As the Roman Emperor, Julius Caesar, was being attacked by a group of senators on March 15, of the year 44 B.C., he saw one of his close associates and friend, Marcus Junius Brutus, amongst his conspirators. Caesar is alleged to have uttered the famous phrase, “Et tu, Brute?” There is some disagreement as to whether Caesar actually made the statement, as well as whether he was cursing his friend or expressing hurt and dismay by his friend’s betrayal. But, the phrase basically means, “even you, Brutus?”
Those who have been betrayed by a close friend, business associate, or even a spouse, have probably felt the same way as Julius Caesar. Placing our trust in someone we love and someone who claims to love us is risky business. Because, if that trust is violated, our hearts feel totally shattered.
God considers His relationship with us to be a covenant of commitment. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 28:20). Consequently, when we violate His trust and sin, God considers our act to be spiritual adultery. The Old Testament is filled with instances of God comparing Israel’s fascination with other countries, kingdoms, and empires to adultery and He calls it as such. In fact, when He could no longer put up with Israel’s adultery, He pronounced an impending judgment upon them that was inevitable. “How terrible it will be when all four of these fearsome punishments fall upon Jerusalem - - war, famine, beasts, and plague - - destroying all her people and animals” (Ezekiel 14:21). “Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in the land, the Sovereign Lord swears that they could not save the people. They alone would be saved” (14:14,16,18,20). Keep in mind, this is the same God who insisted that the prophet, Hosea, buy back his wife after she had left him and become a whore. “Go and get your wife again. Bring her back to you and love her, even though she loves adultery. For the Lord still loves Israel even though the people have turned to other gods...” (Hosea 3:1). God’s love is so deep that He will forgive our wanderings time and time again. But, God’s patience is not without its limits. If we continue in our sins, then we must suffer the consequences of our choices. That in no way lessens or diminishes His love for us, but only points out how great God’s love for us really is (Ephesians 3:17-19).
Why would we want to continue to commit spiritual adultery through our continual chose to sin, when we have One who loves us greater than we can ever imagine?
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