Sexuality and the Sanctity of Marriage

Text: Exodus 20:14

Why is adultery so serious?

• A married person belongs to someone else.
• Adultery is an act of brutal violence against a family.
• Adultery is a desecration of the gospel.
• The cost is great.

How does Jesus interpret this command?

1. Adultery is an issue of the heart.
2. It is a serious issue with eternal consequences.
3. It demands radical intervention.

See Matthew 5:31-32, Mark 10:11-12, Luke 16:18, 1 Corinthians 7:10-11.

Heidelberg Catechism

Q. Does God, in this commandment, forbid only such scandalous sins as adultery?

A. We are temples of the Holy Spirit, body and soul, and God wants both to be kept clean and holy. That is why God forbids all unchaste actions, looks, talk, thoughts, or desires,1 and whatever may incite someone to them.

How can we pursue holy sexuality?

1. Keep your distance (Prov 5:8, Eph 5:3-4)
2. Guard your eyes (2 Peter 2:14, Job 31:1)
3. Establish emotional boundaries (1 Timothy 5:1-2)
4. Maintain an active, disciplined life (Ez 16:49, 2 Samuel 11:1-4)
5. Consider the consequences (Prov 2:19, 7:21-23)
6. Confess your sins and struggles (James 5:16a)
7. Get married (Prov 5:15-18, 1 Cor 7:2)

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