A Choice To Not Commit Adultery

Last night a college student (Marcus) from my church and I went to the Fresno City College to hand out gospel tracts and talk to people about their eternal destination.  About 30 minutes into the evening, I saw a young Hispanic couple sitting very close to one another at a secluded table, almost hidden among the evening shadows.  I assumed they were a dating couple..probably a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship.  However, the man looked to be in his very early twenties and the woman looked slightly older than him, closer to 30 years of age.

I gave them each gospel tracts and started asking them questions like: What do you think happens when you die?  Do you believe in God?  Would you go to heaven or hell if you died this night?  I could tell that I was “intruding” but I figured, “Oh well, they’ll tell me to leave if they don’t want to talk.”  I could tell right away the gentleman wanted me to take a long hike off a short cliff (not tonight, pal).  I kept asking questions and only the woman really gave any effort to answer me back.

However, about mid-way through the conversation she mentioned that she was married.  That struck me as an odd statement, since it was apparent that the man sitting too close for comfort was obviously not the “husband” she was referring to.

I started going through the 10 Commandments and figured I would spend a bit of time with the 7th commandment: “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14).  I explained how Jesus Christ said that if a person even looks at another person with lust, desire, sexual fantasy, etc. (c.f. Matthew 5:27-30) that they’ve broken that commandment in their heart.  The woman just stared at me as I started talking about adultery and how it is a punishable sin according to God and that the Bible teaches that adulterers (and adulteresses) will not inherit eternal life.

When I got to that point in the conversation, the woman cut me off and said with a shaky voice, “I must ask you to stop you right there.”  She put the gospel tract I gave her into her book bag and then stood up.  She stared at me and tears began welling in her eyes as she said, “I want to thank you because I was about to do something that I would have regretted very much.”  She looked at the gentleman sitting next to her and said, “I can’t do this.” and then picked up her things and walked away.

The man was not too pleased with me but….oh well.  Those two were obviously on the brink of having an affair and God’s Word convicted her heart to the point at which she knew she was about to violate a sacred covenant between a husband and a wife in the eyes of a most holy and righteous God.

It is amazing how God’s Law is so wonderfully intense and probing that it can convict the heart of a complete stranger in just a few minutes of conversation.  Praise God for His awesome goodness and mercy!