Bible Studies
We Have All Been Involved In Spiritual Adultery
Part Two
Continued from Part One...
This doesn’t mean that advancing disciples are not to engage in secular activities or that advancing disciples are not to experience any of the wholesome things that the human environment here in Earth has to offer.
In fact, it is in the very midst of these activities that we are to be Christ’s ambassadors (2Cor. 5: 20). An ambassador is one who officially represents and speaks for another kingdom while posted in a foreign land. To be faithful, an ambassador must learn what the policies are of the Kingdom that he/she represents.
Every born again believer has been “commissioned” (Matt. 28: 19, 20) to represent and speak for the Kingdom of God while posted here in the devil’s world (Luke 4: 6).
No advancing disciple should need to be told what is right and what is wrong. We may not (yet) have the precise theological term on hand, but we all know when we are involved in doing something that is essentially wrong. When we choose to do what we know in our hearts of hearts that is essentially wrong, we are being unfaithful to God. Unfaithfulness to God in any form amounts to spiritual adultery.
Fortunately enough for us, God remains faithful to us even when we are unfaithful to him (2Tim. 2: 13). But if we are to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant… (Matt. 25: 23 KJV),” we had better get our act (post salvation spiritual life) together.
Jesus summed up the Commandments pertaining to faithfulness on the human side of the relationship when was asked by a lawyer (Matt. 22: 35 NASB) what the great commandment was.
“And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind (Matt. 22: 37).”
There are different types and definitions for love, but there is one way that love can be measured. True love is measured by the degree in which one is willing to make self sacrifice in order to favor the object of one’s love.
Jesus taught that the one loves Him would be the one that keeps His Commandments (John 14: 15).
On the Divine side of the relationship we have the assurance that even when we are unfaithful to God, He remains faithful to us (2Tim. 2: 13).
“If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself (2Tim. 2: 13 NASB).”
Some have a hard time with this verse, in light of the preceding verse (2Tim. 2: 12) that teaches us that if we deny Him He will deny us. The denial being spoken of in vs. 12 refers to one of the privileges that Church Age disciples will have when it comes to reigning with Him in the millennial kingdom (Rev. 20: 6). The denial being spoken of in verse 13 (that cannot take place) refers to salvation.
All Church Age, born again believers have eternal life and will be present with the Lord (2Cor. 5: 8/1Thess 4: 17), but not all born again believers will receive the rewards and privileges associated with discipleship (1Cor. 3: 15).
To take away one’s salvation would be to deny the atoning work that took place on the cross.
God not only desires for us to be with Him in Heaven, He desires for us to be in fellowship (2Cor. 13: 14) with Him while we are here on Earth.
But since He cannot even look (with approval) upon sin (Habakkuk 1: 13), He is “… faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1John. 1: 9).”
Without ongoing forgiveness no relationship can endure. Post salvation forgiveness is NOT for purpose of restoring salvation. It is for the purpose of restoring fellowship (2Cor. 13: 14) with God so that one can move forward in the post salvation spiritual life.
When our adulterous desires for other things, be it ourselves, other people, or other things (Luke 14:26) exceed our desire for God and/or the things of God, we have crossed the line and have entered into the realm of spiritual adultery.
If what we desire is contrary to what God requires or prohibits, it is a matter of disobedience. Disobedience is always an expression of faithfulness towards God.
When the desired things would otherwise be legitimate, spiritual adultery can enter the picture if we prioritize such things above God and/or the things of God. In doing so, the born again believer has abandoned his/her first love (Rev. 2: 4) and have roused the divine jealousy of God (Isa. 42: 8).
Marital adultery can place one is the “dog house.” When involved in spiritual adultery, we are out of fellowship with God.
The length of time that these periods out of fellowship with God last is a choice that we make. These periods of time spend out of fellowship with God can be as brief as the time it takes to confess (1John 1: 9) the sin. On the other hand, if a known sin is never confessed, the time out of fellowship can last for as long as the rest of one’s post salvation spiritual life here on Earth.
Unlike the confessionals that the traditions of men have established, there are no clergy or third parties in the confessional that God created. The confessional that God created is open 24/7.
There are no other means other than confession (to God) through which a born again believer can re-establish fellowship with God. The unfulfilled need to make peace with God is a clear sign that there is a need for such a confession to take place.
There is something seriously wrong in the post salvation spiritual life of a born again believer that chooses his/her spiritually adulterous situation over a desire to be in fellowship with God. We can have either one, but not both. The one that believes he/she can has been deceived.
One can live in the seasonal pleasure and relative comfort that ignorance, denial, or rejection can offer (for a season), but an advancing disciple will not experience the peace that comes along with being in fellowship with God.
Confessing (1John 1: 9), but then not forsaking (John 8: 11) the same sin from that point forward will result in one spending much of his post salvation spiritual life going around and around in a revolving door, going in and out of fellowship with God, but never moving forward.
If one is not moving forward, he is sliding backwards like a car stuck in the mud. The more attempts to address known sin by unproductive measures, the faster we may spin our wheels, but to no avail.
We have all been, are now, or will (in the future) be guilty of spiritual adultery as a result of what we think, do, or fail to do. We all commit acts of adulterous acts of disobedience. It matters not which one (James 2: 10), as they all place us in the same stinking, sinking boat.
We all get our priorities out of order from time to time; abandoning what should be our first love (Rev. 2:4).
There is a silver lining around this ominous cloud.
In His grace He remains faithful to us when we are unfaithful to him (2Tim. 2: 13). He has provided us with the means (1John 1:9/John 8: 11) to address our spiritual infidelity, and the opportunity to then move forward in our relationship with Him.
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
This article has been read 313 times < Previous | Next >
Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.