February 17, 2008

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 Scripture KJV

Reverend David S. Huffer

Westwood Baptist Church - 2124 Davis Road
 Waynesboro, VA

Ten Commandments #7

“The Wicked Bible”

Exodus 20:14

The 1631 edition of the KJV Bible became known as the “Wicked Bible” because of a typesetting error.

·      It seems that the word “not” was inadvertently left out of this verse

·      It then read “Thou shalt commit adultery”

DEAR FRIEND - That was over 365 years ago, but it would seem that our society is following that version when it comes to adultery.

·      May I go as far as to say that it is not only those who are spiritually ignorant who disregard God’s Seventh Commandment?

·      It seems that this has transcended all spiritual lines and we find that adultery is nearly as common among those who name the name of Christ as it is among those who do not

I grew up in a generation of “free love” and “open immorality.”

·      We have come a long way since then

·      We now understand that it wasn’t FREE at all!

·      There was and continues to be a price to pay for such immoral behavior

·      Now we are enlightened and in the “safe sex” generation

DEAR FRIEND – The problem is that we are still trying to do things our way instead of God’s way.

·      God’s answer to safe sex is marriage

·      Too this – many people will scoff and say that is old fashioned

·      Maybe so, but that doesn’t mean that it is wrong!

This commandment specifically addresses the sin of adultery.

·      By definition adultery is: “the violation of the marriage vow”

·      It is sexual unfaithfulness between a married person and someone else

Under Mosaic Law, when a couple was caught in the act of adultery, both partners were to be killed.

Deuteronomy 22:22 – "If a man is found lying with a woman married to a husband, then both of them shall die--the man that lay with the woman, and the woman; so you shall put away the evil from Israel.”

THE REASON FOR THE COMMAND

A. Adultery Plays Havoc With Personal, Domestic, and National Happiness

B. Note the Example of David - (2 Samuel 11)

·      David’s affair with Bathsheba led to a cover-up

·      Which was followed by the murder of Bathsheba’s husband

·      Nathan the prophet later came to David, accusing him of his sin

·      Declaring that because of his sin – violence would become the commonplace in David’s household

·      One disaster after another struck his family, including rape, murder, and revolt.

DEAR FRIEND – Remember God’s promise in Exodus 20:5 –“I will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations”

C. Adultery Reached Epidemic Proportions in Jeremiah’s Time

1.         The prophet repeatedly spoke out against this and other sins

Jeremiah 7:9 - "Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know…”

Jeremiah 23:10 – “For the land is full of adulterers; For because of a curse the land mourns. The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up. Their course of life is evil, And their might is not right.”

D.   The problem was so rampant that even the other prophets of Jerusalem were guilty of it.

Jeremiah 23:14 – “Also I have seen a horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem: They commit adultery and walk in lies; They also strengthen the hands of evildoers, So that no one turns back from his wickedness. All of them are like Sodom to Me, And her inhabitants like Gomorrah.”

E. Adultery Violates The Symbolism Of Marriage

The oneness or unity between a man and his wife is a picture of the relationship of God to the believer.

1. Paul admonishes husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church.

Ephesians 5:25 – “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her…”

1. When adultery is committed it destroys that oneness and it destroys the picture

Proverbs 6:32 – “Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul.”

OUR RESPONSE TO THE COMMAND

A. Absolute Obedience

1.         As with each of these commandments – God expects us to obey them

2.        It isn’t optional – Regardless of what society may be like

HEAR ME CHURCH - Sin is still sin!

·       Even if everyone is doing it

·       And right is still right no matter if no one is doing it!

B. Jesus Expanded the meaning of Adultery To Include the Cultivation of Lust

Matthew 5:28 – “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Once again – Jesus gets to the heart of the matter

·       Sin begins long before it is acted out

James 1:14-15 – “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

Note the progression of temptation:

1.         Lust first begins in our minds

2.        Sin is the action based on our thoughts

3.        Death is the result

DEAR FRIEND – Sin will always take you farther than you want to go ….keep you longer than you want to stay … and cost you more than you want to pay!

·       If you don’t believe that – ask someone who has committed adultery if it was all worth it.

C. Hope For The Guilty

1.         As always – God has made a provision for our sin

2.        Forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ is available to us all

Note the example of Jesus and the women:

the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?" This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

CLOSE

We have a Savior who can take all the broken pieces of our lives and hearts and put them right again.

·       Jesus did not treat the sin of adultery lightly here.

·       He forgave her and told her to go and sin no more!

·       Thou shalt not commit adultery.

DEAR FRIENDS – There is spiritual adultery as well.

·       We have come to Christ

·       We are His bride

·       He deserves all our attention

·       The problem with the church at Ephesus was that they has left their first love

·       Some have left the Lord for all sorts of reasons

·       But none will stand up before Him

COME HOME THIS MORNING!

If you have never been saved, come today and receive Christ.

·       He loves you and wants to see you saved today

If you are a believer who has grown cold in your love for Him:

·       Come today and renew your commitment to Him

Whatever your need – come this morning!

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