by: Dr. Allen Domelle
2 Samuel 11:9
“But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.”
There is always another person who is affected by an adulterous act. Rarely do those who commit these acts ever think of the other person. The reason they don’t think of the other person is that they are so wrapped up in pleasing their flesh that they have pushed the other person out of their mind. However, you had better take into consideration the other person before committing such wicked acts because your dealings with them will be of far greater consequences than the pleasure of the sin.
David never thought about the other person when he committed adultery with Bathsheba. David was thinking of one person, himself. His selfish, adulterous act caused many people to act adversely to what he did. There is little doubt in my mind that David would have never committed adultery had he known the effects of this sin. Sadly, every person who reads this story has an opportunity to learn from David and the effects his adultery had on the other person. There are four other people you must always consider when you are tempted to commit adultery.
First, adultery always affects the spouse. It is not just going to affect your spouse, but it will affect the other person’s spouse. The verse above says, “But Uriah…” You may be struggling in your marriage with your spouse, but have you considered the other person’s spouse? Uriah was a good man and was valuable to David, but he allowed his passions to override the effects his act would have his wife and Bathsheba’s husband. Always remember that whether or not your act is discovered, it always affects the spouse and your marital relationship.
Second, adultery always affects the children. In 2 Samuel 13, the story of Amnon was a direct result of David’s sin. David’s sin opened the door to his children justifying doing the same thing. You would probably never want your children to commit adultery, so if you don’t want them to do it, don’t open the door by doing it yourself. Whether or not you like it, and even though it is not a good excuse, you will open the door to your children to do the same sin because they will use your act as their justification.
Third, adultery always affects those you influence. David’s reign was relatively quiet in Israel until he committed adultery. His adulterous act damaged his authority. Those you influence will never be the same after they discover your sin. You may sit and wonder why they don’t treat you the same, but you are the one who damaged your influence with them. Adultery always causes others to react adversely to you. You will never be treated the same by others if you choose to commit this sin.
Fourth, adultery always affects your fellowship with God. You cannot commit adultery and think that God is going to be fine with it. You will have to deal with God when you commit such sins. Yes, God is merciful and forgiving, but He must judge sin. You will forever regret the hurt you caused God if you commit adultery.
Friend, the pleasure of adultery is never greater than the consequences of sin. Before you commit such wickedness, think of the other person. You may not have committed this sin, but correct any steps you are taking towards this sin so that you won’t hurt the other people in your life.