Adultery - What Is It?

by:
Jim Lisenby
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(This article on adultery replaces the old one that I wrote in 1999.)

If you are concerned that you, your spouse, or someone you know has committed adultery; or if you think that you are living in adultery because you or your mate have been divorced and remarried, this lesson is for you. Something is amiss with the accepted modern concept of adultery and the way it is treated today.

The purpose of this lesson is to challenge the modern concept of adultery from a Biblical perspective.

Notice that I said from a Biblical perspective. Don't confuse that with what the churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, or television evangelists teach us today. They aren't necessarily the same thing.

We'll start off by stating what adultery is commonly thought to be today, and that is:

A married person having sexual intercourse with someone other than their spouse.

For some western religions, cultures, and societies, there is an adjunct to this definition:

Any divorced person who has remarried is living in a continuous adulterous union.

Are these definitions Biblically correct? We are going to find out by going to the scriptures and examining the issue. Let's look at marriage and divorce first.

What was it like in Jesus day?

In general, it seems that the rules concerning marriage and divorce among the Jews 2,000 years ago were not applied to men like they were to women. For instance, under their Jewish customs and traditions the husbands could put away their wives, but not vice versa. Notice that I said under Jewish customs and traditions.

2,000 years ago Judea and the surrounding areas were occupied by the Romans and had been for about 50 years. Needless to say the Jews that lived there didn't like the situation and there were constant rebellions and uprisings against the Roman occupation, and even Jew against Jew. The Romans had to maintain strict control over the area on a continual basis which allowed only some autonomy for the Jews.

By that time the Romans, and most of the western world including the Jews, had adopted Greek cultural ideals. Hellenization was widespread and the western world was then, as it is now, underpinned by Hellenistic thinking. Therefore, Hellenistic cultural ideals influenced both the Roman and Jewish legal systems, and the application of their laws.

For instance, Jewish women were allowed to put away their husbands. Jesus confirmed that fact.

Mark 10:11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.

Mark 10:12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

Evidently Roman law allowed a woman to divorce her husband, and it is likely that some few Jewish women did that very thing. It is also very likely that they became social outcasts from Jewish society after doing it.

What did Jesus say concerning marriage and divorce?

Matt. 19:3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

Matt. 19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

Matt. 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

Matt. 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Matt. 19:7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

Matt. 19:8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

Matt. 19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

Based upon these scriptures who can deny that Jesus Christ did not favor divorce even though it was sanctioned under the Mosaic law?

What did Jesus say was an acceptable reason for divorce?

Now, let's zero in on verse 9 above and read it again. The word fornication here is referring to an acceptable reason for divorce. He also mentions adultery, but He clearly is using fornication and adultery in different ways here. Why? Because they are different things. Do you see it?

What is fornication?

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, gives the following definition.

for·ni·ca·tion (fôr'ni-ka?sh?n)

n. Sexual intercourse between partners who are not married to each other.

That's one definition of fornication all right, but it is somewhat limited in scope. Sexual immorality in general would define fornication better. Some teach that fornication here in Matt. 19:9 is speaking only of premarital sex on the part of the female, but it is more likely talking about marital infidelity.

Regardless of what you think that fornication means here in verse 9, it is clear that fornication and adultery were considered to be separate issues by Jesus. Another important thing to notice here is that He said that adultery can result from putting away, which means divorce in modern parlance.

Matthew 19:7 suggests that Jewish men were allowed to put away their wives under the Mosaic law, but the law also required that a writing of divorcement be given to her. Roman law also probably required it.

Jesus states in Matthew 19:8 that putting away their wives was allowed by Moses only because their hearts were not right, but notice that in the beginning it was not so. That same statement can apply to so many things today which we have altered to conform to the customs and mores of our society. So nothing has really changed from that day to this, has it? We still get divorced because of the hardness of our hearts. Jesus was not altering or doing away with the Mosaic law in any way here, rather He is supporting it.

Please understand also that Jesus was not condemning remarriage in Matthew 19:9. He was condemning the practice of Jewish men putting away their wives without just cause, because being put away was the primary reason that the women were forced to commit adultery.

God hates putting away! Look at what He said through Malachi in the Old Testament.

Mal. 2:14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

Mal. 2:15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

Mal. 2:16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

This verses from the second chapter of Malachi appear to be a strong condemnation of putting away and committing adultery, and they are indeed that. The Jews even then were doing things contrary to God's law and His wishes concerning marriage, divorce, and adultery. There is much more to these verses in Malachi than just putting away. We will return to Malachi a little later in the lesson.

What about the men? Could they commit adultery as well?

Matt. 19:9 Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

We have just discussed the first part of this verse and I hope that now you understand that there is a difference between fornication and adultery, and that the main cause for adultery among the Jewish women was divorce. But what about the part which applies to men committing adultery?

Under the law a man could put away his wife, and if he did he would give her a writing of divorcement. A woman in this situation would be free to remarry and not be guilty of anything contrary to the law, unless she remarried in violation of the law against adultery. That was true also for the Jewish men. They too could commit adultery if they married in violation of the rules against adultery.

Is adultery only related to marriage? No. Adultery can also be committed outside of marriage, and very often is. You will understand why shortly.

Now, what about the last clause of Matthew 19:9? On the surface it seems to condemn all men as adulterers who marry divorced women, but I can tell you confidently that is not the case. The only way anyone can commit adultery by marriage is to marry in violation of the law against adultery. True, the subject in the last clause of this verse is divorced Jewish women who remarry, and the men who marry them, but it is not a condemnation of divorced people remarrying except when they violate the rule against adultery.

As you may already know, Christ was vehemently opposed to the traditions of men that had been established by the religious and legal establishments of the Jews, and He dared to speak out against them. It was primarily for that reason, but also for other things as well, that certain of the Jews were always seeking to find something with which to accuse Him to the authorities. They were also trying to turn the people against Him on a continual basis, so here they brought up the touchy subject of divorce. It is likely that in those days some Jewish men were putting away their wives for selfish reasons, and Jesus was warning them that the practice created an environment wherein adultery was the result. That undoubtedly stepped on a few toes among the Jewish men in the crowd.

What was it like then for divorced women compared to today?

Not so much now in 2005, but I remember in my childhood 50 years ago how that a divorced person, especially a divorced woman, was really looked down upon. A divorced woman was like a fallen woman and some communities and societies would even shun them. It was not always easy for them to find someone and remarry, but things have changed now. They had to because over 50% of all marriages in the United States today end up in divorce proceedings eventually.

Today, single females with children, divorced or not, are provided some support and welfare in America. I assume that is true in other places as well. That may, or may not, have been true in Judea 2,000 years ago. Remember now, Judea and the surrounding areas were conquered and occupied by a foreign power and the majority of it's inhabitants were poor and needy. What would be the divorcee's alternatives then? She could possibly work for someone as a servant, be a burden to her family and friends, beg, become a harlot, or she could remarry.

These are not good choices overall. The most desirable thing would be to remarry but the sad truth is that in Christ's time in Judea a divorced woman may have had little chance of being remarried, especially to her own kind. Of course, her age, her beauty, her education, her position in society, her demeanor, her reputation, and other things as well all played into her chances of remarrying. Some were in a better position than others, just like today.

We are finally getting close to the truth about adultery.

Let's go to Luke 16 and look at a very important clue.

Luke 16:18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.

So, what is Jesus saying here? The answer is hidden the the word another. In Matthew 19:9 and Mark 10:11-12 the Greek word translated another is allos (Strong's No. 243) which simply means other or another. But in Luke 16:18 the translation of the word another is another matter (pun intended). The Greek word is not allos but heteros (Strong's No. 2087).

Luke was a physician who was very knowledgeable and skilled in the Greek language, including medical terms, and meant exactly what he wrote. He meant to write heteros. As an educated man he certainly would have known what heteros meant.

What does heteros mean?

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance says that heteros (No. 2087 in the Greek lexicon) means other, different, or strange.

Logos 2.0 Enhanced Strong's Lexicon gives one of its definitions as: 1b1) another: i.e. one not of the same nature, form, class, kind, different.

Remember these definitions. Another here can refer to a different kind, not just other or another.

In the English language, the noun adultery is derived from the verb to adulterate? The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition, gives the following definition of the verb to adulterate:

" To make impure by adding extraneous, improper, or inferior ingredients, to pollute."

So, when you think about these things the modern definition of adultery becomes suspect, and I am very doubtful that it is in accordance with the original intent of the seventh commandment.

God gave the law to Israel at Sinai, and Jesus upbraided the Jews for breaking it over 1,500 years later. They were divorcing their Jewish wives who of necessity, in all too many cases, remarried someone not of their same kind. That means that some of the divorced Jewish women were remarrying outside of Jewry in order to survive. That is what Jesus meant when he told the Jews that putting away their wives caused them to commit adultery.

Ancient Israel had been strictly forbidden to mix with the nations around them for two very good reasons. They were different genetically and they worshipped other gods. This is what God was angry about in the second chapter of Malachi. Study it with this thought in mind.

Mal. 2:15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

In this case in Malachi, God was angry at the Jews (actually Judah, Levi, and Benjamin) because they were intermarrying with the nations around them. They were committing adultery contrary to His law, and it threatened to adulterate the one seedline dedicated to produce the Messiah, a godly seed. God had given strict orders to Israel not to commit adultery with the nations around them.

Ex. 34:11 Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

Ex. 34:12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:

Ex. 34:13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:

Ex. 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

Ex. 34:15 Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;

Ex. 34:16 And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.

The original intent of the prohibition against adultery given to Moses at Sinai was that Israel should avoid mixing, or crossbreeding with the nations around them.

Intermarriage by Israel with the nations around them was strictly forbidden and was the subject of the so-called seventh commandment. It primarily was intended to protect the seedline of Israel, and hence that of the promised Messiah who was to come through Israel, and if kept, it would keep Israel from the likelihood of worshipping false gods.

Laws against adulterating were in force and effect from the beginning. God created us all the way He wanted us.

God created the people of Earth different one from another because it satisfied Him to do it that way. He loves all His children everywhere, especially if they honor and obey Him.

Gen. 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Gen. 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Gen. 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

Gen. 1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

Gen. 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Every thing also means everybody, every kind of people were very good. God liked everything just the way He had created it.

Adultery was the prime cause of two great catastrophes.

I strongly suggest that you read the first six chapters of Genesis now to familiarize yourself with what we are about to discuss.

The flood during the days of Noah.

God created all of the different kinds of people on the sixth day, except the Adamic people. He created Adam after He had rested on the seventh day. God loved all of the people He created and fully intended for all to thrive and populate the Earth. Exactly as He had made them! But the Adamic people, who were created for a very special reason, disobeyed God's natural law and mixed with the fallen angels. Yes! I mean exactly what I said! The descendants of Adam crossbred with another kind. Friends, that is the worst case scenario of adultery.

Gen. 6:1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

Men here should be translated Adam (Heb. ha adham - the man Adam) and in this case means the descendants of Adam. Same in verse 2 below. See notes in The Companion Bible at these verses and also Appendix 14 of that same book.

Gen. 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men (Adam) that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

The sons of God here are angels, fallen angels. Notice that they were crossbreeding with the female progeny of Adam. These were rogue angels and they were in open rebellion against the Creator by doing what they were doing. They were undoubtedly part of those that preferred Lucifer's way over God's way.

This first influx of rebellious angels may have happened as early as 500 years after Adam was created. That would put it during the early years of Jared, who was Enoch's father. Enoch was special, and he went on to fight against this evil adulterous practice of crossbreeding with the fallen angels, and their offspring, until he was removed from living among the children of Adam.

Genesis 5:23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:

Genesis 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

Nobody really knows what it means when the Bible says that God took Enoch, but it seems logical to me that God simply removed him, and his family, from living amongst the other descendants of Adam because of the possibility of corrupting their DNA. He was selected to be part of the early lineage of Messiah and that seedline could be protected from crossbreeding by their removal from the rest of Adam's offspring.

But who knows to a certainty what really happened to Enoch? One legend says that he was removed from the Earth and taken to someplace in Heaven. Another myth has him living in Eden, or at least somewhere higher up on a mountain in the environs of Eden.

Actually, that last idea isn't too far-fetched because it is entirely possible, and I think probable, that it was in the Tarim Basin in central Asia where the early Adamites lived. The Tarim Basin is like a bowl sitting amongst the Himalayas with tall mountains all around it. Ancient oriental traditions hold that the mythical *paradise is located somewhere in that area. Could the ancient legends concerning *paradise equate to the Biblical place called the Garden of Eden? Think about it.

( *Late note: I originally used the term Shangri-La here because it was familiar to almost everyone, but that name is not from ancient times so I changed it to paradise. Shangri-La is a modern term for paradise first used in James Hilton's novel entitled Lost Horizon which was published in 1933.)

Anyway, what was the result of all this crossbreeding between the descendants of Adam and the so-called fallen angels?

Gen. 6:4 There were giants (Heb. nephil, plural nephilim) in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

Nephilim were the result of angels crossbreeding with Adamic females. They were monsters physically, mentally, and morally. The word giants is translated from the Hebrew word nephil, or the plural form nephilim (Strong's No. 5303), which has its roots in the verb naphal (Strong's No. 5307). Naphal primarily means to fall, it also means to fail. These so-called giants were the fallen ones because they were the children of the fallen angels.

Gen. 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Gen. 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

Gen. 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

As a result of their adultery, the ill-bred descendants of Adam were all destroyed by a monstrous flood with the exception of Noah and his family. Why was Noah spared? Because he was perfect in his generations (genealogy), that is, his seedline was still pure Adamic.

Gen. 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

Gen. 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

Noah was evidently a fine individual with whom God was well pleased, but he and his family were spared primarily because their Adamic genes were not mixed with those of the fallen angels. Seeing that only he and his family were saved probably indicates that all of the other Adamic people, and there may have been millions of them by then, had corrupted genes. They or their ancestors had sexual contact with the fallen angels or their progeny.

Adultery destroyed them!

What happened to the fallen angels? Weren't they also punished?

Jude 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

They are imprisoned and awaiting their fate, miserably no doubt, at the lowest part of Hell. In Greek mythology it was a place called Tartarus, and it was the place where the Titans were imprisoned. It also is likely to be the place where Lucifer is required to remain at this time*.

[*Late note posted on 10/08/06: If we are truly living in the end time just before the second appearance of Messiah, then Lucifer, or Satan, may be living in human form on the Earth today. If that is the case, it is also likely that the rebellious fallen angels that side with him are also here in human form. Assuming that they are all here in human form, look for them to be powerful and respected figures among men.]

Why were Sodom and Gomorrha destroyed?

God gives a complete list of the sins of Sodom (including Gomorrha and the surrounding area) in Ezekiel 16.

Ezek. 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

Ezek. 16:50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.

Sound like anything that you see around you today? I think so. Now look what Jude had to say about Sodom and Gomorrha.

Jude 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Jude 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Notice the word strange in Jude 7 above. That word strange is also translated from the Greek word heteros just like the word another in Luke 16:18. One of the main reasons Sodom and Gommorha and the surrounding area was obliterated was for going after strange flesh, meaning other kinds.

Notice that Jude 6 and 7 are talking about angels. Angels are not men, they are another kind. Now, go back up to Genesis 6:4 and read it again. Notice in the second clause how it implies that there was a second influx of the fallen angels. When did that second irruption happen? Sometime after the flood, but not very long after. I believe that the giant bully Nimrod was the offspring of one of these fallen, rebellious angels, and many of those living in the environs of Sodom were also.

The people living in and around Sodom were just like the Adamites before the flood in Noah's day. They were corrupted with the DNA of some fallen angels and their offspring. There were giants in the land again. The last of them, Goliath and his brothers, were destroyed by David nearly a thousand years after Sodom and Gomorrha were incinerated. See my article, Sodom, Lot, And The End Of This Age.

Other adulterous acts with disastrous results.

Eve committed a very serious adulterous act when she allowed a magnificent cherub named Lucifer to seduce her in the Garden of Eden. Result? Expulsion from the Garden and the birth of a son who was the very personification of evil. Cain, son of the Devil himself, a liar and a murderer whose offspring are still with us today. They are the tares mentioned in Matthew 13. See my article, Who Are The Tares?.

Samson made a fatal adulterous mistake by lusting after and marrying the Philistine woman. Result? Capture and cruel bondage by the Philistines which ended in his death, and the death of thousands of others.

Judah got into a very sad adulterous mess by getting drunk and marrying a Canaanitish woman. Result? Marital discord and ultimately the death of the members of his mixed family. Christ was to come through Judah, and Judah so thoroughly messed it up to the point that his seedline had to continue through Tamar, his former daughter-in-law. See my article, Judah and Tamar.

The Jews (actually a group of people comprised mostly of the tribes of Judah, Levi, and Benjamin) sinned greatly by committing adultery during the time of the Babylonian captivity with tragic results. Please read Malachi 2, Ezra 9-10, and Nehemiah 13. There are too many verses to include them in this lesson, but you should read them on your own. It is well worth the time and effort. See how serious these great men considered the sin of the Jews mixing with the nations around them, and the sad results of their adultery.

The law against adultery existed before Sinai.

The law actually existed before Moses. It was not codified until Moses, but it was passed on from generation to generation by word of mouth. I am absolutely confident that all human beings created on the sixth day of creation, and also Adam and Eve later on the eighth day (theoretical), were instructed personally by the Creator concerning His law.

Abraham and Isaac lived hundreds of years before Moses and the giving of the law at Sinai, and they strictly shunned adultery. So the rule was in effect long before the law was given and codified. Consider the following verses carefully.

Gen. 24:1 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.

Gen. 24:2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

Gen. 24:3 And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:

Gen. 24:4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

Gen. 28:1 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.

Gen. 28:2 Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother.

Jacob did as his father Isaac requested but his fraternal twin brother Esau committed adultery. Result? Family grief then and now. Esau was the father of the Russian peoples.

Gen. 26:34 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:

Gen. 26:35 Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.

Rom. 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

God did not like Esau because of the things he did. He totally disregarded the wishes of his parents and he certainly did not obey God. It seems to me that Esau did not really believe in the God of his parents.

Laws against adulterating were in force throughout God's creation.

Lev. 19:19 Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.

Agriculturists and farmers regularly practice hybridization on a widespread basis in the interest of higher profits.

God was aware that man would be tempted to do things that would be harmful to him.

Prov. 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

He created us as highly intelligent beings and He gave us free moral agency, but He knew that our intelligence would be blunted by our carnal nature. The power of hormones over good sense is almost absolute, so He gave us laws to alert us to the dangers and to make us aware.

Psa. 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Rom. 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Ex. 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

That is the end of the teaching on adultery. You get the idea. Now, let's summarize.

God forbids adultery of any kind.

The original and primary intent of the rule against adultery was concerning hybridization.

God hates putting away, or divorce, without just cause.

God gave us His laws for our own good, and He gave them to all from the very beginning.

Regardless of what your concept of adultery may be after studying this lesson, if you think you are guilty of it, don't be become spiritually paralyzed and discouraged. Do something about it.

REPENT! Now hold on a minute! Don't let that old word spook you. Its not that hard. Like any other sin, you can only be guilty of adultery if you don't repent. People don't live in sin after they repent, they are forgiven.

How does one repent?

1) Realize your mistake and admit it to yourself.

2) Change your mind and set your heart not to do it again.

3) Mention it to our Father in Heaven, tell Him you regret it, ask Him to forgive it, and after that don't ever bring it up to Him again. He has forgiven and erased the sin from remembrance so don't weary Him by bringing it up again. God is just to forgive our sins as He has promised.

Adultery is not an unpardonable sin. It is very forgivable. Misguided, hardhearted men may not forgive, but our Father always will when we are sincerely repentant.

God bless with understanding of His word.