I want to pick up today where I left off yesterday and tackle a subject that could be titled- ‘spiritual adultery’. I think you will find this interesting and worth giving some prayerful thought and consideration to; and as always...ask the Holy Spirit to confirm any truth that may be discovered here.

James holds back no punches in his letter to the ‘brethren’ when he takes on the double-mindedness and hypocrisy that existed in the churches. He points out this tendency to ‘bless God’ in one breath and then ‘curse men’ with the same tongue, scolding them by saying “these things ought not to be so!” (3:10-12). His message is as clear as the one Jesus taught...good and bad fruit should not be coming from the same tree. ( Matt. 7:17-18)

As we read further on into chapter 4, James flat out calls them ‘adulteresses’ because of their love and friendship with the ‘world’. (4:4). Can I tell you that having a love and appreciation for God’s magnificent creation is not the point of focus here when he speaks about a friendship with the ‘world’. You might go underline 1 John 2:15-17 for clarification.

So now let’s take a look at Romans 7 where Paul, for the most part, uses a similar illustration that will really dress out this line of thought. And before I begin, let me mention to anyone reading here today that if you have been married, divorced, and then remarried while your first spouse is still alive...this portion of text is not trying to open any wounds from any painful chapters in your past, so take a deep breath and let’s not be afraid of what Gods’ word is trying to teach us here.

Chapters 6-8 in Romans has probably some of the clearest teachings as to what ‘walking in the newness of life as a new creation’ is all about, and how one achieves this. Sandwiched in-between 6 and 8, Paul begins by using a simple example that many who were familiar with God’s law pertaining to marriage might better understand what this ‘new creation’ should look like. He states that a woman who is married is ‘bound’ to her husband as long as he is alive.(7:2) There is an obligation to remain married ‘until death parts us’ as we often hear in wedding vows. Now, if the woman’s husband dies, she is ‘released from that obligation/law’ and is free to once again, remarry.

But...if she leaves her husband who remains alive, and then remarries, or joins herself to a new husband, she shall be called an ‘adulteress’, (3) and the reason is because her ‘old man’ is still alive. I hope you make a connection there with that ‘slang term’ for a spouse, and what you and I are commanded to ‘put to death’. (Rom. 6:6). Now...are you ready for this....?

When we ‘believers’ claim to be ‘married to Christ’ ...and our ‘old man’... continues to live, despite being told he was ‘crucified’ (or supposed to have been put to death), what are we in a sense.... guilty of? (Rom. 6:6; Gal. 5:24)

Do you see it?

How often do you hear ‘seasoned saints’ sheepishly chuckle how their ‘old man’ got the best of them and they acted out in an ‘un-Christ-like’ manner, as if that is some lame excuse for being in the ‘flesh’? What is wrong with this picture? To quote James, once again....”Brethren... these things ought not to be so!” (3:10)

And for what it’s worth – If you have been married only once to the same person for the past 20+ years, and you are not truly ‘abiding in Jesus’, can I just tell you that you are no better off than a person who is on their 4th marriage and has three living ‘exes’ while they themselves are not abiding in Jesus? Both have more pressing issues that need to be dealt with.