Does God Forgive your Infidelity?
by Pastor Jess Foglesong
We’ve all known someone who has committed infidelity -- adultery. It’s a very common problem in literally all societies. From the little village in Timbuktu, to a modern, fast pace country -- such as here in the USA! Theologically, it is a type of falling: out of harmony, cohesiveness; out of trustworthiness; of respectability; of honor. And most of all, it is also a type of falling away -- from the Creator. It is being separated from Him -- from the Father.
When someone breaks the bond of trust in a relationship, he (or she) has lost his way. He has taken his eyes of the mark. He loses his way and decides to look outside of the circle: the realm of marriage (relationship) between two. He divorces himself from reality. He steps into the “darkness” … into Chaos.
Theologically, when someone commits infidelity, it is the same -- as committing the original Sin. That is: to divorce (separate) oneself from the life-giver: from harmony, to disharmony or Chaos.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And because God only creates good, the heaven and earth was good. But then the earth became void, and without form; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. Therefore, the Good that God created became separated, due to Sin. Who Sinned? Who committed adultery, infidelity? Who was dishonorable, distrustful. disobedient? Well, the reason why all of us, at times, find ourselves being in a situation we wish we did not commit: … Lucifer (our original representative at the heavenly council table). An archangel who divorced (separated) himself from God. All was lost, as we know in Genesis 1 verse 2. And he and all of his fallen angels (demons) were banished to earth ...
Therefore God -- through His unconditional love and grace -- immediately began the process of Salvation (which is what the Old Testament bible is all about) ... And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be Light: and there was Light. And God saw the Light, that it was good; and God separated the light from darkness….. God re-created human-kind and created us to be good; and therefore all we knew was good: as illustrated in Adam and Eve. He place them in a Garden, where everything was good. Unfortunately evil (the devil, the darkness, chaos) lurked nearby … and eventually infiltrated into the goodness. The will of man and woman gave in to the darkness … and instantly, God’s first experiment in Salvaging humanity failed.
The separation (the divorce) from the Father (the head of the household) continued. And through the centuries God never gave up. His tenacity and drive was constant -- as shown through the countless stories depicted in the Old Testament.
Our infidelity, and adulterous ways, leading to separation and divorce is an illustration of the ultimate Separation: the separation (and divorce) from the Father: who is (again, theologically) our ultimate husband. In the New Testament, it is understood that the “Woman” (or the bride) is all of human kind -- married to the Father (the Creator -- or the Groom). And when the Woman (humanity) commits adultery, infidelity -- which is being disrespectful, deceitful, disobedient, dishonorable, perfidious …. (you name it!) -- you separate yourself from the Creator: the Father; therefore you “fall” into chaos; into the abyss.
Symbolically -- in our day by day relationships find ourselves caught-up in the same web -- the same situation. And when we are discovered, we are sorry and want to be forgiven -- and perhaps want to redeem ourselves, or repent. Same story with humanity: to be forgiven; to be redeemed.
At the cross, Jesus said, Father forgive them, they know not what they do. Does the Father forgive us?
Yes! He does forgive all who commit such things. Although, another human being might not: your wife (or husband); your family; society …… But your Father in heaven, who has been with you all along -- does forgive you! He forgives you … and all who commit adultery and infidelity, through His Son: our Mediator, The Christ, who gave his life for all of our inequities.
All you need to do is to “Believe” in Him -- and the sacrifice of The Lamb. His Gift is Life! And it is Free! You will be free! He took the steps to bringing us home from being cast-aways, divorced, separated, lost to the darkness; to evil; to the void and the emptiness. He took the steps to bringing us home to the goodness; to Him. Why not take His offer: His love, His gift, His devotion, His guaranteed promise!