What is adultery?

Question

As in "thou shalt not commit adultery..." -- does it include having more than one wife or husband? Does it include getting divorced and remarried?

Answer 1

It means cheating sexually on your marriage partner.

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Answer 2

You'll get a WIDE variety of explanations for this, and mine may even be repeated here, but the ONLY excuse God gives for divorce AND remarriage is adultery. If a person is a victim of adultery, they can divorce and remarry without consequence. Adultery is having a sexual relationship between one or both parties that are married to other people.

Answer 3

The american way. :P

Seriously, it depends on the denomination's specific beliefs. The majority believe polygamy (more than one spouse) is wrong. Adultry is more along the lines of having an affair with a married person (or you being the married one). I don't know about other sects, but Catholics require you go through a religious process after getting divorced before you can receive any of the sacraments again (marriage included). I think they wouldn't recognize the second marriage if one doesn't do so. Not really sure what they'd consider it though. -shrugs-

Answer 4

As used in the Bible, adultery generally refers to voluntary sexual intercourse by a married person with one of the opposite sex other than one’s mate, or, during the time that the Mosaic Law was in effect, such intercourse by any man with a married or a betrothed woman. The Hebrew root meaning “commit adultery” is na·’aph′, while its Greek counterpart is moi·kheu′o.—
Christians, though not under Mosaic Law, must also refrain from adultery. “For the law code, ‘You must not commit adultery,’ . . . is summed up in this word, namely, ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’” There can be no hypocrisy in this matter. (Ro 13:9; 2:22) In teaching Bible principles, Jesus raised the moral standard still higher for Christians. He broadened out the matter of adultery, saying it was not limited to sexual contact a man might have with a woman not his mate: “Everyone that keeps on looking at a woman so as to have a passion for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Such men are among those who “have eyes full of adultery.”—Mt 5:27, 28; 2Pe 2:14.

Jesus also pointed out that if a divorce was obtained by either husband or wife, except on the ground of fornication (Gr., por·nei′a), the remarriage of either one would constitute adultery. Even a single man who took such a divorced woman as his wife would be guilty of adultery.—Mt 5:32; 19:9; Mr 10:11, 12; Lu 16:18; Ro 7:2, 3.

Adultery is “actually sin against God.” (Ge 39:9) Jehovah will judge those guilty of adultery, and none who persist in such a course “will inherit God’s kingdom.” (Mal 3:5; 1Co 6:9, 10; Heb 13:4) How true the proverb: “Anyone committing adultery with a woman is in want of heart; he that does it is bringing his own soul to ruin.”—Pr 6:32-35.

Answer 5

Depends on your religion/denomination.

Some (Roman Catholicism, most notably) don't recognise divorce, so any remarriages would be seen as adulterous, unless the ex-spouse is already dead, or the church has officially annulled the marriage. This is only a problem where the prevailing denomination is a control-freak (RC is a good example of that).

Answer 6

Yes and no.

You can only do it while you're married to someone else already. If you get divorced, you're not married to them anymore, so if you remarry, you won't be adultering... So two spouses at the same time would be adultering.

And it's actually illegal in about 75% of the civilised world.

Answer 7

Adultery is having sexual relations outside of your marriage, with a sexual partner who is not your spouse. Divorce and remarriage is not recognised by true Christianity, it is adultery.

But I say let people arrange their own lives and relationships without interference from the church. 70yr old virgin and celibate clergy are in no position to advise anyone on sexual conduct and have no expertise in the subject...at least they should not have.

Answer 8

Adult-ery is some thing only an adult can do, such as
claim to be espoused to Grace, then whore with Law.

So then, the "man"(Jn 5) & the "woman"(Jn 8) are told:
go and sin(law) no more, lest your latter end be "worse".
Perhaps worse in Mt 23:15 is "more the CHILD of hell".
Perhaps worse in Mt 12:45...Revelation is seven spirits.

Thank God the word "worst" does NOT occur in the NT;
And worse case scenario in Rev ends with grace ONLY.

The GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ with you all. Amen.

Answer 9

As long as the marriage is legal according to the laws of the land, I don't see it as adultery.

Answer 10

Cheating on your husband or wife or messing with someone else's spouse. Also, spiritual adultery is worshipping some idol that is not our Lord.

Answer 11

It is simply not to cheat on your marital spouse.

Bigamy is considered wrong because you are cheating on both partners at the same time.

It doesn't include divorce, but I believe that's considered a sin for other reasons.