In our journey as Christians, we are called to uphold the sanctity of marriage, a covenant that mirrors Christ’s unbreakable bond with His Church. While many recognize that adultery is a grave sin, it’s essential to understand that infidelity transcends physical acts.
Here are ten often overlooked forms of cheating, which can erode the foundation of your marriage:
1. Receiving Money Without Your Spouse’s Knowledge
Accepting money from another man without your husband’s consent can breed secrecy and distrust. As Proverbs 12:22 (KJV) reminds us, “Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.”
2. Giving Money Without Your Spouse’s Knowledge
Similarly, giving money to another woman without informing your wife fosters dishonesty. Transparency is crucial in marriage. Ephesians 5:21 (KJV) says, “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”
3. Sharing Inappropriate Jokes
Sharing sexual jokes with someone who is not your spouse is a form of emotional infidelity. Ephesians 5:4 (KJV) warns, “Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.”
4. Deleting Messages Secretly
Deleting messages to hide them from your spouse is a deceitful act. Proverbs 28:13 (KJV) states, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
5. Avoiding Calls in Your Spouse’s Presence
Avoiding answering a call from someone in your spouse’s presence, or stepping aside to answer it, can signal infidelity. Honesty is vital, as Hebrews 13:4 (KJV) declares, “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”
6. Ignoring Your Spouse’s Calls
Avoiding your spouse’s calls when with another person, or stepping aside to take the call, is a breach of trust. Colossians 3:9 (KJV) exhorts, “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.”
7. Saving Contacts Under False Names
Saving contacts of those other persons with different names to deceive your spouse is dishonest. Proverbs 12:19 (KJV) teaches, “The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.”
8. Lying About Your Location
Lying about your whereabouts to your spouse when with another person is a form of cheating. John 8:32 (KJV) assures us, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
9. Office Husbands and Wives
Forming close, exclusive relationships with colleagues, often termed as “office husbands” or “office wives,” can undermine your marital bond. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 (KJV) advises, “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”
10. Piling Unresolved Issues
Allowing unresolved issues to accumulate can lead to emotional detachment and spiritual harm. Ephesians 4:26-27 (KJV) instructs, “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.”
Be True to Yourself and God
God, who knows all hidden things, calls us to integrity and faithfulness in our marriages. Psalm 139:1-2 (KJV) states, “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.”
May you remain steadfast in your commitment to your spouse and resist any temptation that could damage your sacred union. May God’s grace guard your heart and home.
In this life, may we always strive to honour our vows and maintain purity in thought, word, and deed, reflecting the faithfulness of Christ in our marriages.
The Message Bearer, Cornelius Bella
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