After completing the lesson, the student will be able to:
Know from memory the 6th Commandment
Summarize what the 6th Commandment means for our lives
List at least 3 truths about marriage that are put forth in the Bible
List at least 3 responsibilities of marriage that are set forth in the Bible
Define the terms adultery and fornication
Know “Who” created sex
List ways we can avoid sexual temptation
God’s desire from the beginning of creation has been the idea of one woman and one man joined together as husband and wife. When God began the first marriage in the Garden of Eden, He created the first family, and that has become the foundation from which society grows and is strengthened and supported. God’s desire is that the husband and wife should love and honor each other. It is that love and honor, along with consideration, faithfulness, encouragement, honesty and acceptance which builds a home.
One of the finest gifts that God gives to the husband and wife is the gift of their sexuality. It is through this gift that God not only creates a family, but also binds together the husband and wife in complete surrender and intimacy. It is this picture that God chooses to help us understand that he wants our relationship with himself to be even better than the best marriages we can think of. It is because this is such a great gift of God that Satan wants to destroy and pervert the beautiful and loving plans that God has for the people of His choosing.
(Introduction borrowed from Pastor Herb Hoff, Salinas, CA).
We see from these passages that God created marriage. He intends marriage to be between one man and one woman, and its duration is to be life-long. The ‘one flesh’ relationship is so intimate and special that to attempt to break will cause harm to both parties. In short, God’s design for marriage is for life, and it is to be with one spouse.
A couple terms are important for us to understand as we look to the commandment: Adultery is specifically the sharing of our bodies in a sexual way to any other individual other than our spouse when we are married. Adultery means to ‘corrupt, debase, or make impure’. When one commits adultery, he/she breaks the marriage covenant and corrupts and damages the marriage bond. Fornication is used to describe sexual activity before marriage.
Both adultery and fornication are regarded as sin in God’s eyes. Even though the term used in the Sixth Commandment is ‘adultery’, it does not mean God has nothing to say about fornication. Rather, both adultery and fornication are condemned by this commandment, and both married and unmarried individuals are called to live a chaste and pure life.
Reference page 51 in your Small Catechism as you answer the following questions:
Sex in itself is pure and holy gift from God. It is intended to be enjoyed within the confines of the marriage covenant and is not to be used in any other way. One gift that you give to your future spouse is your body, and God’s will (and my prayer) is that you would keep it holy and pure until the day you are married.
What we watch, read, and listen to impacts the way we live, think, talk, and interact with others. If we always dwell on sexual and inappropriate things, it follows that our lives will most likely display sexual sin in our thoughts, the words we say, and in our actions. On the other hand, if we fill our mind and lives with that which is pure, holy, and uplifting, it will be all the more difficult for the devil to throw those darts of impurity at us!
Marriage is a lifelong covenant made before God and between one man and one woman. In marriage the husband and wife pledge their love and faithfulness to one another as long as they both shall live. Marriage is ordained by God Himself, and it is holy, sacred, and sanctified. It is God’s will that the marriage bond never be broken by adultery, which is unfaithfulness to one’s partner. The Bible teaches that the married couple should love, honor, and respect one another, and to share oneself in a sexual way with their marital partner. Marriage, with all of its privileges and responsibilities is one of God’s greatest gifts to mankind. The prohibition of adultery is intended as a protection of this great gift.
We will close with the words of Martin Luther in his Large Catechism:
“Let it be said in conclusion that this commandment requires everyone not only to live chastely in thought, word, and deed in his particular situation (that is, especially in the estate of marriage), but also to love and cherish the wife or husband whom God has given. For marital chastity it is above all things essential that husband and wife live together in love and harmony, cherishing each other whole-heartedly and with perfect fidelity.”
