I’m a spiritual adulteress. As a true believer in Jesus Christ, I have committed spiritual adultery against the Lord many times. To admit that hurts my heart because I love the Lord and desire to live my life in honor to him.
In 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, the apostle Paul delivered an intense and sobering message to the church in Corinth. He used the bad example of Israel regarding their adulterous and idolatrous ways as a warning and picture of what to avoid. Paul was imploring the Corinthian church not to repeat Israel’s history.
To drive his message home, Paul visited the many ways in which Israel demonstrated their infidelity: ‘the people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.’ (praising idols instead of God) (verse 7); some engaged in sexual immorality and twenty-three thousand of them died (verse 8); some tested the Lord and were killed by snakes (verse 9); some complained and were killed by the destroying angel (verse 10). So, how much more do I deserve such punishment? The Lord would be completely justified in doing so when I complain, curse or demonstrate self-righteous anger, among other things.
The apostle James also speaks to this in saying, “but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.” (James 1:14). Boy, oh boy, am I enticed sometimes, and as God’s chosen one, like Israel, I fall out of alignment with my heavenly husband. Yet God, in his faithfulness, grace, and mercy doesn’t strike me down, though he should.
Instead, after my guilt-ridden tears and cries of repentance, he immediately ushers me into fellowship with him again and I’m restored. Scripture says my temptations aren’t uncommon (1 Corinthians 10:13) and God always provides a way out. I’m learning to fight to stay true to my heavenly bridegroom by looking for and taking those ways of escape.
More and more, I need to remain in the moment of today because my struggle for fidelity to Christ is a daily, intentional, and deliberate exercise. You and I must live to avoid evil things. Let us be encouraged to move closer to Christ each day instead of being tempted by the things that seem slight but, in fact, could lead into spiritual adultery against the Lord.
Lord Jesus, it hurts me to be unfaithful to you, especially when you're always faithful to me. I need you every moment of every day in order to be kept from the evil things in this world. Increase my strength to stand against that which attempts to entice me. Thank you. Glory be to you, Jesus. Amen.
Throughout This Day: Jesus loves you, even in those times of your unfaithfulness. Repent and confess your infidelity while praising him as he restores you unto himself.