Have you ever stopped to think about the difference between idolatry and adultery? You may think they are not even in the same ball park. You might think one is worshipping something other than God and the other cheating on your spouse. They seem at first look to be very different. But if you take a closer look they are very similar. Psalm 106:34-40 says "Israel failed to destroy the nations in the land, as the LORD had told them to. Instead, they mingled among the pagans and adopted their evil customs. They worshiped their idols, and this led to their downfall. They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters. By sacrificing them to the idols of Canaan, they polluted the land with murder. They defiled themselves by their evil deeds, and their love of idols was adultery in the LORD's sight. That is why the LORD's anger burned against his people, and he abhorred his own special possession."
So what is the similarity you may ask? They both are taking the love and devotion meant for one, and given to another. Idolatry is taking the love and adoration that is God's and God's alone and given to something else such as a piece of wood, metal, or stone, or to another object such as an animal, money, job, car, etc. God and God alone should be the only place we direct our worship. When we direct it to something else, it is idolatry. Adultery is taking the love and affection meant for one's spouse and given to another person. If you are giving that love and affection through an affair, you are not properly giving it to your spouse. You may think you can, but you are not. When God calls the love for idols adultery, then they are the same root cause.
We were made to worship God and God alone. And when once we are married, we are to love, honor, and cherish our spouse alone. When we give it to another, God becomes angry with us (see verse above) just as a spouse burns with anger and jealousy when their partner commits adultery.
Paul tells us that we are to love our spouse as Christ loves the Church (Ephesians 5). That is a tall order, but if God didn't think we could do it, then He wouldn't have asked. God asked us to worship Him and Him alone (Exodus 20:4-5).
The roots of both are the same, a wandering heart. I can just hear your argument "But I can't help it." Yes you can. When your heart truly belongs to God, and to your spouse, it will not wander. If you keep any part for yourself, it will wander and take the rest with it. How can you keep your way pure? How can you keep this root from developing in your life? The answer can be found in Psalm 119:9: "How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word and following its rules." And if you don't know how to do this James1:5 tells us: "If you need wisdom -- if you want to know what God wants you to do -- ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking."
So what's the bottom line? Keep your heart and mind pure and keep your affections and worship in check, that way you will not be guilty of giving away your worship or adoration to any other than the one it was meant to go to, that being God and your spouse only.
Psalm 51:5-13 would an excellent example of a prayer to model your prayer life after "For I was born a sinner -- yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the heart, so you can teach me to be wise in my inmost being. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me -- now let me rejoice. Don't keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to sinners, and they will return to you."
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