Infidelity – From Nightmare to Norm

Infidelity (or cheating) has been defined as a breach of the expectation of sexual exclusivity. Infidelity may involve physical or emotional intimacy with another, other than one’s spouse. In the past, infidelity was mainly attributed to the male sex, but nowadays, it seems women are becoming guiltier of the act. Infidelity has plagued marriages so much that people have accepted it as inevitable.

Is infidelity truly an inevitable act? Or are men and women like dogs who act impulsively rather than exercise self-control. Jude 1:18 states “how they told you that there would be mockers in the last days who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts”.  Galatians 5: 22-23 states  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law”.

I have heard many reasons why men/women cheat on their spouses. Some say they feel neglected, others low self-esteem, some went seeking for excitement as their spouses no longer excited them, some claim they fell out love, while others have married their careers and have no time for their partner. Maybe these excuses are valid, but Matthew 6:21 states “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”. Many adulterers have a reason for their actions, and the other person is usually always the problem. However, in the world today people no longer need a reason to be unfaithful to their spouse. A married man once approached me and when I mentioned the fact he was married, he said that did not matter. Single men/women shamelessly maintain relationships with married  women/men and society has come to accept it as a norm. In some cases, the other spouse is aware and accepts it as his/her fate.

The world has made infidelity look normal, you watch a movie where an adulterous relationship is made to look romantic, before long you find yourself saying, “awww how cute” or you suggest that she/he should divorce their spouse. No matter what excuse you have for committing adultery, the Bible clearly has a message for adulterers.

Hebrews 13:4 states “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge”.

Ephesians 5:5 states “For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God”.

Galatians 5: 19-21 states “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God”.

Galatians 6: 7-8 states “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life”.

Rather than make excuses for lack of self-control, pray for God’s assistance that He may restore and flourish your marriage. Divorce is certainly not an option as Mark 10: 11-12 states   “So He said to them, whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery”.

Take one more look at the picture above; are you a dog or a child of God?

2 Corinthians 13: 5 advises “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified”.