A child is a blessing from God, no matter the circumstances of their birth. But what does the Bible say about a child born from adultery? While the Bible condemns adultery, it also speaks to the love, grace, and acceptance that every child deserves. Let’s see how Scripture addresses this sensitive topic.
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What Does The Bible Say About a child born from adultery
2 Samuel 12:13
Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.”
This verse highlights the importance of confession and repentance. David, who committed adultery with Bathsheba and fathered a child, acknowledges his sin and seeks forgiveness from God through Nathan the prophet. It shows that no matter the circumstances surrounding the birth of a child, God is willing to extend His grace and offer forgiveness when we genuinely repent.
Personally, I find comfort in this verse because it reminds me that God’s forgiveness is not limited by the sins we commit or the consequences that follow. It encourages me to seek His forgiveness and guidance when I fall short, knowing that His love and mercy are available to all who humbly come before Him.
John 8:3-11
The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
This powerful account demonstrates Jesus’ compassion and forgiveness even in situations of adultery. He refuses to condemn the woman caught in the act and offers her a chance to start anew. It teaches us that Jesus values forgiveness over condemnation and encourages us to extend the same grace to others.
Personally, I find this story deeply inspiring as it reaffirms that Jesus came to save and redeem, not to condemn. It reminds me that no matter the mistakes or sins someone has committed, there is always hope for repentance and restoration through Christ’s loving forgiveness. This verse also challenges me to examine my own heart and show grace and mercy to those who may have made similar mistakes, understanding that we are all in need of forgiveness.
Proverbs 6:32-33
But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself. Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away.
These verses from Proverbs warn against the consequences of adultery. They emphasize the destruction and shame that come with engaging in such behavior. Adultery not only harms relationships but also deeply impacts one’s own life and reputation.
These verses serve as a cautionary reminder of the severe consequences of adultery. They encourage us to cherish and protect the sanctity of marriage, and to seek God’s guidance and strength in navigating temptations that may lead to infidelity.
Hebrews 13:4
Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
The book of Hebrews emphasizes the importance of honoring and preserving marriages. It calls believers to purity and warns of God’s judgment on those who engage in adultery and sexual immorality.
These verses remind us of God’s design for marriage and the value He places on faithfulness and commitment. They challenge us to uphold the sanctity of marriage, both in our own lives and in supporting healthy marriages around us.
Proverbs 5:15-17
Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers.
Proverbs uses the metaphor of water to illustrate the importance of faithfulness within marriage. These verses encourage spouses to find satisfaction and fulfillment in each other, warning against seeking intimacy with others outside of the marriage relationship.
These words serve as a reminder of the value of loyalty and commitment within marriage. They challenge us to find joy and contentment in our own relationships, nurturing and protecting them from outside influences that may lead to unfaithfulness.
Matthew 5:27-28
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
In these verses, Jesus expands the understanding of adultery beyond the physical act itself. He highlights the significance of our thoughts and desires, stating that even lusting after someone in our hearts is an act of adultery.
This teaching challenges us to examine not only our actions but also our thoughts and intentions. It encourages us to pursue purity not only in our outward behavior but also in the depths of our hearts, recognizing that true holiness involves aligning our desires with God’s will.
Proverbs 2:16-19
Wisdom will save you from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words, who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God. Surely her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead.
Proverbs provides a cautionary warning against the enticement of an adulterous woman. It highlights the destructive consequences that result from neglecting one’s marital vows and pursuing forbidden relationships.
These verses serve as a reminder of the importance of wisdom and discernment in safeguarding one’s marriage. They encourage us to stay faithful to our partners and to be vigilant against the allurements that may lead us astray.
Proverbs 6:20-35
My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life, keeping you from your neighbor’s wife, from the smooth talk of a wayward woman. Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes. For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread, but another man’s wife preys on your very life. Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished. People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving. Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house. But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself. Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away. For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge. He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.
This extensive passage from Proverbs provides a thorough warning against adultery and the severe consequences it brings. It emphasizes the importance of heeding parental guidance, following God’s commandments, and avoiding the allure of an adulterous woman.
These verses deeply caution us against the destructive path of infidelity. They vividly illustrate the many negative consequences and the lasting shame that can accompany such actions. The passage also reinforces the importance of honor, respect, and fidelity within marriages.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
In this passage, Paul lists various sinful behaviors, including adultery, highlighting that those who continue in such practices will not inherit the kingdom of God.
These verses provide a clear warning about the eternal consequences of unrepentant adultery. They call us to examine our lives, seek forgiveness, and strive to live in obedience to God’s commands, understanding that our actions have eternal implications.
Proverbs 30:20
This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, “I’ve done nothing wrong.”
Proverbs portrays the deceptive nature of an adulterous woman, who engages in the act but denies any wrongdoing or consequences.
These words caution us against the allurements of those who may try to lead us astray. They remind us of the importance of discernment and the need to avoid rationalizing sinful actions, recognizing that denial does not change the moral truth.
Mark 10:11-12
He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”
In response to a question from the Pharisees about divorce, Jesus highlights the gravity of breaking the marital covenant and remarriage, stating that it constitutes adultery.
These verses emphasize the importance of commitment and faithfulness within marriage, cautioning against the dissolution of marital vows. They remind us of the lifelong nature of the marriage covenant and encourage us to cultivate strong, lasting relationships based on love, forgiveness, and mutual respect.
Matthew 5:31-32
“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
Jesus addresses the issue of divorce and highlights that divorcing a spouse, except in cases of sexual immorality, leads to adultery.
These verses emphasize the importance of commitment and fidelity within marriage, calling us to work through difficulties and seek reconciliation rather than resorting to divorce. They challenge us to consider the lifelong commitment we make in marriage and to prioritize the wellbeing of our spouse and family.
Ephesians 5:22-33
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body. “For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Ephesians provides instructions on the roles and responsibilities within marriage. It calls wives to submit to their husbands, and husbands to love and sacrifice for their wives, drawing parallel to the relationship between Christ and the church.
These verses highlight the importance of mutual respect, love, and selflessness within marriage. They serve as a reminder that a faithful and healthy marriage is built on mutual submission and a sacrificial love that mirrors the relationship between Christ and His church.
Matthew 19:9
I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
Jesus reemphasizes the seriousness of adultery and clarifies that divorce, except in the case of sexual immorality, leads to adultery in the subsequent marriage.
These words stress the importance of fidelity and commitment within marriage, challenging us to consider the lifelong nature of the marriage covenant and to prioritize forgiveness and reconciliation above divorce. They remind us of the lasting impact our choices have on ourselves and on others.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God.
Paul exhorts the believers in Thessalonica to live in holiness and avoid sexual immorality, calling them to exercise self-control and honor God with their bodies.
These verses remind us of the importance of living a life that is pleasing to God, using our bodies in a manner that reflects His holiness. They challenge us to resist the temptations of our flesh and to pursue purity in our thoughts, actions, and relationships.
Galatians 5:19-21
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians lists various sinful behaviors, including sexual immorality, and emphasizes that those who persist in such actions will not inherit the kingdom of God.
These verses serve as a solemn warning, calling us to examine our lives and seek transformation in Christ. They urge us to reject the works of the flesh and strive for lives characterized by the fruit of the Spirit.
Colossians 3:5-6
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.
Paul encourages the Colossians to put to death the sinful desires of their earthly nature, which include sexual immorality, impurity, and lust. He warns of the consequences of indulging in these sins.
These verses call us to actively reject and guard against the temptations that may lead to adultery. They highlight that God’s judgment awaits those who persist in such sinful behavior, urging us to live in a manner worthy of our calling as followers of Christ.
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
In this verse, Paul reminds the Corinthians that they are not alone in facing temptation. He assures them of God’s faithfulness and His promise to provide a way of escape from every temptation.
This verse offers comfort and hope in the battle against the temptations that may lead to adultery. It reminds us that through God’s strength, we can resist and overcome temptation, trusting in His faithfulness and guidance.
James 1:14-15
But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
James explains the process of temptation, highlighting the progression from desire to sin and ultimately to spiritual death.
These verses serve as a stark reminder of the danger of giving in to sinful desires. They urge us to be vigilant and diligent in guarding against the temptations that may lead to adultery, recognizing the destructive path it sets us on.
Psalm 51:10
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10 is a plea from David as he repents after his adultery with Bathsheba. He acknowledges his need for God to purify his heart and renew his spirit.
This verse reminds us of the importance of seeking God’s forgiveness and transformation in the face of our own sinful actions. It encourages us to humbly approach God, asking Him to cleanse our hearts and renew our spirits, enabling us to lead lives that honor Him.
Psalm 119:9-11
How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
This passage from Psalm 119 speaks of the importance of living according to God’s Word and seeking Him wholeheartedly. It emphasizes the role of Scripture in keeping one on the path of purity and guarding against sin.
These verses encourage us to prioritize the study and application of God’s Word, recognizing its power to guide us in godly living. They remind us that internalizing Scripture helps us resist temptation and pursue lives founded on God’s truth.
Romans 12:1-2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.
Paul calls the believers in Rome to present their bodies as living sacrifices, urging them not to conform to the patterns of the world but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds.
These verses emphasize the need for a radical transformation in our attitudes and behaviors, rejecting the worldly views and behaviors—such as adultery—that are contrary to God’s will. They encourage us to surrender ourselves completely to God, nurturing a renewed mind that aligns with His truth and leads to a life that reflects His good and perfect will.
Psalm 119:37
Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.
Psalm 119:37 expresses a request to God for guidance in avoiding worthless things and asks Him to preserve one’s life according to His Word.
This verse encourages us to be discerning in our choices and to align our focus with what is truly valuable and honoring to God. It reminds us to prioritize the study and application of God’s Word, seeking His guidance in all areas of life, including choices that may tempt us towards adultery.