Fornication and Adultery
By Pastor Joel – Open Heaven Christian Church – Fisher, Arkansas
In writing this study I would like to mention that I know that many who are living in fornication and adultery sins will not receive what they are about to read. I also realize that it is the Holy Spirit and not I that will cut into the hearts of many and they will be pricked by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:37). Nevertheless, the truth of the word of God concerning sins of fornication and adultery must be proclaimed so that some perhaps will be pulled out of the fire. I am sharing this teaching not out of accusation or condemnation, but in hope that it will make a difference in someones life and out of love to help those who are living in sin.
Jude 1:22-23
And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
A Biblical Examination, Warning, and Call to Repentance
Introduction
We live in a generation that has normalized sexual immorality, casual relationships, and moral compromise, the Word of God stands unchanging. Scripture speaks with clarity, authority, and seriousness concerning fornication and adultery. These sins are not merely social issues or lifestyle choices; they are direct violations of God’s holiness, His covenant, and His intended design for human life.
The Bible does not soften its stance, nor does it excuse habitual sin. Instead, it calls all people — especially believers — to repentance, holiness, obedience, and transformation.
Hebrews 13:4 (KJV)
Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
This study we will examine:
The biblical definitions of fornication and adultery
God’s commandments regarding sexual purity
The spiritual consequences of sin
Why excuses making for sin denies Christ
The believer’s responsibility to rebuke and exhort
A concluding rebuke based on Jesus’ words: “Go, and sin no more.”
1. What Is Fornication and Adultery According to Scripture?
Fornication
Fornication refers to any sexual activity outside the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman.
Adultery
Adultery refers to sexual relations involving a married person outside of their marriage covenant.
God strictly forbids both.
Exodus 20:14 (KJV)
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
1 Corinthians 6:18 (KJV)
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
Believers are instructed to run away from fornication, to “flee” fornication.
Galatians 5:19–21 (KJV)
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Sexual immorality is grouped with idolatry, witchcraft, murder, and rebellion, showing its seriousness in God’s eyes, and God says those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
2. God’s Purpose for Sexual Purity
God designed sexual intimacy as a sacred covenant act within marriage, symbolizing faithfulness, unity, and divine order.
Genesis 2:24 (KJV)
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
1 Thessalonians 4:3–7 (KJV)
For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
God calls His people to holiness, not indulgence and pleasure in sin.
3. The Spiritual Consequences of Fornication and Adultery
A. Separation from God
Isaiah 59:2 (KJV)
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
Many today, including those who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ are living a sinful life then expect God to bless and help them. The scriptures teach the very opposite, God will not bless a rebellious child, rather He corrects them with chastening, and scourging.
Hebrews 12:6 (KJV)
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Persistent sexual sin breaks fellowship with God, dulls spiritual sensitivity, and weakens and hinders your prayers from being answered for not “abiding in Christ”.
John 15:7 (KJV)
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
John 15:7 is conditional for answered prayers, “IF you abide in me” implying that if you don’t, then when you pray, your prayers will not be answered by God, but if you abide in Christ and His word abides in you, then when you pray and ask God for help and blessings he responds and grants your prayer requests as long as you pray in accordance to his word. For example; If we pray asking, “Lord I pray you give me so and so for a spouse”, but that spouse we desire is already married, God will never answer that prayer because it contradicts his word concerning adultery, and instead God will chasten and scourge us to wake us up to his truth found in the scriptures
Hebrews 12:7-8
If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Have you ever wondered why so many people will pray and ask God to change something difficult in their life and instead of having their prayer answered they begin to experience even more difficulties in life? I am not referring to a satanic attacks, I am referring to that fact that perhaps God is dealing with “UNREPENTANT SIN” in their life.
Even entertaining thoughts of adultery in ones heart sends people to hell according to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 5:27-30
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Expecting God to bless us without repentance and turning away form sin is like pouring water in a cistern with holes.
Jeremiah 2:13
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
B. Destruction of the Soul
Proverbs 6:32 (KJV)
But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
This is not poetic exaggeration. Sexual sin destroys and sends people to hell.
Sexual sin will hinder and cause a lack of:
Spiritual discernment to know the difference between what is good and evil.
Moral clarity and cause and cause a person to worsen morally in character.
Loss of ethical clarity in life.
Cause Emotional instability and life will seem like a roller-coaster ride.
Ruin their family integrity.
Totally weaken their ministry effectiveness.
C. Divine Judgment
1 Corinthians 6:9–11 (KJV)
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
True salvation produces transformation — not permission to continue in sin. God is very clear and says “shall inherit the kingdom of God” and “such were some of you” – past tense signifying not living a life of sin anymore.
4. Why Making Excuses for Sin Is Denying Christ
Many today attempt to justify sin using phrases like:
“God understands.”
“Everyone struggles.”
“I’m under grace.”
“It’s not hurting anyone.”
“No one is perfect”
“God loves everyone so its okay”
“Jesus covered all of my sins and God knows I am weak”
“The flesh is weak and we are not in heaven yet”
These statements directly contradict Scripture. Should a believer continue in sin so God can pour out more of His grace upon them?
Romans 6:1–2 (KJV)
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Titus 2:11–12 (KJV)
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.
The grace that God has given to a believer in Jesus Christ teaches us to deny sin, not excuse it. Many make excuses when they say words like, “God understands”, or “were not perfect”, but the scriptures are very clear when it comes to an adulterers and fornicators.
Matthew 10:33 (KJV)
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
When believers defend ongoing sin, they deny the authority of Christ, reject His Word, and insult His sacrifice.
Hebrews 10:25
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.
Does this mean that if we sin we can not obtain forgiveness from our sins? NO because the Lord will forgive anyone who repents of their sins, but we must understand that true repentance is to turn away from committing those sins we confess to the Lord.
1 John 1:9-10
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
5. Believers Are Not to Fellowship With Persistent Fornicators
The Bible commands separation from unrepentant sexual sinners, not in hatred, but in discipline and correction.
1 Corinthians 5:9–11 (KJV)
I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
This means believers must not tolerate ongoing sexual immorality inside the church. Yet today in many churches and fellowship gatherings an adulterer or fornicators are never confronted about their sins. Many churches have become immune to these behaviors, and many pastors fear what people will say about them and the church if they address sin in someones life.
6. The Biblical Duty to Rebuke and Exhort
True love corrects sin, not ignores it.
Proverbs 27:5–6 (KJV)
Open rebuke is better than secret love.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
2 Timothy 4:2 (KJV)
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Ezekiel 33:8 (KJV)
When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Silence in the face of sin is participation in guilt. Failure to address known sin in an assembly of believers will cause God to judge the ones who ignore it.
7. The Woman Caught in Adultery: Forgiveness and Command
John 8:3–11 (KJV)
And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Jesus forgave her, but He did not tolerate her sin. Jesus showed the adulteress woman mercy when everyone else wanted to condemn her to death. We too must show mercy to sinners, but as Jesus did he too must tell them to repent and go and sin no more. We as believers must love them by telling them the truth. We must speak the truth in love and not ignore when a brother or sister is living a sinful life. All believers are held accountable to God in telling people the truth and not just sit back and accept what has happened to a brother or sister.
Ephesians 4:15
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Ephesians 5:11
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
The word “reprove” means to expose them. Believers are to expose sin because sin is dark and unfruitful.
His command to the woman caught in adultery was direct and final:
“GO, AND SIN NO MORE.”
Jesus did Not say:
“Go and try better.”
“Go and struggle with your sin.”
“Go and live your truths and ideas about life.”
And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Jesus was plainly telling her:
STOP SINNING.
Final Rebuke and Call to Repentance
To every believer excusing fornication or adultery:
You cannot walk in sexual sin and spiritual life at the same time.
You cannot claim Christ while rejecting His commandments.
You cannot love God while embracing what He hates.
John 14:15 (KJV)
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Hebrews 10:26–27 (KJV)
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
This is not condemnation — this is warning.
Christ stands ready to forgive, cleanse, restore, and transform. But He will never approve what nailed Him to the cross.
Today, if you hear His voice:
Repent. Turn. Obey. Walk in holiness.
Acts 3:19 (KJV)
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
