Adultery of the Soul  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.  (James 4:4) And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter. And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.  (Mark 10:2-12) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.  (1 John 2:15-17)   Dear brother or sister in Christ Jesus; to many of you, the above Scriptures are well known, but because circumstances have not brought them to life for you, they may not be fully understood.    In the passage in Mark we see that it was because of the hardness of their hearts that Moses allowed change. In other words the men (their souls) were prepared to "bend" the Scriptures to commit willing bodily sin. It was only because they had no compunction about breaking God's will, of keeping covenant with their spouses, that this could happen.    There are other teachings in this series that deal with covenants (marriage or otherwise), but the purpose of this one is to understand the reality of the unseen soul and the spiritual road to its ultimate destination.  ¶ As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death. ¶ They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight. ¶ Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.  (Proverbs 11:19-21) Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.  (Matthew 10:34-38) Should your spouse - your other half - professing Christian or not, commit willing sin against you by stabbing you in the back or inadvertantly asking you to choose between them and your Lord by their actions, and you react in anger, hurt pride or even in sadness that such unfaithfulness was done by someone whom you trusted, please work through the following, learning the truth of the matter until you have forgiven your spouse of the hurt.  There is no marriage relationship in heaven except between Christ and His bride.  The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. And last of all the woman died also. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.  (Matthew 22:23-30) Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.  (Revelation 19:7-8)  Because you are a true child of God, the sin that was done to you was actually done to your heavenly Father. This means that the soul of your worldly spouse shall answer to the Ultimate Judge for all unforgiven sins. It is out of your hands because your covenant with your spouse ends up in front of the Spiritual Person with whom you have made the Ultimate Covenant.  Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.  (1 Corinthians 3:13)  But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.  (1 Corinthians 11:3)  You should therefore follow Christ's example because you want to please your Lord.  For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.  Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.  (1 Peter 2:19 - 1 Peter 3:12)    As a result of this you shall be blessed by the presence and comfort of the Holy Spirit in your lives and the evidence of His providential power.    And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  (Mark 8:34)