God’s design for sex and marriage displays His covenant love and leads to life.
FOCUS TEXT: Exodus 20:14
This Sunday at Anchor Church, we continued our series, “TEN COMMANDMENTS: Law that Leads to Life,”looking at the seventh commandment: “You shall not commit adultery.” At first glance, it may seem simple—don’t cheat on your spouse. But Scripture shows this commandment is much bigger. It’s about honoring God’s design for our bodies, relationships, and covenant commitments. It’s about reflecting His faithfulness in how we live. In a cultural moment where the biblical vision of sex and marriage is often dismissed or redefined, this commandment reminds us: God’s design has not changed. It is still good, holy, and for our joy.
Truth #1: God Created Our Bodies and Relationships with Purpose, Beauty, and Glory — From the beginning, God made us male and female in His image (Genesis 1:26–28). Our bodies are not accidental—they are intentional and central to our identity. God blessed His design and called it very good. Sexuality is not a playground for self-expression. It is a sacred gift—given for covenant love, the mission of filling the earth with His image, and ultimately, for worship. Living within His design reflects His character. Stepping outside it misrepresents the One whose image we bear.
Truth #2: Marriage Is a Covenant of Lifelong Faithfulness Before God — Genesis 2 gives the blueprint: a man leaves his parents, holds fast to his wife, and the two become one flesh. This “one flesh” union is more than physical—it is spiritual, emotional, and relational, a covenant made before God (Malachi 2:14). Marriage is not a contract to be ended when feelings fade—it is a covenant meant to mirror Christ’s love for His church (Ephesians 5:31–32). Breaking that covenant tells a lie about God’s faithfulness; keeping it bears witness to the One who never breaks His promises.
Truth #3: God’s Law Protects the Holiness of Marriage and the Gift of Sexuality — When God says, “You shall not commit adultery,” He is defending something precious—marriage as He designed it. This command protects the sacred union of husband and wife, guards our worship, and affirms that sex is a good gift to be enjoyed within covenant marriage. Jesus makes it clear this is about more than physical acts. Lust in the heart is adultery in seed form (Matthew 5:27–28). The battlefield begins in our thoughts and desires. That’s why we need more than willpower—we need the transforming grace of Christ.
Truth #4: As Image-Bearers, Sexual Integrity Reflects God’s Character to the World — Our sexuality is not just personal—it’s missional. Every act of marital faithfulness preaches a sermon about God’s covenant love. Every act of sexual sin distorts that picture. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, bought with the blood of Christ. We are not our own—we belong to Him. Honoring God with our bodies is part of our worship and our witness.
This commandment confronts us all. Maybe you’ve experienced betrayal. Maybe you’ve broken trust. Maybe you’ve battled temptation or wrestled with identity. Wherever you are, the same Jesus who gave this command is the One who can heal your heart.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
Do I see my body and relationships as part of my worship to God?
In what ways am I tempted to believe my way is better than God’s design?
How can I reflect God’s covenant faithfulness in my marriage, singleness, or friendships?
Where do I need to seek forgiveness and walk in newness of life?
PRAYER OF RESPONSE: Father, You are faithful and true. Thank You for creating us in Your image and giving us the gift of covenant love. Forgive us for the ways we have distorted Your design or pursued our own way. Cleanse our hearts, heal our wounds, and restore our joy in You. Strengthen marriages, guard our minds, and empower us by Your Spirit to live with purity and faithfulness. May our lives—married or single—tell the truth about Your covenant love, for Your glory and the good of the world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
MEMORY VERSE: “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” – Hebrews 13:4 (ESV)
