THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT.
PURITY. MARRIAGE.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
_What is meant by this Commandment?_
We should so fear and love God as to be chaste and pure in our words and
deeds, each one also loving and honoring his wife or her husband.
* * * * *
This commandment is meant to preserve our personal purity, and to guard
the holy estate of marriage. It _forbids_ adultery and all impurity. It
_commands_ chastity and purity in thought, word, and deed.
I. PURITY.
We should be CHASTE AND PURE
_In Heart._ We should keep our heart free from impure thoughts and
desires. [Matt. 5:8+, Prov. 4:23+, Ps. 51:10] God judges us by the state
of our heart. [I Sam. 16:7] Unchaste thoughts must not be delighted in
nor harbored, but subdued and stamped out. They poison the soul. They
are themselves a transgression of this commandment, [Matt. 5:28+] and
they lead to further transgressions of it by word and deed.
IN WORDS. We must avoid immodest conversation, unchaste words, vile
stories, and shameless jests. [Eph. 5:3-4, Eph. 4:29+] Such things are
not smart, as many think, but vile and despicable. We should never take
part in nor listen to a conversation which we would be ashamed to have
overheard by persons whom we respect.
IN DEEDS. We should carefully avoid every act which would bring the
blush of shame to our cheeks if it were known to our parents or others
whose opinion we cherish. Our bodies are to be God's temple, [I Cor.
6:19, 20+] and they dare not be given over to sin and impurity. [Rom.
6:13] We should remember that God sees even in secret, and knows all our
actions. [Ps. 139:1-12]
_Impurity_ of heart and life will not go unpunished. [I Cor. 3:16, 17+,
Gal. 5:19-21+] It is often followed by the most dreadful consequences: a
ruined body, an enfeebled mind, a poisoned soul, a tortured conscience,
public shame, dreadful disease and an untimely death.
_To Keep ourselves Pure_ we should watch and pray, [Matt. 26:41+] avoid
idleness, evil company, bad books and papers, indecent songs and
pictures, immoral plays, intemperance in eating and drinking, and all
that would incite to impurity. We should keep our minds occupied with
good thoughts and desires, so that we have no room for evil ones. [Rom.
13:14]
II. MARRIAGE.
Marriage is the union of one man and one woman for life in the bonds of
love and faithfulness.
_A Holy Estate_. Marriage was instituted by God in Eden [Gen. 2:13] and
was sanctioned by Christ, who performed His first miracle at a wedding.
[John 2:1-11] It is a holy estate. Celibacy is not a holier estate than
marriage, as the Roman Catholic Church maintains. [I Tim. 4:1-3]
_Indissoluble_. The marriage tie is binding until one of the married
persons dies. [Matt. 19:6+] Except by death, the marriage relation
cannot be broken or dissolved without sin against this sixth
commandment. [Matt. 5:32+, Matt 19:9] If one party to the marriage is
guilty of adultery, the innocent party may obtain a divorce. No other
divorces are allowed by Christ.
_An Important Step_. Marriage is a most important step in life. It must
not be entered into hastily or thoughtlessly. If a mistake is made in
the choice of a partner for life, the mistake can never be remedied.
Those who contemplate such a step should pray for God's guidance.
Marriage should not be entered upon for money, social advantages, and
the like, but for love. Parents should be consulted. While marriage by a
civil magistrate is valid, Christians should seek God's blessing upon
their union and be married by His ordained servant. The laws of the
State must be carefully obeyed. Marriage between near relatives is
forbidden by God's Word. [Lev. 18] Those who are married should, if
possible, be of the same faith. Marriages between Protestants and Roman
Catholics are seldom happy.
_Duty of Husband_ [Eph. 5:25+, Col. 3:19] _and Wife._ [Eph. 5:22+, Col.
3:18] EACH SHOULD LOVE AND HONOR HIS WIFE OR HER HUSBAND. The man is the
head of the family, but he must not be a tyrant. The wife is not his
slave, but his dearest companion. They are no longer two but one, with a
common love, a common life, a common property, common children, common
hopes and aspirations, and a common Saviour. [I Pet. 3:7, I Pet. 3:1]
They should be patient with one another's faults, just to one another's
virtues, and should unselfishly seek one another's happiness. They
should live together in mutual love and faithfulness till separated by
death. Only when husband and wife continue to love and honor one another
can they be happy. The breaking of the marriage covenant is followed by
shame and misery.
QUESTIONS.--1. What is this commandment meant to preserve and guard? 2.
What does it forbid and command? 3. What is it to be said about purity
of heart? 4. What is to be said about purity in words? 5. What is to be
said about purity in deeds? 6. Mention some of the consequences which
often follow upon impurity. 7. How may we keep ourselves pure? 8. What
is marriage? 9. Why is marriage a holy estate? 10. How long is the
marriage tie binding? 11. When only and by whom dare a divorce be
obtained? 12. Why must marriage not be entered upon hastily or
thoughtlessly? 13. What care should be exercised by those who think of
being married? 14. What is the duty of husband and wife?
SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 5:8. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they
shall see God.
Prov. 4:23. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the
issues of life.
Matt. 5:28. But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to
lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Eph. 4:29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but
that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace
unto the hearers.
I Cor. 6:19, 20. What I know ye not that your body is the temple of the
Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your
own? For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body
and in your spirit, which are God's.
I Cor. 3:16, 17. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the
Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him
shall God destroy: for the temple of God is holy; which temple ye are.
Gal. 5:19-21. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these,
adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry,
witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions,
heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of
the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that
they which, do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Matt. 26:41, Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the
spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Matt. 19: 6. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put
asunder.
Matt. 5:32. But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife,
saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and
whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
Eph. 5:25, Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the
church, and gave himself for it.
Eph. 5:22. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the
Lord.
READING.--The Creation of Eve, Gen. 2:18-25; or, The Marriage at Cana,
John 2:1-11.