Ten Commandments, Seventh Command

You shall not commit adultery. Exodus 20:14 NIV

We, as a society, no longer place a value on life. I know I should have included this comment along with the thoughts on the sixth commandment not to murder, but it fits here as well. When you commit the sin of adultery, even adultery of the heart, you are de-valuing the other person and yourself. You are essentially saying, “I’m cheap, my life is worthless”, or, as the case may be, you are saying, “You’re cheap, and I’m going to take advantage of you.”

There was a day when women were respected. Men opened the door for them, stood up when they entered a room, and stood outside in the rain so a lady could enter a building first. The desire of a man was to care for his wife, and this caused a wife to respect and admire her husband. Roles were defined clearly and no one argued about them.

Please understand, I am not living in the dark days, longing for a return to a day when women had no place in business, politics, or even the church. I am not advocating dictatorship for the male species. Far to the contrary, I am pushing for a Biblical example of relationships between males and females. You may not know something. I t is certainly not taught by the media these days. Here is a little secret: (promise not to tell?) Boys and girls are different!

The seventh commandment is broken when we fail to see the importance God places on us as individuals, on our marriages, on our sex lives. God desires for us to be pure, and this, according to His word, can be accomplished only through the marriage relationship.

Look around today. You will surely see some of the beautiful people God has created. (I know how to admire beauty.) Recognize that they are more than animals. They are creations from a living God, creations in which God has placed His spirit. They were created in His image and were important enough for Him to send His Son to the cross.