For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. – 2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. – Galatians 6:13-15, ESV (emphasis added)
A nagging attack from Satan while one’s marriage is falling apart due to adultery and lies comes in the form of the “What ifs?” The temptation is to wonder if the faithful spouse (yourself) did something to cause the adultery and the subsequent destruction of the marriage. This is a lie since we know from Scripture that adultery clearly comes from the heart alone of the adulterous spouse (see link here).
As I contend on this blog, I view the destruction of a marriage through adultery as a spiritual battle. And the attack of causing its downfall through our real flaws is an example of a particularly hot and contested place on the battlefield. Satan’s darts are thick and furious trying to get faithful spouses to take wrongfully the blame for adultery and lull the adulterous spouses into forgetting their need to fully repent.
The Scriptures I highlight in today’s post is about the breast plate of righteousness. This righteousness comes to us from what Jesus did for us on the Cross. It is a free gift that we did not earn. We get His righteousness so that when God looks at us, He sees His righteous and perfect Son. It is an amazing gift.
This gift protects our hearts.
It says we can tell off the liar Satan that it is not a matter of my performance. I get Jesus’ righteousness and am in good-standing before God…always and forever.
While we have likely made mistakes in our marriages (which is never a justification for adultery), we can shut down the Accuser of the Brethren by pointing out that such mistakes do not make us worthy of rejection. God has already and unequivocally accepted us. This is the image of the covenant of God with His people.
It has nothing to do with our performance.
Here’s a song that ministered this truth to my heart as I struggled with unhealthy introspection and dancing with the lie that I may have brought rejection and the abuse of adultery on myself by my own flaws…
