For day after day they seek me out;
they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has not forsaken the commands of its God.-Isaiah 58:2, NIV
Some cheaters excel at doing things that make them look like “good” Christians.
That is part of the trauma for the faithful spouse. They have to sort out those words and actions from real religion and life-giving relationship with God.
The cheater might even invoke God’s name in “justifying” their sinful behavior. It is sick. Such invocation is spiritual abuse.
Some good news is God is wise to this “game.”
Here we have the Prophet Isaiah calling out the Jewish people for such outward signs missing an inward reality. He makes it clear in this chapter that God demands real justice and not just lip-service (or outward rituals).
God is not fooled by your cheater.
The same Person behind this passage in Isaiah is the same Person watching what your cheater is doing. He recognizes wickedness when He sees it. God is not impressed.
So, the key is to remember this. Just because a cheater invokes God’s name and attends church (perhaps even leads it) does not mean God is fine with his or her sinful behavior. God is not so easily fooled!
Some very great points made like most of your posts. Perhaps we should pray that the cheaters read you message and maybe get convicted by the Holy Spirit to truely not just confess but come to godly repentence. This is not particularly dererminef by biologic tears and sobbing and sorrows either way. It’s by condition of the heart to agree with God and what he says and turns the opposite way from their activities. Then to make real concessions for their sin.Thus they will repay the best they can to defend and encourage the other person in their recovery from hurt. Because you’re a minister and hopefullylooked at the whole picture perhaps you’ve already addressed this in some of your articles and perhaps I haven’t read that yet. I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt Of course. As you know because you proclaim to be an ordained minister that you Are held to a higher level of the accountability for those that are given much much is expected.
The terrible thing is no matter how you look at it and if the non cheating christian spouse forgives their cheating spouse 7 × 70 and then finally justified biblically by the words of Jesus to divorce them, it’s still does knock but for my God said in Malachi that he hates divorce no matter how you put it to justify the divorce proceedings which are as a sad last resolve. God wants none to perish but all to come to repentance as the bottom line in the gospel of Christ.For we know how difficult it is for even God’s people to enter the Kingdom of Heaven in the first resurrection. For the adulterer and immoral shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Additionally, we know those that do not repent even if they go to church proclaim Jesus now using that name of the Lord in vain thus bringing blaspheming to his name. Therefore breaking one of the 10 commandments as well as Proverbs 6:18 and yes andeven Malachi 2:16 for the Lord hates putting away=divorce. Now revisiting that being said What God means there is the inappropriate divorcing of a faithful covenant wife Without just cause scripturally. One not breaking of the Covenant was noted. But yes divorce affects the whole family in a negative way no matter what the justification.
By the way I’m one of the adulterous guilty of emotional adult’ry and lustful porne adultery. Yes a church attending christian regularly. Until many spoke to me in their messages including yours confirming after truly repenting. My wife has been noting my fight against lust. Including destroying the old computer and putting filters on my Android. If she is watching a movie or TV show that contains nudity or sexual dialogs or language she warns me about it before she watches it and I come in the Room or if the scenes on. Despite her hating the fact that I waxed and wanted with porn use and on and on for years and exposed her to it early in our marriage, she still can considers watching sexually immoral programs and movies in the midst of this without any kind of sexual desire for myself. Perhaps I have affectef her that way over the years plus we are older now so sex is not a priority for some. God made me sick and and disgusted with anything indecent or immoral all around not just in my life.
Yes and satan and will still present temptations even in the realm of church environments by so called sanctified individuals. One example was a mature woman in Christ in my church a small non denominational family of believers came to visit out of town. She was a long time member and seem to have a love for God and His people. Unfortunately she’s not married to a Christian thus unequally yoked similar to my situation. One Sunday she walked in from out of town to worship in a Mini skirt and pantyhose. I had a do what I could to not look at her and not Lust. During fellowship we spoke some. I try to encourage her when she said she was conscious of her throat scare and need to get plastic surgery and she show me a scar on her throat from a thyroidectomy cancer related. I encouraged her to console her encouraging her to seek a plastic surgeon consult because her husband was mad at the doctor that did that to Her. Then she said also so need to get some cosmetic surgery for her drooping eyelids. Perhaps I was out of place and I said you look quite attractive for your age there’s no need to do that women are too vain sometimes. She made a yes I am vainand I said you’re attractive tthe way you are. asked your husband. By the way she is in professional health care management.
Then I went to the investigation about ministry is that common on in appropriate dress of Christian women in the church. That same christian church member my have dressed that way in the public sector. So I interceded for her to realize what she had done was wrong with my conversation and perhaps she did because she’s mature in Christ and to day when she comes back she wears decent modest
Attire. However please continue to pray for my sobriety from lust and to appall immorality. Thus to Press on and not look back to run the race and finish well in Christ.
Best desires for you and your ministry in the Lord,
Yes, indeed. I experienced this sinful behavior with my ex-husband throughout our entire marriage; although he was not a Christian, he would pretend to be a good person to others, but, in reality, he was deceiving and cheating on me. SMH!