Adultery, Fornication, Blasphemy, Forgiveness

Key to colors Green is Authorized Version (KJV) And Blue is Bible in Basic English

Eze 35:12 And thou shalt know that I am the LORD, and that I have heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, They are laid desolate, they are given us to consume.

Eze 35:12 And you will see that I the Lord have had knowledge of all the bitter things which you have said against the mountains of Israel, saying, They have been made waste, they are given to us to take for our heritage.

Mt 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

Mt 15:19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, the taking of life, broken faith between the married, unclean desires of the flesh, taking of property, false witness, bitter words:

Mr 2:7 Why does this man say such things? he has no respect for God: from whom does forgiveness come but from God only?

Mr 28 'Verily I say to you, that all the sins shall be forgiven to the sons of men, and evil speakings with which they might speak evil,

Mr 28 Truly, I say to you, The sons of men will have forgiveness for all their sins and for all the evil words they say:

Mr 29 but whoever may speak evil in regard to the Holy Spirit hath not forgiveness--to the age, but is in danger of age-during judgment;'

Mr 29 But whoever says evil things against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but the evil he has done will be with him for ever:

Mr 30 because they said, 'He hath an unclean spirit.'

Mr 30 Because they said, He has an unclean spirit.

Lu 5:21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?

Lu 5:21 And the scribes and Pharisees were having an argument, saying, Who is this, who has no respect for God? who is able to give forgiveness for sins, but God only?

Re 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

Re 13:5 And there was given to him a mouth to say words of pride against God; and there was given to him authority to go on for forty-two months.

Adultery (Eastman's Bible Dictionary)

Conjugal infidelity. An adulterer was a man who had illicit intercourse with a married or a betrothed woman, and such a woman was an adulteress. Intercourse between a married man and an unmarried woman was fornication. Adultery was regarded as a great social wrong, as well as a great sin. The Mosaic law #Nu 5:11-31 prescribed that the suspected wife should be tried by the ordeal of the "water of jealousy." There is, however, no recorded instance of the application of this law. In subsequent times the Rabbis made various regulations with the view of discovering the guilty party, and of bringing about a divorce. It has been inferred from #Joh 8:1-11 that this sin became very common during the age preceding the destruction of Jerusalem. Idolatry, covetousness, and apostasy are spoken of as adultery spiritually #Jer 3:6,8,9 Eze 16:32 Ho 1:2:3 Re 2:22 An apostate church is an adulteress #Isa 1:21 Eze 23:4,7,37 and the Jews are styled "an adulterous generation" See Easton on FORNICATION 1376

In every form of it was sternly condemned by the Mosaic law #Le 21:9 #Le 19:29 De 22:20,21 23-29 23:18 Ex 22:16 See Easton on ADULTERY 109 But this word is more frequently used in a symbolical than in its ordinary sense. It frequently means a forsaking of God or a following after idols #Isa 1:2 Jer 2:20 Eze 16:1ff. #Ho 1:2 2:1-5 Jer 3:8,9 Adultery
Conjugal infidelity. An adulterer was a man who had illicit intercourse with a married or a betrothed woman, and such a woman was an adulteress. Intercourse between a married man and an unmarried woman was fornication. Adultery was regarded as a great social wrong, as well as a great sin. The Mosaic law #Nu 5:11-31 prescribed that the suspected wife should be tried by the ordeal of the "water of jealousy." There is, however, no recorded instance of the application of this law.

Ro 7:23 But I see another law in my body, working against the law of my mind, and making me the servant of the law of sin which is in my flesh.

See Easton on justification --
Forgiveness of sin (EASTON on justification is below)

One of the constituent parts of justification. In pardoning sin, God absolves the sinner from the condemnation of the law, and that on account of the work of Christ, i.e., he removes the guilt of sin, or the sinner's actual liability to eternal wrath on account of it. All sins are forgiven freely #Ac 5:31 13:38 1Jo 1:6-9 The sinner is by this act of grace forever freed from the guilt and penalty of his sins. This is the peculiar prerogative of God #Ps 130:4 Mr 2:5 It is offered to all in the gospel.

Ro 7:25 I give praise to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So with my mind I am a servant to the law of God, but with my flesh to the law of sin

Ro 7:25 I give praise to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So with my mind I am a servant to the law of God, but with my flesh to the law of sin.

Eph 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints ;

Eph 5:3 But evil acts of the flesh and all unclean things, or desire for others property, let it not even be named among you, as is right for saints;

Eph 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking , nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

Eph 5:4 And let there be no low behaviour, or foolish talk, or words said in sport, which are not right, but in place of them the giving of praise.

Eph 5:5 For this ye), that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Eph 5:5 Being certain of this, that no man who gives way to the passions of the flesh, no unclean person, or one who has desire for the property of others, or who gives worship to images, has any heritage in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Let's Investigate Closely

The subjects of adultery and fornication are closely linked, not only by definition but also, for the most part, "tradition."

The more simply or easily defined word, with Biblical accuracy is fornication. This word, properly defined includes every sort of deviant (improper), sexual activities. It includes lesbianism, homosexual activity, voyeurism, pedophile's activity, incest relationships and bestiality, and last but not least, adultery. As you can see, sexual deviation carries a long list, and does not necessarily have to be an adulterous situation. Adultery and fornication, as most people, and now tradition, have come to be linked. They should not be!

Adultery

The most common understanding by people today is that adultery must only be defined as illicit sexual activity when one or both of the people invoked, are married to a different partner. That is not necessarily the case, and listed in the Bible passages this study opened with, are some very interesting passages.

Mt 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

Mt 15:19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, the taking of life, broken faith between the married, unclean desires of the flesh, taking of property, false witness, bitter words:

As you can see, the text above clearly indicates that Jesus himself taught that there is a difference between adulteries and fornications. Note also that he uses the plural form of each word, to show that there is something more than a singular meaning to them. Why did he do that? To show that there are numerous avenues of transgressions.

Adultery then, can be most accurately described as an "altering" or "alteration" of a status quo, or a normally accepted or understood situation. Note that in Matthew 15:19, we read "broken faith between the married." Is that a sexual comment or can something else be involved?. How many families are torn apart by power struggles between wife and husband because they do not live in Biblical accord? How many families suffer because of ambivalence, alcohol and/or drug abuse, by one or both of the spouses? How many families suffer because husbands and wives fail to discipline and teach their offspring proper moral and spiritual values? Small wonder that Jesus so clearly sites broken faith between the married, without citing only sexual matters. We must also be careful to remember that any alteration of a text and/or situation other than sexual activity. Perhaps this will serve as a beginning to clarify why according to many scholars, idolatry was as much regarded as adultery as the sexual misconduct the use of the term "adultery" has become accepted by tradition.

If a man or woman does not keep the responsibilities, God has ordained for each of them, it is as surely an adulterous situation that in time, however short or long, can lead to fornication in some form, and also will probably include the more common and now traditional term known as adultery. If one partner is a Christian and the other is not, do we not have an adulteration of what God intended marriage to be in the first place? If those involved do not share a common faith, is this not also applicable when one partner follows a traditional faith while the other practices as a cultist, or opposing religion? We first learn of such an adultery in the Gen. Account of "the fall" in the garden of Eden. It has not changed. Allow me another two other passages we must always remember as we strive to live a Christian life.

Forgiveness

Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us have an argument together, says the Lord: how may your sins which are red like blood be white as snow? how may their dark purple seem like wool?

Ro 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Ro 3:23 For all have done wrong and are far from the glory of God;

Any falling short of perfection is sin. It can be a lie, a thought, theft and so on down the list. In a most accurate sense then, we adulterate perfection time and again on a daily basis. One of the most difficult areas of this lies in the form of fornication, in all its expressions.  Many people have popularized the letters WWJD (what would Jesus do)? I ask, in all humility and faith - WDJD? That is WHAT DID JESUS DO? HE FORGAVE! What does he do now? HE FORGIVES, when we repent, knowing our weaknesses, and ask his forgiveness. And He will continue to do so for as long as we call upon his name.

Blasphemy

Mr 29 but whoever may speak evil in regard to the Holy Spirit hath not forgiveness--to the age, but is in danger of age-during judgment;'
Mr 29 But whoever says evil things against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but the evil he has done will be with him for ever:

Mr 30 because they said, 'He hath an unclean spirit.'
Mr 30 Because they said, He has an unclean spirit.

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