.

Ezekiel 6:9 Then in the nations where they have been carried captive, those who escape will remember me-how I have been grieved by their adulterous hearts, which have turned away from me, and by their eyes, which have lusted after their idols. They will loathe themselves for the evil they have done and for all their detestable practices.

Ezekiel 16:32 "'You adulterous wife! You prefer strangers to your own husband!

Ezekiel 16:38 I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and who shed blood; I will bring upon you the blood vengeance of my wrath and jealous anger.

Ezekiel 23:37 for they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They committed adultery with their idols; they even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to me, as food for them.

Ezekiel 23:45 But righteous men will sentence them to the punishment of women who commit adultery and shed blood, because they are adulterous and blood is on their hands.

Revelation 14:8 A second angel followed and said, "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries."

Revelation 17:2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries."

Revelation 18:3 For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries."

Revelation 18:9 "When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her.

Is it possible that the opposite of love is adultery? Is it possible that adultery has more to do with hatred and rejection than it does with "falling in love with someone else" or being seduced? Maybe the better understanding of the term adultery is the conscious rejection of love for something, maybe anything else.

James 4:4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

ADULTERY - SEXUAL IMMORALITY IS SIN AGAINST SELF

Leviticus 20:10 "'If a man commits adultery with another man's wife — with the wife of his neighbor — both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.

Normally, when the topic of adultery comes up, the topic of sexual sin must come up because adultery is directly related to sexual infidelity. And that type of sin almost seems to be more destructive than others -- if possible.

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

Though connected, adultery seems to be more than just sexual sin. There seems to be implied in the act, a rejection of true love of "youth." A symptom of adultery may be sexual in nature, but the act of adultery may be quite different.

Jeremiah 2:2 "'I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert, through a land not sown. This is rebellion and rejection.

Malachi 2:13-16 Another thing you do: You flood the LORD's altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. 14 You ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth , because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.

15 Has not [the LORD] made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth .

16 "I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel, "and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with his garment," says the LORD Almighty.

So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.

The topic is "broken faith" and "wife of your youth." This is a covenant thing with a united flesh and spirit. Adultery tears that apart -- breaks faith. This has to do with rejection.

The Apostle Paul warned about rejection in the normal Christian marital relationship. There is a risk and Christians who are Christians are at risk. If a husband and wife are one in spirit, that marital relationship is critical as a Christian.

1 Corinthians 7:2-5 But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer . Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Is "depriving" a form of rejection? This is a basic marital relationship that drive men and women seduce with. Much to the dismay of many in the church, the Apostle seems to think that it is important. If this writing is inspired by the Holy Spirit, than apparently the Holy Spirit is also concerned about marital relations and this "depriving" thing. Apparently, "depriving" is only for the purpose of prayer by mutual consent, not punishment or convenience or power. And there is a spiritual relationship because this depriving thing invites Satan to tempt. To tempt with what? Immorality. When does the adultery occur? When does the rejection occur? When does immorality occur? Would the sit-coms on TV be as funny if the actor or actress said, "Not tonight dear, if its okay with you, I would like to pray." The laugh-track would be hilarious.

When Jesus made lists of sins, He sometimes separated "adultery" from "sexual immorality."

Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

Mark 7:21 For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,

A symptom of adultery is sexual, but the adultery is first the rejection; it is first BROKEN FAITH. One could say in our lustfully oriented society that if you are even looking, the evidence of "broken faith" is apparent -- about to burst out –ready to bloom. What did Jesus say?

Matthew 5:27-28 You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Job 31:1 "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl.

This is after his wife had rejected him because of his breath and all the disasters, and then said to him, "Why don’t you curse God and die." How’s that for rejection? "Not tonight dear, you’ve got boils."

Adultery is the opposite of love and is the rejection of your first love.

THE PERSON OF ADULTERY - DAVID

David forgot that vow with his eyes and went up on the roof. Bathsheba was bathing where she shouldn’t be. Both had mates. But Uriah also "deprived" his wife. It was demonstrated later that his career and soldiers were more important to him than his wife. David was just messed up with lust. Unfaithfulness and murder resulted. The prophet came in.

2 Samuel 12:7-10 Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. 9 Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.'

But David also recognized what he had done and Psalm 51 shows us how to repent. Notice the plea for restoration from David’s conscious rejection.

Psalms 51:11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Adultery is rejection -- the opposite of love.

THE PROVERBS OF ADULTERY

Another son of Bathsheba and David was Solomon. Even with all his problems with women, there was a certain wisdom about adultery.

Proverbs 2:16 It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words,

Proverbs 5:3 For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil;

Proverbs 5:20 Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another man's wife?

Proverbs 6:26 for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.

Proverbs 6:32 But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.

Proverbs 7:5 they will keep you from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words.

Proverbs 22:14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the LORD's wrath will fall into it.

Proverbs 30:20 "This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, 'I've done nothing wrong.'

ADULTERY IS THE EXAMPLE IN US OF REJECTION OF GOD

God cares about our marriages. The Apostle Paul used marriage as the example of the relationship between Christ and the church. But so did Jesus. And so did the prophets before. And so does John in Revelation.

Our marriage should be a living example in us of what our relationship of love is supposed to be with God. Only marriage comes close. That is one of the reasons God hates divorce. That example -- that picture -- that divorce or joke of annulment is not God’s love for us.

Marriage is a choice that is made. The love in that marriage is a choice. The love of a child is not by choice so that example is less like the love of God for us and what our love for Him should be. When adultery enters into marriage, it is the rejection of our first love -- the opposite of love -- and God uses that reality to try and show us through the prophets how He feels.

THE BOOK OF ADULTERY - HOSEA

A prophet was told to do the outrageous: marry a wanton woman. We have all experienced rejection. From our first or early attempts at dating to the displeasure of our mates over something we have done, we have all experienced love-related rejection. God wants us to understand how He has been rejected. He wants us to recognized what adultery is at both levels: His and ours. If a man’s basic needs from his wife are met by approval, appreciation, and affection, then her rejection of him cancels all basic needs.

Adultery is the opposite of love. Rejection is the opposite of love.

Hosea 1:2-11 When the LORD began to speak through Hosea, the LORD said to him, "Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the LORD." 3 So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

4 Then the LORD said to Hosea, "Call him Jezreel, because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel. 5 In that day I will break Israel's bow in the Valley of Jezreel."

6 Gomer conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Then the LORD said to Hosea, "Call her Lo-Ruhamah, for I will no longer show love to the house of Israel, that I should at all forgive them. 7 Yet I will show love to the house of Judah; and I will save them-not by bow, sword or battle, or by horses and horsemen, but by the LORD their God."

8 After she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, Gomer had another son. 9 Then the LORD said, "Call him Lo-Ammi, for you are not my people, and I am not your God.

10 "Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.' 11 The people of Judah and the people of Israel will be reunited, and they will appoint one leader and will come up out of the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel.

Imagine being in Hosea’s shoes. This is the makings of a typical soap opera. He falls in love with Gomer and she has three children. Some question if the last child in particular, or any of them were actually conceived by Hosea because following this, Gomer’s nature come through. Her rejection of Hosea happens.

Hosea 2:4-5 I will not show my love to her children, because they are the children of adultery.

5 Their mother has been unfaithful and has conceived them in disgrace. She said, 'I will go after my lovers, who give me my food and my water, my wool and my linen, my oil and my drink.'

How’s that for rejection? How do you think Hosea felt? She would rather have food and clothing -- the luxuries of Babylon? How do you think God feels at your rejection of Him? Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Hosea 3:1-3 The LORD said to me, "Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes."

So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley. 3 Then I told her, "You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will live with you."

Hosea had married her -- wife of his youth. She rejected him.

Hosea then purchased her; bought her away from her rejection, from her unfaithfulness.

The prophet, through the eyes of his life and the inspiration of Holy Spirit, explains from God’s perspective. He explains adultery.

Hosea 4:1 Hear the word of the LORD, you Israelites, because the LORD has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: "There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land.

No faithfulness; no love; no acknowledgment of God. The opposite of love is adultery -- rejection of first love. The Israelites knew God and Gomer knew Hosea. Both rejected their love.

Hosea 6:1-3 "Come, let us return to the LORD.

He has torn us to pieces

but he will heal us;

he has injured us

but he will bind up our wounds.

2 After two days he will revive us;

on the third day he will restore us,

that we may live in his presence.

3 Let us acknowledge the LORD;

let us press on to acknowledge him.

As surely as the sun rises,

he will appear;

he will come to us like the winter rains,

like the spring rains that water the earth."

Contrary to the belief of a lot of Christian denominations and a lot of Christians, there is forgiveness for adultery. Psalm 51 shows us how. Hosea 6 shows us the what.

Hosea 14:1-2, 4 Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God. Your sins have been your downfall! 2 Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to him: "Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips. ..."I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.

Ezekiel 16:59-63 "'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will deal with you as you deserve, because you have despised my oath by breaking the covenant. 60 Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. 61 Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your sisters, both those who are older than you and those who are younger. I will give them to you as daughters, but not on the basis of my covenant with you. 62 So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the LORD. 63 Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign LORD.'"

THE CITY / NATION OF ADULTERY - BABYLON

Hebrews 13:4-5 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

When the writer of Hebrews brings up adultery and sexual immorality (two separate things), he also brings up "love of money." This ties in with the adultery of Babylon addressed in Revelation 17-18.

Revelation 14:8 A second angel followed and said, "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries ."

This "adultery" has to do with luxury.

Revelation 18:3 For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries . The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries."

The first love, God, was rejected. In place of Him is the adulterous relationship of the love of money. The nations fell into that behavior. They had rejected their provider, God, and decided to unite with Babylon. How can we relate to that rejection? How does God feel? The same way Hosea felt. The same way we have felt when rejected by our first love.

But we can restore that relationship with God? Can we restore that relationship with the mate of our youth? He has made a way through the sacrifice of Jesus who has purchased us, like Gomer was purchased. If he can forgive, can’t we forgive our spouse for rejection?

Romans 10:8-13 But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.