The Positive Side Of The Ten Commandments: The Seventh Commandment Series

SEVENTH COMMANDMENT

"You shall not commit adultery” (Ex. 20:14, NKJV).

God does not have a Commandment about worshipping Him in a temple or sanctuary. He planned to live in the body of His people. He wants to be glorified in their body and carry out His ministry through them.

A. WHAT DOES GOD SAY ABOUT YOUR BODY?

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the

Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and

ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price:

therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit,

which are God’s” (I Cor. 6:19:20).

1. You invite Christ in your life at salvation. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become the children of God” (John 1:12). “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27).

2. Your body becomes His sanctuary. “You are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you” (I Cor. 3:16).

3. You must keep your body/temple holy. “If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (I Cor. 3:17).

4. You do not have the right to do what you want with your body. “Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit . . . you are not your own” (I Cor. 6:19).

5. You must keep your body from sexual immorality. “Do you not know that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! . . . Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is without the body; but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his body” (I Cor. 6:15-18).

B. WHAT IS A SANCTUARY?

1. God lives in a sanctuary; it is a place where you find the presence of God. “Make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them” (Ex. 25:8).

2. A sanctuary is a place of worship. “Praise God in the sanctuary” (Psa. 150:1). “Lift up your hands in the sanctuary” (Psa. 134:2).

3. A sanctuary is characterized by God’s attributes. “Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary” (Psa. 96:6).

a. What strength do you have for God?

b. What beauty do you have for God?

C. WHY IS MARRIAGE A GOOD THING?

1. People need partnership. “But for Adam there was not found a helper (helpmeet) compatible for him” (Gen. 2:20).

2. For physical intimacy. “They (the two) shall be one (flesh)” (Gen. 2:24).

3. To give children a loving secure home. “This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh” (Gen. 2:23).

4. To give pleasure (i.e., The Song of Solomon).

5. Keeps people from sinning against God. “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled: for fornication and adulterers, God will judge” (Heb. 13:4).

D. WHAT DOES ADULTERY INCLUDE?

1. Willful sexual intercourse with someone other than one’s husband or wife.

2. The cultivation of lust. “Whosoever looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt. 5:28).

3. Adultery also includes the sexual sins of rape, homosexuality, incest, and/or sexual abuse of a child.

4. Single sexual partners. “The bed is undefiled . . . but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Heb. 13:4). Paul mentions fornication first in list of sins (I Cor. 5:11; Col. 3:5).

E. WHY IS ADULTERY WRONG?

1. Your relationship with your spouse is based on your relationship to God. “God is the unseen guest at every meal.” When you violate your relationship with your spouse, you violate your relationship to God.

2. You break your promise to be faithful. A character issue.

3. You produce children without a proper home, love, or godly example.

4. You destroy your spiritual life.

5. You expose yourself to disease.

6. Tremendous burden on society. How much does sexual unfaithfulness cost you in tax money?

F. SUMMARY/TAKE AWAY

The Seventh Commandment is about consecrating your body as a sanctuary to God. It is about being faithful to God, to your mate, yourself, your children, and society.

If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:

Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.