Sue J Love
Loyal
1 Peter 3:1-7 BSB (Berean Study Bible)
“1Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your husbands, so that even if they refuse to believe the word, they will be won over without words by the behavior of their wives 2when they see your pure and reverent demeanor.
“3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes, 4but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight. 5For this is how the holy women of the past adorned themselves. They put their hope in God and were submissive to their husbands, 6just as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. And you are her children if you do what is right and refuse to give way to fear.
“7Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.”
The Right Thing To Do
I am going to present a scenario here which is probably in the majority of households, at least here in the USA it is, based off current statistics. And I want us to examine that scenario in light of the teachings of the Scriptures, and not just the ones quoted above. A man and a woman, both professing faith in Jesus Christ, got married to one another. Now what the woman did not know is that her husband was not living a morally pure life, but he was living in adultery against her even before they got married, and it continued throughout their marriage, and they are still married and living together.
Some people will advise that she should just leave him, that she should divorce him. But does the Bible teach that a man or a woman must divorce an unfaithful spouse? I don’t believe it does. They have the biblical right to do so, but it doesn’t say that they must, as far as what I recall. So what if the couple agree to remain together but the wife decides that, biblically speaking, she is no longer bound to submit to her husband sexually, and her husband agrees to that arrangement? Is she in the wrong? Is she still required to be in an intimate relationship with a sexually addicted spouse?
To The Scriptures
“4Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” Hebrews 13:4
“14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! 15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness.” 2 Peter 2:14-15
“It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. 2 And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this?” 1 Corinthians 5:1-2
“13The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, ‘The two will become one flesh.’ 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
“18Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:13-20
“3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.” “6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them.” Ephesians 5:3,6-7
“3It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8
“28But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:28 ESV
“For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person.” Matthew 15:19-20 ESV
The Marriage Bed Kept Pure
So, is the marriage bed being kept pure if one spouse, in this scenario the man (but it could be in reverse of this, too), is living in sexual immorality and in adultery against his wife? And the reason for stressing the roles here of male and female is because the woman is supposed to submit to her husband, and not the other way around. Is she required biblically to submit to having relationships with a spouse who is deliberately and habitually living in adultery against his wife as a life pattern? For the marriage bed is definitely not being kept pure in this scenario. It is being adulterated.
“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!” 1 Corinthians 6:15
And what defines a prostitute? Interestingly enough, the Greek word for prostitute is “porné.” And “porn” is short for pornography, which is what so many people are using today in place of or in addition to their spouses in order to gratify their sexual desires. And a prostitute is a “sex worker,” “one who deliberately stimulates or fulfills unwedded sexual desire by dress, speech, or conduct.” “Figuratively an idolater.” (source: Bible Hub Greek Interlinear). So this includes the practice of self-gratification and porn addiction. So if your spouse fits this description, biblically speaking you should not unite with him or with her sexually. For we are not to obey sin!
“Therefore do not become partners with them.” Ephesians 5:7
It does not say we must divorce them or that we cannot live in the same house as them, but that we should not be sexual partners with those who are sexual partners with themselves or with other people. We should not be sexual partners with “one who deliberately stimulates or fulfills unwedded sexual desire by dress, speech, or conduct.” So if you are in a marriage relationship like this, biblically speaking you are not bound to have sex with someone who is having sex outside of the marriage relationship. You are to keep the marriage bed pure. We are not to unite ourselves with a prostitute.
Bible verses on marriage, adultery, divorce, and moral purity:
[Genesis 2:24; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7; 2 Peter 2:13-19; 1 Corinthians 5:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-20; Ephesians 5:1-33; Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; Titus 2:3-5; Matthew 5:28; Matthew 15:19-20; Matthew 19:9; Mark 7:20-22; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:13-21]
If You Do What is Right
An Original Work / October 3, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
His Tender Mercies
An Original Work / January 26, 2014
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Fear not! I’m with you. Be not dismayed!
God watches o’er you. Trust Him today.
He’ll lead and guide you; Give you His aid.
He’ll love and keep you with Him always.
Walk in His footsteps. He’ll lead the way.
Trust in His love; Believe that He cares.
He will not leave you. Faithful He’ll be.
His tender mercies now you will see.
Fellowship with Him throughout the day.
Tell Him your heartaches. He’ll heal always.
Rest in His comfort. He is your friend.
Your faith He’ll strengthen, true to the end.
“1Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your husbands, so that even if they refuse to believe the word, they will be won over without words by the behavior of their wives 2when they see your pure and reverent demeanor.
“3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes, 4but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight. 5For this is how the holy women of the past adorned themselves. They put their hope in God and were submissive to their husbands, 6just as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. And you are her children if you do what is right and refuse to give way to fear.
“7Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.”
The Right Thing To Do
I am going to present a scenario here which is probably in the majority of households, at least here in the USA it is, based off current statistics. And I want us to examine that scenario in light of the teachings of the Scriptures, and not just the ones quoted above. A man and a woman, both professing faith in Jesus Christ, got married to one another. Now what the woman did not know is that her husband was not living a morally pure life, but he was living in adultery against her even before they got married, and it continued throughout their marriage, and they are still married and living together.
Some people will advise that she should just leave him, that she should divorce him. But does the Bible teach that a man or a woman must divorce an unfaithful spouse? I don’t believe it does. They have the biblical right to do so, but it doesn’t say that they must, as far as what I recall. So what if the couple agree to remain together but the wife decides that, biblically speaking, she is no longer bound to submit to her husband sexually, and her husband agrees to that arrangement? Is she in the wrong? Is she still required to be in an intimate relationship with a sexually addicted spouse?
To The Scriptures
“4Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” Hebrews 13:4
“14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! 15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness.” 2 Peter 2:14-15
“It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. 2 And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this?” 1 Corinthians 5:1-2
“13The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, ‘The two will become one flesh.’ 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
“18Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:13-20
“3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.” “6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them.” Ephesians 5:3,6-7
“3It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8
“28But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:28 ESV
“For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person.” Matthew 15:19-20 ESV
The Marriage Bed Kept Pure
So, is the marriage bed being kept pure if one spouse, in this scenario the man (but it could be in reverse of this, too), is living in sexual immorality and in adultery against his wife? And the reason for stressing the roles here of male and female is because the woman is supposed to submit to her husband, and not the other way around. Is she required biblically to submit to having relationships with a spouse who is deliberately and habitually living in adultery against his wife as a life pattern? For the marriage bed is definitely not being kept pure in this scenario. It is being adulterated.
“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!” 1 Corinthians 6:15
And what defines a prostitute? Interestingly enough, the Greek word for prostitute is “porné.” And “porn” is short for pornography, which is what so many people are using today in place of or in addition to their spouses in order to gratify their sexual desires. And a prostitute is a “sex worker,” “one who deliberately stimulates or fulfills unwedded sexual desire by dress, speech, or conduct.” “Figuratively an idolater.” (source: Bible Hub Greek Interlinear). So this includes the practice of self-gratification and porn addiction. So if your spouse fits this description, biblically speaking you should not unite with him or with her sexually. For we are not to obey sin!
“Therefore do not become partners with them.” Ephesians 5:7
It does not say we must divorce them or that we cannot live in the same house as them, but that we should not be sexual partners with those who are sexual partners with themselves or with other people. We should not be sexual partners with “one who deliberately stimulates or fulfills unwedded sexual desire by dress, speech, or conduct.” So if you are in a marriage relationship like this, biblically speaking you are not bound to have sex with someone who is having sex outside of the marriage relationship. You are to keep the marriage bed pure. We are not to unite ourselves with a prostitute.
Bible verses on marriage, adultery, divorce, and moral purity:
[Genesis 2:24; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7; 2 Peter 2:13-19; 1 Corinthians 5:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-20; Ephesians 5:1-33; Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; Titus 2:3-5; Matthew 5:28; Matthew 15:19-20; Matthew 19:9; Mark 7:20-22; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:13-21]
If You Do What is Right
An Original Work / October 3, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
His Tender Mercies
An Original Work / January 26, 2014
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Fear not! I’m with you. Be not dismayed!
God watches o’er you. Trust Him today.
He’ll lead and guide you; Give you His aid.
He’ll love and keep you with Him always.
Walk in His footsteps. He’ll lead the way.
Trust in His love; Believe that He cares.
He will not leave you. Faithful He’ll be.
His tender mercies now you will see.
Fellowship with Him throughout the day.
Tell Him your heartaches. He’ll heal always.
Rest in His comfort. He is your friend.
Your faith He’ll strengthen, true to the end.
His Tender Mercies
This song is clearly about the tender mercies of our Lord to us, his followers.
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