The Beauty of Holiness - Part 1

Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: 

but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. 

Hebrews 13:4

When we are overcome; overtaken and willfully give in to sin, we cannot call our selves holy, let alone worship God in the beauty of holiness.

Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.  Psalms 29:2

There is much to say in the word of God regarding various acts of sin and how God feels about particular sins.  It begins in the Old Testament and is re-illustrated in the New.   God was very specific with the children of Israel when He instructed them to be holy even as He is holy:

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy. Leviticus 19:1-2

The question becomes, how can we be holy as God instructs us to be? Apostle Paul gives an illustration of various works of our flesh or sin nature that we should kill if we plan on residing eternally with God:

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21

These sinful acts are not of God and negate a lifestyle of holiness. God not only instructs us to be holy, but tells us to separate ourselves; to come out from among them. 

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.   2 Corinthians 6:17

Who are ‘them’? Those who are not holy; those who have lent themselves to the works of the flesh. 

Sometimes it makes it easier to be obedient to the will of God when we know; because we have read it for ourselves, not only those things that God would not have us do but His thoughts on those particular things.

Below is a brief look at one of the works of the flesh and how it causes us to disconnect from God:

Adultery

Adultery is sexual intercourse by a married person with someone who is not their spouse. One of the first ten commandments from God was: 

Thou shalt not commit adultery.  Exodus 20:14

√  When a person commits adultery he is sinning against his own soul: 

But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.   Proverbs 6:32

√  God judges those who commit adultery:

Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.   Hebrews 13:4

√  Those who commit adultery do not inherit the Kingdom of God: 

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.  1 Corinthians 6:9-10

  

Both Jesus and Apostle Paul repeated the commandment against adultery in the New Testament: 

Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother   Mark 10:19

For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  Romans 13:9

Jesus expanded the meaning of adultery to include evil sexual desires of the heart: 

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.   Matthew 5:27-28

Adultery also includes divorcing a mate and remarrying without Biblical cause: 

But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.   Matthew 5:32

And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.   Mark 10:11-12

√  Being in an adulterous situation breaks the friendship with God:

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4:4

This blog is the first in a series that discusses various sins that cause us to be in a disconnected relationship with God.

Join me tomorrow for a look at fornication, and other acts of sexual immorality. 

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