When I was growing up, I often heard sermons from preachers where they addressed how the penalty for many sordid sins was to “Stone ’em!” It was not that the pastor advocated taking the wrong doers out and stoning them. He was explaining what the old penalty was for sins such as adultery. Have you ever considered why such a harsh penalty was put in place for adultery? One of the reasons for this was that adultery was to be dealt with by the whole community. It was not considered a ‘private’ matter. It was not a victimless crime or ‘just between two consenting adults’. Those communities understood how once adultery gets a foothold, it changes the community.
It was also stressed that those who were not guilty of the same sin to be part of the stoning team. This is where Jesus intervened with the woman caught in the act of adultery. Although the penalty was stoning, there were not enough people ‘not guilty’ of the crime to carry out the penalty. It is quite a statement when there is a community where few are innocent of adultery.
There is also the matter of how can you catch the woman guilty of adultery and not the man? There is no account of what happened to the man caught in adultery or “how” the adulterers were set up. The voyeurs who set up the woman apparently had some serious lustful thoughts as well.
Stoning is unpleasant for the victim and the community. With each rock, pain is inflicted on both. The community has to come to the realization that they allowed something like this to happen, and the adulterers had to deal with their sin, one rock at a time.
It is hard to deal with adultery without rooting it out from the community as well. Sure it is easy to blame the cheater alone. For some reason, they believed that they could get away with it. In some cases, they may have cheated whether or not there was support, yet some cheaters may have changed had someone confronted them or steered them in another direction.
The penalty also points to how each person has some responsibility to steer cheaters away from adultery. The who community suffers, and the whole community has a responsibility to prevent it. These days, many take the view that “what he/she does is not my business”. In older days, they knew it was the business of the whole community. I am not advocating that we return to stoning by any means. I am saying that may have lost perspective on how the whole community has to take steps to prevent adultery. This means that in cleaning up adultery, it will take more than just you and your spouse making changes. Many in society have grown so selfish, they no longer see how their affairs hurt the whole community.
Best Regards,
Jeff Murrah
One Response
As I read this I was thinking of how the Bible speaks of all sins arising out of the heart….I was also recalling how my husband was involved in a community which warned of and gave biblical reason and also scripture that addresses HOW one keeps oneself.
When he began to do things that violated my heart I spoke up …others spoke up in as biblical a protocol as we could determine…..with respect, with loving kindness, with boldness and with direct exhortation with all reasons why this not only was hurting me and himself but was disregarding the hearts and souls of the women he was ‘treating with appreciation’ in his work place.
The office environment plus his position of some authority there led to his feeling that HE was the kingpin of office moral….I remember pointing out when he began that he was given and opportunity to be an influences for godly decorum and thus the ‘kingpin’ of Godly MORALS.
None of this landed on compassionate ears …instead his desire to be liked and even loved by those he worked with led to his first adultery as he began to ‘comfort ‘ an employee whose husband caused her to cry while at work . Soon after a few drinks across the street as was the office watering hole after work …he hugged her …then kissed her ..and from that time on they had lunches in the park and such ….I discovered it and confronted the woman taking our new born with .
I explained very civilly to her that I understood how she and my husband had more than a working relationship . I told her that no marriage is without challenges and that any perceived ‘options ‘ were allowing one to not deal with the issues . I also asked if she believed in God to which she answered in the affirmative. Then I told her that no man who was another woman’s husband would be the best for anyone else .
She cried and we prayed….at that point my husband returned from an appointment and found us talking together …I made some remark like ‘Here are your three favorite women”! Perhaps not a good thing yet the stinging pain I felt at the time and at the same time trying to be civil and godly I felt that SOME statement was worthy .
Later on I told him all that we had discussed ..Later I also gave the woman my going away suit thinking she would be more able to use it in her work than I would ….[odd I know]…..and then a week or so later the woman called me and told me how sorry she was and asked forgiveness, left the job and the town .
My husband saw the pain …knew the sorrow he caused. His mom died around that time too . I thought he needed time to deal and heal ….and I was a new and inexperienced mom dealing with the baby ….
There was nothing further done to deal with it as he would not attend fellowships nor was he willing to do anymore work on the marriage . I shared things I was learning …but his attitude was like steel against learning . His mind was that he had no right to interfere with my beliefs but he wanted no part in it .
His mom and dad set this standard for him . His mom was raised Roman Catholic but was not active and her direct statement was this ‘We do not think anyone has any right to tell anyone else about God ‘
His father forbid me to speak of Jesus Christ in their home….I did not take heed to this red flag because their son at the time was enthusiastically involved in fellowship and classes on how to study the Bible and very involved socially among believers .
I took the word of the leader of that ministry that any two believers could have a great marriage and that was all I needed to go forward once my future husband assured me that ‘I believe the same way you do’
I believed that if anyone was a believer that they WOULD GROW in the word….I was naive on this point …I believed the commitment I saw in his athletic sport of the time ,….and his continued discussion of the word in letters and then in person indicated a sincere faith. I did not realize how much we need to SEE more in terms of many of the things I now realize I needed to confirm his faith .
My husband did not need a better community nor better knowledge of the sin of adultery and how to avoid it …HE went HEADLONG into situations and activities that he was warned would lead him away from proper conduct.He desired the affections of the world and people of that ilk rather than choosing to live rightly and love his wife and family
This is deeply wounding and sorrowful as I realize that some people simply do not care about the damage they do to even the closest to them.
His choices spread afar as he is very intelligent and was able to devise ways to hide his behavior and justify his various activities.
I once brought up that alcohol reduces people’s resistance and even the driver’s manual for getting a licence warns that ONE drink can alter one’s behavior and perception.
He used to call me from the office to tell me that they were ‘going for drinks’ and that he needed to do this because it was good for the office morale…that it knit them together …..I asked what kind of business success do those who are alcoholics have if their business prosperity relies upon the consumption and gathering in bars or having drinks?
The environment along with drinking caused changes in my husband further ..He never became alcohol dependent in the way alcoholics do but every infidelity occurred after drinks…even his visits to the OW that he finally found to commit long term adultery with included a ‘glass of wine’ before they had sex.
Some substance to kill his conscience no doubt …all beginning with his parents …as my parents social drink that was ritual after work .
I never cared for alcohol …even as I worked in clubs for a number of years….I did not like the taste….and I was not going to ruin my vocal cords with it …coaches are stern about substances that dry out or damage the cords.
Still I am not without the short duration I walked on the wild side…I am not without a past sinful stint…I am thankful that the Lord rescued me and I keep that in mind rather than lose all that He has brought me to learn through many trials.
I am saddened that even now though my husband as sworn off drinks….and does not golf or really do anything but work out EVERY day …he is a shell of his former self and still secretive ….
This kind of secretiveness is also a shield and a deception because though he shares with me …it seems very limited and nothing of real substance so there is no knowing if he is still cheating …if not sexually … relation-ally ….since I am not included in any of his activities . He even denies me being company when he goes out to the store on weekends.
He tells me he has nothing left …he is ‘dead inside’ and hopes that ‘maybe tonight’ alluding to dying …He is a sad person and isolated from me and our family …He talks once in a while with his brother or aunts who know nothing of his life in truth.
The keeping up of a lying front is exhausting …which he says he is ‘always tired’ but in some ways he feels he must in order to keep going and supporting all of those he is responsible for .
Sad ….I do not wish him punishment ..certainly not stoning ….but in the Bible I believe GOD demanded that those who might influence others to believe sin was ‘OK’ …were eliminated from the community as a warning and example to others…
The fear of GOd is the beginning of wisdom and no doubt people saw justice carried out swiftly or at least more swiftly than today and it caused them to pause before doing anything
Jesus also pointed out that before he came that there was no remedy for the INNER man …which was the source of all sin ….The spirit of GOD carried into the mind through the word of GOD is our equipping …it becomes a sharper reminder before we act …it warns and cautions us ..teaches those who care to please the God who is love and to avoid hurt and harm to ourselves and others ….
It is the conscience that is TRAINED to care and obey GOD’s WORD that is give to us for protection….any conscience that ‘hurts’ should be heeded.
IF the conscience condemns us …GOD is GREATER than our hearts and is merciful to forgive and cleanse those who confess AND FORSAKE their sin …..This is still the ‘ball in our court’ in terms of choosing to care what is right and then DO it .
The people who brought the woman for Jesus to deal with KNEW the LAW ….and the LAW of the time declared that no one could be condemned without the testimony of TWO or THREE WITNESSES….that is where they were hoping to catch Jesus …would he condemn adultery as the law said to …BUT WOULD he do so and condemn the woman without any witnesses….
NOtice he called for witnesses ….when there appeared to be NONE …and his criteria was …any WITHOUT SIN …none could answer…HE was the only one without sin and though he DID condemn adultery he extended his character of mercy ….even along with his judgment ….GO and SIN NO MORE>
It has to be available to obey God …He did not make commandments and then not give us the way to obey them ,..then condemn us without having given us WHAT to do ..ie .doctrine.
God is just ..HE gave even ADAM what to do ..AND he gave the warning of what sin would bring upon him
Today though people may not read the Bible …the collective voice is against GOD as flesh has taken the throne….it is destroying not just individuals but the collective consequences of sins has been piling up …and our whole society suffers beyond what many other cities have for sin
Jesus declared WOE upon cities where his word had been made known and sin continued…even to say that Sodom and many others that were destroyed..HAD they known or witnessed the powerful truths of GOD that they would have repented ….
Today many reject the word …I even have discussed the word at length with some who know it VERY well and still at this point they have suddenly bought lies to say Jesus did not live ! That he was not a real person!
The end times deceptions are growing with leaps and bounds among those who claim the name and shame it at the same time
Many today are mixing in pagan practices and doctrines…and denying the Lord that bought them …
The ignorance of the truths of the word are growing in popularity replaced by man’s fleshly intellectual reasoning …
This is nothing new but it is more widespread …the whole world has been exposed to deceiving doctrines as the media has expanded at rapid rates…
This time was spoken of in Daniel …when knowledge increases and men run to and fro….it is worldwide apostasy ….One wonders just how long it will be before it implodes …suddenly but not without having had the opportunity to repent …
It is sad to note this happening ….but GOD is FAITHFUL …and HE will fulfill every jot and tittle of the Word that he has given man ….whether man will receive it …or not .
Many are dying without the word because pride is being cemented daily by many wicked influences….
Pray for the hearts of those who are ready to die that their hearts might break as they consider their end.