Jeremiah 3:20-21
Introduction
A. This sin was the greatest in the history of Israel.
B. It brought punishment from God.
C. An application to the Church:
- A prevalent sin today
- Being untrue and unfaithful to Christ
D. Worse than the Scarlet Sin in the social world is the Spiritual Adultery committed by those who are married to God. This sin:
- Renders the individual useless.
- Robs the church of its power.
- Damns thousands of souls to hell every year.
Conditions of Spiritual Adultery
A. No fear of God, Jeremiah 3:8
B. A Lost Sense of Sin, Isaiah 5:20–“Call evil good,” as in homosexuality is an alternate lifestyle.
C. God’s Word has a lot to say about sin:
- Sin is grievous, Genesis 18:20.
- Sin separates, Isaiah 59:1-2.
- Sin is a written record that leaves its mark, Jeremiah 17:1.
- Sin is a sum of additions, Isaiah 30:1.
- Sin is a wage earner of death, Romans 6:23.
Object of Spiritual Adultery
A. When a man is married, he must no longer flirt with other women. A person joined to God must not flirt with the world.
B. In the case of Judah, it was idolatry.
C. In the case of the Church, it is:
- Pleasures, 2 Timothy 3:4.
- Programs, 2 Timothy 3:5.
- Possessions, Matthew 6:24.
Treachery of Spiritual Adultery
A. Judah tried to deceive God with “feigned” love, Jeremiah 3:10 and Isaiah 29:13, Matthew 15:7-9.
B. Remember,
- God knows the heart, Luke 15:16.
- God knows those who are His, 2 Timothy 2:19.
C. Judah received the greater punishment because of her hypocrisy, Jeremiah 3:11.
Lessons to Learn
A. God is a jealous God, Exodus 34:14. A wife who loves her husband second best has a jealous husband.
B. God is not deceived by outward pretenses, 1 Samuel 16:7.
C. There is sever punishment for spiritual adultery, Jeremiah 5:7-9.
D. Confession and repentance will bring forgiveness, Jeremiah 3:12.