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Introduction

A recent survey indicated that 66% of the American men and 50% of the American women had been unfaithful to their spouses. C.M. Ward once told me that if there a 100 people in a congregation, the chances are that someone in that congregation is sleeping with someone else's spouse. I hope that makes you uncomfortable. It does me! I am certain that there are those here today who need this message. Though it may sound like a message of doom…it is actually a message of hope. Stay tuned!

I. "Adultery" Vs. "Fornication"

A. Adultery (moichos) "one who has unlawful intercourse with the spouse of another" (Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words) Always refers to extra-marital sex.

B. Fornication (porneia) "one who engages in illicit sexual intercourse" (Vine's)

Usually refers to unmarried sex, but some-times used for extra-marital sex

II. What makes it wrong?

A. It is a sin against a Holy God

1. Exodus 20 – One of the Ten Commandments (millions of laws have been written, but God distilled them down to only ten)

2. Matt. 19:18 Jesus repeated this commandment, validating it for our time.

B. It is a sin against your partner's spouse

1. Exodus 20:17 "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife…"

2. You have stolen from him

3. Nathan likened it to stealing the farmer’s most precious ewe lamb

4. You will bring pain to that entire family

C. It is a sin against your partner in sin:

1. Mark. 10:11 and Luke 16:18 make it plain that if you engage in sexual activity

with someone you cause them to sin too.

2. Matthew 18:6 "…millstone…one who causes another to stumble…"

3. If it leads to divorce and remarriage, you will never have God's blessings upon

your next marriage.

D. It is a sin against your spouse & family

1. You gave away that which was not yours I Corinthians 7 "..your body is not your own.."

2. You shattered your testimony to your own children, et. al. (a stumbling block?)

3. You betrayed a trust relationship with your spouse

4. You broke a three-way covenant with God, your spouse and yourself

5. You brought damnation to yourself.

E. It is a sin against your own body: I Corinthians 6:18 (Read!)

1. With STD's on the increase, especial significance

2. AIDS epidemic, you have sex with every person your mate has had sex with! Endanger your spouse.

III. How to defend yourself against temptation

A. Don't allow your eyes & mind to wander

B. Don't allow yourself to get into situations where temptation exists (n.b. Joseph)

C. Don't flirt or respond to flirting

D. Don't allow sexual electricity to flow

E. Avoid direct eye contact with someone who stirs your emotions

F. Shy away from business lunches as a pair

G. If you look forward to a meeting, something is wrong!

IV. What to do if you are guilty?

A. Don't tell your spouse! Unless AIDS possibility is a factor. It isn't fair to him/her to dump your pain on them. (exception: if you know they will find out, better

from you than someone else)

B. If you need to confess to someone, come to your pastor.

C. Adultery is not an unpardonable sin: John 8:3

D. Break off the relationship: ("sin no more")

E. Repent: Ask God's forgiveness

V. Invitation

Whole congregation to pray a prayer of repentance. If you are not guilty, then pretend that you are leading the guilty one in a prayer of repentance. Make these words your words.

Taken from Dr. Arnold Lastinger's Sermon Notes CD