There has been a story in the recent celebrity news, call it sensationalism if you like, but it revolves around a high-profile marriage that has apparently ended due to adultery. I find it almost humorous how people still seem to choose sides on what actually caused the breakup and will even go as far as to provide their own generalization of the matter. This is despite the fact that the act of adultery was committed in public view and captured on film by the media on various occasions.
His wife deserved it. She was domineering and hounded him at every opportunity. She literally drove him into the arms of another woman; it was only a matter of time. This is what I hear when I actually take the time to listen. In my own (admittedly jaded) mind it’s just another disconsolate tale of a celebrity marriage that went up in flames.
It’s not just Hollywood or celebrities in general that display this type of behavior. Politicians have certainly had their fair share of incidents over the years. It seems as though at this point in our culture it is no longer a big deal to cheat on your spouse or loved one. Those caught in so doing are advised to breathe in, breathe out, and then move on. Seriously. You can get a new wife or a new family and start all over again from scratch and no one will look down on you for doing so. With arguments such as these bombarding us from the media on a daily basis it is no wonder that marital statistics are becoming downright appalling.
As I examine this symptom of the state of our morality, I've also noticed another point that is worth considering. In most cases the spouse that commits adultery has no intention of making the forbidden union into a permanent arrangement. In their mind they believe that their marriage will continue on, and though they may offer promises to the hidden party they usually have no desire to leave or divorce their spouse. In essence the impetus, if not the attraction itself, seems to revolve around getting away with it all. Though the guilty party may not be able to acknowledge it - from the spouse’s point of view this will not appear to be such a great idea. When the situation finally reaches the boiling point, then we usually get the tear-filled interview with him (or her) admitting they were wrong and now promising to do anything they can to make it right and work things out.
I believe that despite the amount of sugar-coated reasoning provided, there is no moral excuse for adultery. We are warned against this sin in the Bible in many, many chapters and verses, and there is no room for an alternative translation of the verses.
The Bible states in Proverbs 6, “But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.” I can find no greater example in secular literature than this one as explained to us by King Solomon. A man that would forsake his marriage vows and the family he holds dear for a mere moment in time with an ‘outsider’ is a man that ‘lacks understanding’. By committing this act (even if he gets away with it) he is destroying his own soul. Back in Solomon’s day this was more likely to happen with men. But in our day and age it is no longer a shock when we hear that a woman has committed adultery, yet the consequences are the same regardless of gender. A lack of understanding that results in the destruction of a soul. I’ll buy that. I can see that. I can understand that.
Jesus also warned us that adultery is a sin that first begins in our heart. We have to guard the heart twenty-four hours a day, it seems, because Satan surely knows this as well. One glance, a casual flirt, or an inappropriate comment can put us on the path of shame. Adultery is not a victimless-crime and it is definitely avoidable, by both common folks like you and me as well as those that are in the spotlight.
That’s easy enough to comprehend if you have understanding.
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