Listen:  146.7

I believe the verse you are referring to is Hebrews 13:4which says, “Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” (NASB)  Marriage is a sacred institution that the Lord Himself established.  As such, it is to be held in the highest regard and maintained in the utmost purity.  We live in a society that thinks very little of the sanctity of marriage.  It is often mocked as an institution.  The marriage vows are broken in epidemic proportions.  Yet, the Lord tells us plainly that, “Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled.” 

So often, the marriage bed is defiled by the unfaithfulness of one or both marriage partners.  How dishonoring this is to the marriage vow and to the Lord who instituted marriage.  Listen to the seriousness of the Lord regarding this in Ephesians 5:3, “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints.”  Not even once does the Lord tolerate infidelity in the marriage.  Especially among believers on the Lord Jesus Christ, fornication should NEVER occur.  As believers, we make our marriage vows to the Lord in the presence of witnesses.  This is an important point.  We go beyond promising our partner that we will be faithful, in our vows we promise the Lord that we will be faithful. 

Hebrews 13:4assures us that, “…fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”  For the believer, we understand that sin of this nature will not escape the chastening hand of God.  May that truth sink in to the hearts of all believers.  Fornication will not go unpunished.  We should thank the Lord for that.  It is often the loving, chastening hand of God that brings us to repentance and restoration.  When we sin, the Lord immediately begins to work to bring us to the realization of our sin, the repentance of our sin, and the confession of our sin.  As we read in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Yes, there is forgiveness and restoration from the Lord, even in the case of fornication.  However, the Lord does not want us to commit it in the first place. 

For those couples who are faithful to the Lord in their marriage vows, we can be assured of the Lord’s blessings.  1 Samuel 26:23tells us, “The Lord will repay each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness…”  Indeed, in all things, the Lord acknowledges and rewards faithfulness to His Word.  We read in Hebrews 6:10, “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love…”  In closing, let me offer one word of caution.  It is possible to remain faithful to your marriage partner without remaining faithful to the Lord.  It is when we honor our marriage vows ‘as unto the Lord’, that the Lord is honored and pours out His blessings on us.  Colossians 3:23instructs us, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord…”  (146.7)