Protecting Your Marriage

Sermon Series

Ten Truths that Show Us How to Love – Part 7 

"Protecting Your Marriage"

Pastor Jerry

Matthew 5:21-22 (NLT); Exodus 20:14 (NLT)

 

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Today is week seven of our sermon series concerning, “Truth!” It is crucial to know “What’s the Truth?” God gave us ten truths for living; they are called The Ten Commandments. The overall intent of the 10 Commandments is to teach us truth on how to show love. They show us how to love God and how to love others.    Today we're going to look at the 7th commandment and how it will teach us truth on how to show love. The message today is titled, “Protecting Your Marriage.” -So, here is Truth number 7 in our series! Exodus 20:14 "You shall not commit adultery."              Whenever God gives a commandment it is to show us the truth. Whenever God says a negative He always has a positive purpose behind it. He always has a reason. It is not to cause you pain. It is for your protection. Nothing destroys a family faster than being unfaithful. God says this is my protection plan. I don't want you thinking it doesn’t matter. Today we're not going to reflect on the past, but to focus on the future. God invented sex. But like everything it must be controlled. He wants us to use it not abuse it. God says I've given you the drive of attraction. Properly controlled and expressed within a marriage it's beautiful and fantastic. But outside of marriage it is destructive and detrimental to your health as a human being -- emotionally, spiritually, in every way. Today, what I want us to look at is how do you affair proof your marriage. Notice God wants us to use intimacy as a tool for building a marriage not to destroy it. In Hebrews 13:5 "Husbands and wives be faithful to each other. God will judge those who are immoral and commit adultery." A recent study said fifty percent of all husbands and probably 35% of all wives have committed adultery. This happens even among Christians. So beware Christians, you are not exempt from this temptation. Be on your guard! God’s commandments are for our protection, to show us how to truly love. So, let's look directly at the six steps on how to protect your marriage.

1. MAKE A COMMITMENT TO GOD'S STANDARDS.

Regardless of your past, regardless of your failures, say today, I'm going to make a commitment to maintain God's standards. That means you agree with God about what He says about intimacy. Ps. 119:9 "How can a person keep his way pure?" The answer is "by living according to Your word." God's standard is very clear in His word. Adultery is never an option, under no circumstances is it OK. You need to publicly affirm God's standard. That's the first step if you want to protect your marriage.

2. The second step: MAGNIFY THE CONSEQUENCES

Remind yourself of the devastation and destruction that is caused by sexual sin. Prov. 6:32 "The one who commits adultery is an utter fool for he destroys his own soul." Nothing damages emotions like unfaithfulness. Nothing! Jesus said if your eye causes you to sin it's better to lose an eye than lose your soul. Prov. 6:26 "Adultery will cost a man all that he has."  

3. The third step: MAINTAIN YOUR MARRIAGE

A growing relationship to your spouse will reduce the pull and attraction away from them. 1 Cor. 7:3 "A man should fulfill his duty as a husband, a wife should fulfill her duty as a wife and each should satisfy the other's needs." Get serious and get down to learning what it is that your spouse needs and determining that you're going to meet those needs to the very best of your ability.  The goal in marriage is to be best friends. How do you build a friendship?  Time!

4. The fourth step: MANAGE YOUR MIND

People don't just fall into immorality. The battle for any temptation in your life begins in your mind. James 1:14"Temptation is the pull of a person's own evil thoughts and wishes..." You become what you think about. 2 Tim. 2:22 "Turn your back on lustful desires &give your positive attention to goodness, integrity, love & peace." We are great in deceiving ourselves. Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. Who can know it?" You can convince yourself that anything is OK given the circumstances.

5. The fifth step: MAINTAIN PROPER RELATIONSHIPS.

Most affairs occur between close personal friends, coworkers or family members. How do you maintain a proper relationship in casual relationships? Ephesians 5:3 "But among you there must not be even a hint of sinful immorality." it takes more than good intentions to remain pure. You need a plan.

6. The sixth step: MINIMIZE THE OPPORTUNITY

Don't place yourself in situations where you know you're going to be tempted. Recognize the circumstances that weaken your standards.   Be alert and be aware of them. I Cor. 10 "Be careful. If you're thinking `I'd never behave like that" let this be a warning to you. For you too may fall into sin." Some of you are thinking this is a great message but I've been married so many years it could never happen to me. We can fool ourselves very easily, and that opens the door to Satan sowing temptation in our path. THE PATHWAY BACK TO PURITY If you've been unfaithful to your mate or if you are facing a temptation to go down the wrong path, there is hope. You can make things right! You can come to Jesus Christ now and be set back on the right path. There are three steps to getting back on the right path:

1. (First) Acknowledge the sin.  Call it what it is. It's wrong. It's sin. It's not just an affair. It's adultery, that's what the Bible calls it. This is unacceptable to God, it always has been it always will be.
2. (Second) If you've been unfaithful to your mate or if you are facing a temptation to go down the wrong path, End the relationship immediately. Do it now. "Today if you hear God's voice don't harden your heart" the Bible says. Take action immediately. Don't delay.
3. (Third) If you've been unfaithful to your mate or if you are facing a temptation to go down the wrong path, Avoid all contact with that person from now on. Do whatever it takes to break the relationship.

Now listen, God thought up intimacy relations between men and women. It's His idea. In marriage it is wonderful and fantastic and a beautiful expression of Christ's love for the church the Bible says. But used improperly it destroys marriages, damages families and lives. God says I want you to know the Truth! Open your life to Jesus Christ. You ask for forgiveness for past mistakes and sins and receive that forgiveness and then you can forgive yourself. Then you make a commitment to be morally pure the rest of your life forward. That means you're going to be faithful only to the person you're married to.