If I Committed Adultery

Rick Lanning
07/29/15 - Home and Family

A “fling.” An “affair.” A “tryst.” A “one-night stand.” What harm could there be in simply giving in to adultery? Let me count the ways. The adulterous story of David and Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11 revealed he had no idea the disaster his one-night-stand would lead to: pregnancy, murder, death of the baby, division in the kingdom, his house divided, etc. That led me to think it would be beneficial for men (and their wives) to see at least a few of the many consequences that result from a “moment of weakness” that leads to a life-time of sadness. If I committed adultery...

1. My relationship with God would suffer from a break in fellowship.
2. I would need to seek forgiveness from my Lord.
3. I would suffer from the emotional consequences of guilt.
4. I would spend countless hours replaying the failure.
5. My wife would suffer the scars of this abuse for the rest of her life.
6. Her pain would grieve me deeply and compound my suffering and shame.
7. Our relationship would suffer a break in trust, fellowship, and intimacy.
8. We would be together, yet feel great loneliness.
9. The reputation of my family would suffer loss.
10. My sons and daughter would be deeply disappointed and bewildered.
11. My grandchildren would not understand.
12. My friends would be disappointed and would question my integrity.
13. I would lose my job preaching the gospel.
14. My evangelism among neighbors would become worthless.
15. I might never be employed by a church to preach ever again.
16. I would have to step down as a shepherd of this flock.
17. I would suffer God's discipline.
18. Satan would be thrilled at my failure.
19. Satan would work overtime to be sure my shame never departed.
20. My wife might divorce me.
21. My children might never speak to me.
22. Our mutual friends would shy away from us and break fellowship.
23. I would bring emotional pain to the woman I committed adultery with.
24. I would bring reproach upon that woman.
25. If the woman is married, her husband likely would divorce her.
26. An unwanted child could be produced.
27. My part in conception might trigger an abortion, killing an innocent child.
28. Disease might result. SDT’s last a lifetime.
29. Some might conclude that all Christians are hypocrites, hurting the gospel.
30. My influence among those I have led to Christ would be compromised.
31. My health would certainly suffer due to the stress and heartache I caused.
32. I might have to start life over again.
33. This same sin might be visited upon my family for four generations.

If I, or any man, thought about this reaping what you have sown, it would no doubt “save a soul from death, and cover a multitude of sins.” Men, the pleasure of sin is for a season. The guilt of sin is for a lifetime. Be faithful “until death do you part.”

(Note: Some of these consequences were first seen by me in an article on marriage I read years ago. Some I have added, looking at consequences in my own life.)

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