THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Taken from the “Catechism Of The Catholic Church”
Latin text copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Citta del
Vaticano 1993
Edited, abridged, and rewritten in places by DSB
THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT
You shall not commit adultery (Ex 20:14; Deut 5:18).
You have heard that it was said, "You shall not commit adultery." But I
say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already
committed adultery with her in his heart (Matt 5:27-28).
I. Male and Female He
Created Them
“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He
created
him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to
them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the
earth’
” (Gen 1:27-28a).
God is love, and in himself He lives a mystery of personal loving
communion (the Triune God). Creating the human race in his own image,
God inscribed in the humanity of man and woman the vocation, and thus
the capacity and responsibility, of love and communion.
Sexuality affects all aspects of the human person in the unity of his
body and soul (the non-material part of a person). It especially
concerns the capacity to love and to procreate, and in a more general
way the inherent ability to form bonds of communion with others.
Everyone, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his/her sexual
identity. Physical, emotional, and spiritual differences are
complementary in that they must be united to make a complete whole. And
when united, these differences are oriented toward the good of marriage
and the flourishing of family life. The harmony of the couple and of
society depends in part on the way in which the differing but unified
parts meet the needs, encourage mutual respect, promote love, nurture
communion, and protect the relationship between the sexes in marriage.
In creating men 'male and female,' God gives man and woman an equal
dignity. Each is a person, and both equally so, because both were
created in the image and likeness of God.
When the two sexes are united in marriage, they form an image of the
power and tenderness of God, and they become an earthly example of the
generosity and creative ability of God. Therefore the scripture says:
“For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother,
and
be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh”
(Genesis
2:24). As a result of Adam and Eve’s union, subsequent
generations of humans have come forth to fill the earth (Gen 4:1-2,
25-26; 5:1).
Jesus came to restore creation to the purity of its origins. In the
Sermon on the Mount, He interprets God's plan strictly: “You
have
heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery'; but I say to
you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already
committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt 5:27-28).
Why?
Because the married couple are no longer two, but one flesh, and
adultery (physical or mental) shows deliberate and selfish disrespect
for the one with whom you are already one flesh. Therefore, what God
has joined together, let no man separate (Matt 19:6).
II. The Vocation to
Chastity
Chastity is the state of being morally pure and comes from the proper
(godly) unity of man’s physical and spiritual natures.
Sexuality, through which we express our physical and biological
attachment to this world, becomes chaste in a relationship between a
man and a woman when their relationship is mutual and life-long, and
when their sexual expressions are freely given gifts. Therefore, the
virtue of chastity within marriage involves submission to God, the
integrity of each person, the mutualness of the relationship, and
keeping the gift of sexual expression pure by giving it to no other
than your spouse – in thought or deed.
All forms of sexual immorality are first of all rebellion against God,
then the selfish gratification of some perceived need, and if married,
unfaithfulness to one’s spouse. Therefore, there is no love
in
sexual immorality, only lust, and there is no self-giving, only
self-taking. All forms of sexual immorality turn us against and away
from God while feeding and reinforcing the selfish pursuit of
gratification – thus damaging our relationship with God and
weakening or destroying the relationship with our partner.
The integrity (moral
purity) of the person
The chaste person maintains the integrity of the powers of life and
love placed in him. This integrity ensures the unified uprightness of
the person, and it is opposed to any behavior that would contaminate
it. It tolerates neither a double life nor duplicity in speech (Matt
5:37).
From the early teen years onward, chastity includes an apprenticeship
in self-mastery, which is a training in choosing good over evil and God
over self. The alternative is clear: either man governs his passions
and finds lasting joy and inward peace, or he lets himself be dominated
by them and repeatedly becomes discontent, ungratified, and unhappy
(Sir 1:22).
God so made us that we are to act out of conscious and free choice
– moved and drawn in a personal way from within –
and not
by blind impulses or by mere external constraint. Man grows in dignity
when, ridding himself of all slavery to the passions, he perseveres in
pressing forward toward and maintaining moral purity by freely choosing
what is good and, by his diligence and God’s gracious
assistance,
effectively following an established means (plan, process, daily
routine) suited to accomplishing this end.
Whoever wants to remain faithful to his baptismal promises and resist
temptations will want to adopt the means for doing so: self-knowledge
gained from honest sel-examination, practice of a vigilant
self-discipline adapted to the situations that confront him, obedience
to God's commandments, exercise of the moral virtues, study and
memorization of scripture, and faithfulness to prayer.
The virtue of chastity seeks to permeate the passions and appetites of
the senses with reason ruled and conditioned by the word of God. Such
an effort is a long and exacting work – often progressing
through
stages marked by imperfection and by sin. Hence, one can never consider
it acquired once and for all. Indeed, it requires a serious effort at
all stages of life. However, the effort required tends to be more
intense in certain periods, such as the teen years or after having been
married for some number of years. Though chastity represents an
eminently personal task, it is made easier or harder by the practices
and observable activities of the community and larger cultural.
Therefore, Christians ought to separate themselves from such influences
and do their part in influencing the community and larger culture
toward moral purity.
Chastity is a moral virtue. It is also a gift from God, a grace, a
fruit of spiritual effort (Gal 5:22-24). The Holy Spirit enables one
whom the water of Baptism has regenerated to imitate the purity of
Christ (1 Jn 3:3).
The complementary
differences of the gift of self
Love is the foundation of all the virtues. Under its influence, the
marriage relationship models the pure and faithful gift by God of His
son to us – for our good, wholeness, and joy.
Self-mastery is required to ensure the gift of self is given only
within the boundaries of married love. Under its influence, the
marriage relationship models the faithfulness and lovingkindness of
Christ toward His church.
The various forms of
chastity
All the baptized are called to chastity. The Christian has "put on
Christ" (Gal 3:27), who is the model for all chastity –
physically, emotionally, and mentally. All Christ's faithful are called
to lead a chaste life in keeping with their particular states of life.
People should cultivate chastity in the way that is suited to their
state of life. Some profess virginity or consecrated celibacy which
enables them to give themselves to God alone with an undivided heart in
a remarkable manner. Others live in the way prescribed for all by the
moral law. Married people are called to live conjugal chastity. Others
practice chastity in abstinence, self-restraint or moderation. The
church does not praise any one of them to the exclusion of the others.
Those who are engaged to marry are called to live chastity in
abstinence. They should see in this time of testing an opportunity to
grow in dependance on God’s grace and empowerment, growth in
prayer, the nurturing of mutual respect, an apprenticeship in
faithfulness in the face of challenging circumstances, and the
opportunity to choose God’s will over the will of their
flesh.
They should reserve for marriage the expressions of affection that
belong to married love.
Offenses against chastity
Lust is the excessive desire for or selfish enjoyment of sexual
pleasure. Sexual pleasure is morally abnormal and spiritually damaging
when sought for itself, isolated from its emotional and physical
self-giving or its procreative purposes.
Masturbation is to be understood as deliberate self-stimulation of the
genital organs in order to derive sexual pleasure. Masturbation is an
intrinsically selfish and therefore a spiritually and relationship
harmful act. In fact, sexual pleasure that is sought outside of the
sexual relationship within the bond of marriage is against the moral
good, devalues mutual self-giving, emboldens selfishness, and
diminishes the desire to love others as oneself.
Fornication is sexual activity and/or union between an unmarried man
and an unmarried woman. It is contrary to the laws of God, the nature
of love, the dignity of relationships, and human sexuality –
which was created by God for the good of spouses and the generation and
education of children. Fornication is especially grievous in the young
for it sets a course, establishes habits, and builds values that make
self the most important person – especially in any
relationship
involving sexual activity.
Pornography consists in deliberately displaying to third parties every
possible form of sexual immorality and nudity – real or
simulated. By its nature, pornography removes intimacy from the sexual
act and shows contempt for the marriage relationship and being one
flesh with one’s sexual partner. It thrives on greed,
selfishness, lust, and the illusion of a fantasy world –
beginning with the producers, to the performers, and on to the
observers. Because the observer can often observe in private,
pornography is often a hidden evil that has made its way even into the
church. Yet hidden or open, pornography is a great evil that ought
never be a part of God’s people.
Prostitution degrades the person who provides it by turning the person
into an instrument of sexual pleasure. It degrades the sexual act by
turning what ought to be driven by love and intimacy into an act driven
by money and lust. It degrades the one who pays by reinforcing the lie
that selfish lust is an acceptable reason to pursue sexual pleasure. If
the payee is a Christian, it is an act of rebellion against God, it
violates the purity to which he pledged himself at Baptism, and it
defiles his body which is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor
6:15-20). If the payee is married, it is an act that breaks
one’s
marriage vows, an act of unfaithfulness to one’s spouse, and
an
act of extreme disrespect for one’s spouse.
Rape is the forcible violation of the sexual intimacy of another
person. It is an offence against justice and the denial of love. Rape
is a heinous evil that strips away the respect, freedom, and physical
and moral integrity to which every person has a right. It causes grave
damage that can mark the victim for life – emotionally,
relationally, and socially. Graver still is the rape of children
committed by parents (incest), relatives, neighbors, or those
responsible for the education of the children entrusted to them.
Chastity and homosexuality
Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who
experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons
of the same sex. It has taken a variety of forms through the centuries
and in different cultures. Its origins are explained in Romans 1:24-27,
and based on this and other scriptures, God declares that homosexual
acts are acts of grave depravity (Gen 19:1-29; Lev 18:22, 20:13; 1 Cor
6:9-10; 1 Tim 1:8-11). Therefore, scripture and church tradition has
always declared that homosexual acts are acts of rebellion against God
and contrary to the natural use of the sexual organs. Homosexuality
closes the sexual act to the gift of life and shows contempt for
becoming one flesh with one’s spouse. Under no circumstances
can
acts of homosexuality be approved.
However, the number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual
tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively
disordered, constitutes for many of them a trial. They must be accepted
with respect, compassion, and sensitivity while being exhorted to put
an end to any activity and practice of homosexuality – just
as a
married person is exhorted to resist all temptations to adultery. If
they are Christians, they are to be encouraged and helped to make
commendable progress in denying and dying to the desires and feelings
that would take them outside God’s will, and to bear the
cross of
difficulties they may encounter in choosing God’s will over
their
ungodly inclinations and desires.
Like heterosexuals, homosexuals are called to chastity. By the daily
grace of God, the living word, much prayer, the virtues of
self-mastery, and at times by the support of disinterested friendship,
Christian homosexuals can and should gradually and resolutely approach
Christian perfection.
III. The Love of Husband
and Wife
Sexuality properly belongs to the love of man and woman within the
bonds of marriage. In marriage, the physical intimacy of the spouses
becomes a sign and pledge of spiritual communion. Marriage bonds
between baptized persons are sanctified by God, and their union into
one flesh is like the union between Christ and His church (Eph
5:31-32).
Sexuality, by means of which man and woman give themselves to one
another through the acts which are proper and exclusive to spouses, is
not something simply biological, but includes a giving of the innermost
being of the each person. This is self-giving – which is both
honorable and realized when a man and woman commit themselves totally
to one another until death. Therefore, the sexual act, when performed
within the bonds of a committed, enduring relationship (marriage),
becomes a God-ordained source of intimacy, joy, and pleasure. Truly,
there is nothing evil in seeking this intimacy, joy, and pleasure. Yet
at the same time, spouses should learn how to keep themselves within
the limits of godly moderation so that love does not turn to lust, and
self-giving to self-taking.
In addition to providing intimacy within marriage, the sexual act
provides for the transmission of life and the establishment of the
family. Such life-producing family expansion is the sacred privilege of
all married couples to whom God grants the grace of fertility. It is
also the ultimate act of self-giving, for it holds nothing back from
the possibility of new life coming forth from the sexual act. And as
with becoming one flesh, so the transmission of life and establishing a
family provides another reason to reject infidelity of every kind.
IV. Offenses Against the
Sacredness of Marriage
Adultery
Adultery refers to marital infidelity. When a man and a woman, of whom
at least one is married to another party, have sexual relations
–
even transient ones – they commit adultery. Christ condemns
the
physical act of adultery and any desire to commit adultery (Matt
5:27-28).
Adultery is a heinous evil. He who commits adultery sins against God.
He fails to keep his pledge of faithfulness to his spouse. He breaks
the bond of marriage and shows contempt for the oneness of flesh with
the other spouse. He shows selfish disregard for the rights of the
other spouse, and undermines the institution of marriage by breaking
the contract on which it is based. He compromises the good of the
family and the welfare of children who need their parents' stable
union. Finally, he sins against himself (Prov 6:27-29).
Divorce
The Lord Jesus insisted on the original intention of the Creator who
willed that marriage be indissoluble (Mt 5:31-32; 19:3-9; Mk 10 9; Lk
16:18; 1 Cor 7:10-ll). He revokes the accommodations that had slipped
into the old Law (Matt 19:7-9). Between the baptized, a ratified and
consummated marriage cannot be dissolved by any human power or for any
reason other than death and adultery. The separation of spouses while
maintaining the marriage bond can be legitimate in certain cases
– such as in cases of ongoing physical and sexual abuse.
Except for the cause of adultery, divorce is a grave offense against
the principle of becoming one flesh with one’s spouse. Like
adultery, it shows contempt for the pledge of faithfulness to
one’s spouse. Contracting a new union, even if it is
recognized
by civil law, adds to the seriousness of the rupture caused by the
divorce. Therefore, if a husband, separated from his wife, has sexual
relations with another woman, he is an adulterer and he makes that
woman commit adultery. The woman who has relations with a married man
is an adulteress, because she has drawn another's husband to herself.
Divorce is immoral also because it introduces disorder into the family
and into society. This disorder brings great harm to the deserted
spouse, to children traumatized by the separation of their parents and
often torn between them, and because of its contagious effect which
makes it truly a plague on society.
It can happen that one of the spouses is the innocent victim of a
divorce decreed by civil law; this spouse therefore has not contravened
the moral law. However, there is a considerable difference between a
spouse who has sincerely tried to be faithful to the other spouse and
is unjustly abandoned, and one who through his own grave fault
seriously damages or even destroys a valid marriage.
Other offenses against
the dignity of marriage
Incest designates intimate relations between relatives or in-laws
within a setting that prohibits marriage between them (Lev 18:7-20).
St. Paul stigmatizes this especially grave offense: “It is
actually reported that there is immorality among you . . . for a man is
living with his father's wife.... In the name of the Lord Jesus ... you
are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh...."
(1 Cor 5:1-5).
Connected to incest is any sexual abuse perpetrated by adults on
children or adolescents entrusted to their care. This offense is
compounded by the terrible harm done to the physical, psychological,
and moral integrity of the young, who may remain scarred by it all
their lives.
Some today claim a right to live together for the purpose of seeing if
they are compatible enough to marry and remain married. Though there
may be an intention of getting married later, such liaisons show
contempt for the will of God regarding marriage and scoff at the
principle of becoming one flesh and at making an “until death
parts us” commitment to one’s sexual partner.
Sexual union
is morally legitimate only when accompanied by a commitment to remain
faithful to and live with each other (marriage) for the rest of
one’s life.