Spiritual adultery refers to being unfaithful to God by pursuing other things or beings instead of having an exclusive relationship with Him. It involves transferring allegiance, worship, love, trust or obedience that belongs to God alone to something or someone else. Spiritual adultery manifests itself in different ways:
Idolatry
Idolatry is one form of spiritual adultery. This refers to worshipping an idol instead of the true God. An idol can be a physical object like a statue or image made to represent a false god (Exodus 20:4-5). But it can also refer to anything that takes the place of God in one’s heart and mind. For example, money, fame, status, pleasure or even ministry success can become idols if we value them above our relationship with God. Pursuing and prioritizing anything over God is a form of spiritual adultery.
In Ezekiel 14:1-8, God rebuked the elders of Israel for setting up idols in their hearts. Though they were seeking counsel from the Lord, they had also harbored idols which took God’s rightful place. This was being unfaithful to Him.
Friendship with the world
The apostle James wrote that friendship with the world is spiritual adultery and enmity with God (James 4:4). Being a friend of the world means adopting worldly values, passions, and ways of thinking instead of godly ones. It is loving the temporal things of the world rather than the eternal. When our affections are set on earthly pursuits rather than heavenly ones, we commit spiritual adultery.
In his first epistle, John exhorts believers not to love the world or anything in it, as these are not from God but from the world (1 John 2:15). The pull of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and pride in possessions exert a strong influence, but John reminds us that the world is passing away. Holding on to it too tightly can lead us into spiritual adultery.
Syncretism
This refers to attempting to mix elements of different religious beliefs and practices. The Israelites repeatedly fell into syncretism by blending the worship of God with idols and pagan religious rites. They adopted the gods of the Canaanites and sought to worship both. But God made it clear that He demands exclusive devotion, and there is no room for syncretism. We cannot mix worship of the one true God with anything else. This is spiritual adultery.
In modern times, syncretism appears when people try to blend Christianity with New Age spirituality or Eastern mysticism. Any attempt to combine orthodox biblical beliefs with other religions is a form of spiritual adultery.
Trusting in other saviors
God explicitly declares numerous times in Scripture that He alone is Savior, and there is no other (Isaiah 43:11, Isaiah 45:21). Jesus stated that He is the way, truth and life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). However, it is possible for even believers to commit spiritual adultery by looking to other things as their functional savior and source of life apart from Christ.
This may include looking to money, status, intellect, good works, morality, or even ministry success as our saving grace. It is adulterous when we trust in anything other than Christ’s finished work on the cross for salvation. He alone forgives our sins and makes us right with God. Reliance on anything else is unfaithfulness to Him.
Friendship with the world’s value system
James 4:4 not only warns against friendship with the world in a general sense but also its value system. The world’s value system is opposed to God’s ways. It elevates self over God, indulgence over self-control, recognition from man over fear of the Lord. When we embrace the world’s value system, we commit spiritual adultery. We must allow our values to be shaped by the renewing of our minds through God’s word (Rom 12:2).
Some examples of adopting the world’s values include: greed and commercialism, exalting human philosophies above divine truth, obsession with entertainment, immorality and lust, and belief that the ends justify the means. These attitudes are at odds with God’s character.
Unbelief and doubting God
One of the ways the Israelites were unfaithful to God was through unbelief – doubting His word, power and promises. Their persistent unbelief grieved and angered God, as He had demonstrated His faithfulness time and again. But they still failed to trust Him fully. Likewise, when we cease trusting the Lord and His word, we commit spiritual adultery.
Hebrews 3:12 warns believers not to have an unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. And Jesus pronounced a blessing on those who have not seen but yet believe in Him (John 20:29). When we entertain doubts and unbelief toward God, we undermine the faith relationship we are called to. This is a form of spiritual adultery.
Distorted teachings
Consuming and following doctrines that are contrary to the word of God also constitutes spiritual adultery. There are many distorted gospels and false teachings that are popular today, even infiltrating the church. When we accept these instead of sound doctrine, we are being unfaithful to God. We must be discerning and not be led astray by ear-tickling deception and lies, no matter how appealing (2 Tim 4:3).
In Jeremiah 23:14, God laments the spiritual adultery committed by prophets and priests who follow the Baals instead of speaking God’s true word. Consuming and peddling false teaching led them into adultery against God.
Harboring Sin
Knowingly harboring sin in our lives and refusing to repent is a form of spiritual adultery. It is choosing the flesh and its desires over the Spirit. It puts a barrier between us and God, weakening the intimate fellowship we are meant to have with Him. Just as adultery destroys intimacy between spouses, unconfessed sin damages intimacy with God.
The Israelites repeatedly clung to idols and sins like Sabbath-breaking, oppressing the poor, lying and deceit. God sent prophets to warn them to repent, but they often refused. This grieved God’s heart, as it was unfaithfulness and spiritual adultery against Him.
A divided heart
Having a divided heart between God and other things is also spiritual adultery. God desires all our heart, not just part. King Solomon started well in fully devoting himself to the Lord. But later on, his many wives turned his heart away toward their gods (1 Kings 11:3-4). This destroyed Solomon’s loyal relationship with God.
In Hosea 10:2, God indicts Israel for having a divided heart. They had half-hearted allegiance to both God and idols. God refuses to share our hearts with rivals and false gods. When our loyalty is divided, we commit spiritual adultery.
Breaking covenant
God made a covenant with Israel, promising to be their God if they would be exclusively His people. They were to worship, love and obey Him only. But their repeated idolatry, syncretism and sin was a breaking of the covenant, likened to an unfaithful spouse. When we break covenant with God by giving our highest devotion and affection to anything or anyone else, it is spiritual adultery.
Jeremiah 11:10 says God’s covenant was broken by Israel and Judah’s idolatry and sin. Ezekiel 16:32 condemns Israel as an adulterous wife for lavishing gifts and offerings on her lovers while forgetting God. Breaking covenant ruins intimacy with God.
Signs and effects of spiritual adultery
So how can we discern spiritual adultery in ourselves or others? Here are some signs and effects:
- Apathy and lack of zeal for God
- Compromise and conformity to the world’s standards
- Unwillingness to give up idols and false saviors
- Distorted doctrine and compromised truth
- Flagrant, unrepentant sin
- Decline in prayer, worship, love for God’s word
- Hypocrisy, duplicity, pretense in faith
- A cold, distant relationship with God
- Lack of spiritual fruit and vibrancy
The prophets like Hosea and Jeremiah revealed that spiritual adultery grieves God terribly. It damages intimacy with Him, shutting out His blessings in our lives individually and corporately. Therefore we must be vigilant against it. God is a jealous God who wants our wholehearted, exclusive devotion. We must not commit spiritual adultery through idolatry or unfaithfulness to Him.