When you glance through the news headlines these days, you will realize that we live in perilous times where the sanctity of marriage means nothing to a lot of people. We are daily inundated with news of men and women committing adultery on an unprecedented scale. However, as children of God, we should not be surprised, because the Holy Spirit already warned us that this would happen. While teaching on the perilous times that would come in the last days, He said to us in 2nd Timothy 3:6:
“For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts”
The increase in adultery is therefore a pointer to us that we are indeed in the last days. The reason why the Holy Spirit forewarned us of this is not just to keep us informed, but also to keep us in check from falling into the snare of the devil in this area. Speaking on God’s standard on marriage for us, the Holy Spirit says in Hebrews 13:4:
“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”
Be warned that God’s standard is not the same as the standard of the world, and that what is acceptable to the world is not acceptable to God.

Adultery is the result of character erosion that does not happen in one day. It is the product of hidden lusts in the heart which were not dealt with. No wonder the Lord said in Matthew 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.”
Adultery always starts as a suggestion from the devil or his agents, which if harboured in the heart of a fellow, snowballs into events with catastrophic consequences. One of the means by which the devil deposits such evil suggestions into the heart of a person is through the eye. This is the reason why 2 Peter 2:14 speaks of having eyes full of adultery, which refers to wearing a look that projects a promiscuous identity. It also means communicating sexual attraction, unholy intention or immoral interest with the eyes or face. It could also mean having a warped mind that reads sensual or erotic desire into members of the opposite sex, no matter how modestly dressed they are. Irrespective of the form it takes, the key thing is that a child of God should never yield to the suggestions of the devil (1st Peter 5:8-9). How are you faring in this regard?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.