The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai are an unexpected place to find exceptionally powerful teachings that can help bring down the strongholds of adultery and divorce.
In fact, in Matthew 22:34-40, we read
Now when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they assembled together.
And one of them, an expert in religious law, asked him a question to test him:
“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
Jesus said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment.
A second is like it, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Jesus seemed to be saying emphatically that true Christian love for God and others will drive a person to fulfill each and every one of the commandments as a natural outcome of that love.
I like to think of the Ten Commandments as a litmus test God uses to help search our hearts to determine the sincerity of our love for Him and others, not so much so that He can nitpick us to death and condemn us, but so that we could see our sin and iniquity and surrender it to God for healing, maturing, and forgiveness.
Psalm 139:23-24 says,
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting“Search my heart, O God, and find if there be any wicked way in me.”
Here is the gist of the Ten Commandments with links that go into more detail on how this applies to saving marriages.
- Wrong God - No other lovers before us/No other gods before God
- Idol Worship - No affair partners/no idols
- God’s Name - We don’t like our name dishonored -- neither does God
- Sabbath Rest - Take a break to focus on God and on loved ones.
- Honoring Parents - This calls for positive action rather than just avoiding dishonoring them.
- Murder - Don’t be a murderer at heart or in deed.
- Adultery - This one should be obvious
- Theft - There are more things that can be stolen than “things”
- Lying - Where there is dishonesty, there can be no real communication
- Coveting - Edify yourself and others -- don’t bring them down for your glory
