What causes the sin of adultery?
Why are we committing the sin of adultery? Why is there so much sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape happening? What could be the causes?
First, I think the cause is “the lust of the eyes” (1 Jn. 2:16).
Satan is stimulating the lusts of our eyes to become sexually sinful. Satan arouses greed within us and makes us covet other women beyond our limits. If we succumb to the temptations of Satan, we are drawn to the lust of the eyes to look at women other than our wives. But our eyes are not satisfied with how many women we see and hear (Eccle. 1:8). Because the lust of the eyes cannot be satisfied, we covet other women by looking at them again and again.
Second, I think the cause is “the lust of the flesh” (1 Jn. 2:16).
Satan tempts our fleshly lusts into sexual sin. Satan is making us covet women other than our wives. Satan is always dissatisfied with our wife's breasts and keeps us from captivating by her love (Prov. 5:19). As a result, Satan compels us to commit sexual offenses such as molestation, sexual assault, and rape. The cause of our infidelity is greed. Greed is never satisfied (Isa. 56:11). Therefore, greed makes us dissatisfied with our wives (Prov. 5:19) and makes us covet our neighbor's wives (Exod. 29:17). The lust of the flesh on this earth eventually lead to sexual sin through sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed (Col. 3:5).
Third, I think the cause is ‘foolishness’.
A good example of this is the foolish young man who lacked judgement in Proverbs chapter 7. That foolish young man was the one who had been deceived by the adulteress who spoke seductive words (v. 5). How did Satan tempt this foolish young man? I thought of three things:
(1) Satan tempts the foolish young man to go down the street near the corner of the adulteress.
Look at Proverbs 7:8 – “He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house.” When this foolish young man was going down the street near the corner of the adulteress (v. 8), he should avoid it, should not travel on it but turn from it and go on his way (4:15). But the foolish young man did not turn away from walking along in the direction of the adulteress’ house. Rather he walked closer to the corner of her house and headed towards the adulteress’ house. He did so at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in (7:9). It was because he didn't want anyone to see him. In other words, the foolish young man secretly went to the adulteress’ house in the middle of the night to hide his deed from others (Park).
(2) The adulteress comes out to meet the foolish young man with a hidden intention.
Look at Proverbs 7:10 – “Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.” When the foolish young man without wisdom, tempted by Satan, passed through the streets in deep darkness (v. 9) and approached the corner of the adulteress’ corner to her house (v. 8), the adulteress dressed like a prostitute met the foolish young man (v. 10). Here, the reason the Bible says the adulteress had crafty intent is because she has a hidden intention in welcoming the young man. In other words, the crafty adulteress is hiding her own true intention in welcoming the foolish young man. In fact, the literal meaning of the original Hebrew word for “crafty” here is ‘hidden’ (MacArthur). What is her hidden intention? Look at Proverbs 23:27-28: “for a prostitute is a deep pit and a wayward wife is a narrow well. Like a bandit she lies in wait, and multiplies the unfaithful among men.” The hidden intention of the adulteress to greet the foolish young man dressed as the prostitute is to set a trap to make him faithless in his marriage. In other words, the adulteress’ hidden true intention is to force many married men to break the covenant they made when they got married (Park).
(3) The adulteress deceives the foolish young man with her smooth talk.
Look at Proverbs 7:21 – “With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.” How does the adulteress seduce the foolish young man and corrupt him?
(a) The adulteress seduces the foolish young man with her appearance.
Look at Proverbs 7:10 – “Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.” The phrase “dressed like a prostitute” here means, in modern terms, that the adulteress is dressed like the prostitute. It means that the prostitute is dressed seductively, but in such a way that she sexually arouses the lusts of the eyes and the lusts of the flesh. It's really irritating to seduce the foolish man.
(b) The adulteress seduces the foolish young man by touching him.
Look at Proverbs 7:13a – “She took hold of him and kissed him ….” Can you imagine a heavily clothed adulteress rushing to the foolish young man, squeezing him with her arms and kissing him on his lips? At that time, the foolish young man must have already felt sexually aroused visually by looking at the prostitute's clothe. But if she has grabbed the young man and kissed him to the lips, then he would have had no choice but to feel the sexual urge. This crafty adulteress uses even physical contact to seduce the foolish young man. How sexually aroused the lively young man would be if the adulteress has seduced the foolish young man by touching and kissing him?
(c) The adulteress seduces the foolish young man by what she says.
Look at Proverbs 7:21 – “With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.” In seducing the foolish young man, the adulteress seduces him with persuasive words and with her smooth talk (v. 21). I think the women are the same. But I think that men, in particular, have weak sight, touch, and hearing in their five senses. In other words, when a man is seduced by a woman, he can be seduced by looking at the woman's body, or through physical contact. But he can be seduced enough by listening to the woman's words.