(See the Scripture References link at the top of the page. It has been well said that harboring unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies. In Bible times, an adulterer was either a married person who had sexual relations with someone other than their spouse, or a single person who had relations. Otherwise, anger and hostility will hold them captive for life and affect all of their future relationships. Whether a marriage survives the aftermath of infidelity or not, the violated spouse should continue making strides toward forgiving their betrayer. Even in cases where the adulterous spouse has not repented, the violated spouse should still work toward forgiving them in their heart to keep bitterness and resentment from becoming permanent residents. This type of biblical divorce releases the violated spouse from their marriage covenant and renders them free to remarry without committing adultery themselves. When this is not possible, or the damage is too severe for the violated spouse to overcome, God has lovingly and graciously provided an allowance for divorce as a last resort. With God’s grace and intervention, both spouses should make every effort to work through the devastation caused by adultery and affair-proof their marriage for the future. This visible repentance helps rebuild the shattered trust caused by their infidelity and facilitates their spouses’ healing and forgiveness. In cases of adultery, God’s heart always desires for the adulterer or adulteress to repent and the violated spouse to forgive so Jesus can restore the marriage relationship. Several factors must be present for this to occur, beginning with the adulterer or adulteress demonstrating their repentance through words and honorable actions consistently over an extended period. ![]() Modern Christians are not living under the. The wages of sin is still eternal death ( Romans 6:23 ), but adultery no longer carries the death penalty civilly. ![]() In the New Testament, Jesus brought a new law into effect. Infidelity also occurs when a married individual divorces their spouse for unbiblical reasons and marries another. Under the Old Covenant law, given to ancient Israel under a theocracy, the punishment for adultery was death ( Leviticus 20:10 ). When they engage in any form of romantic, intimate, or sexual activity with someone other than their biblical marriage partner, they commit adultery against their spouse. When a spouse is tempted with a lustful thought and chooses to nurture rather than immediately forsake it, they commit adultery in their heart. Jesus identified the sin of adultery as beginning in the mind and heart.
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