Can you go to heaven after adultery? (can an adulterer go to heaven?)

Growing up in a Christian background, I was taught the ways of Christ, like holding marriage with honor. Later on in theology school, I grew interest in learning about marriage and what the Bible says about infidelity in marriage. I also consulted with various theologians and pastors to understand adultery (infidelity) even deeper and if one can go to heaven if one commits this sin. Last week, in my Bible study group, we were discussing about marriage, and a member of the group asked whether the adulterous can go to heaven. She later confessed to me that she had slipped and committed adultery. Because of the extensive research I have done on this topic, I was in a better position to explain to her the eternal destination of those who commit adultery. So, can you go to heaven after adultery?

The scripture notes in the book of 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 that those who are not righteous will not enter the kingdom of God and mentions the adulterers in this category. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that those who commit adultery will be in heaven unless they repent their sins.

So, join me as I discuss adultery and whether those who commit it will go to heaven. I will talk about what the Bible says about adultery, God’s punishment for adultery, and whether God can forgive the adulterers if they repent. Keep reading to learn more.

What does the Bible say about adultery?

can an adulterer go to heaven?
What does the Bible say about adultery? Image source: Pixabay

The Bible strongly and loudly condemns any form of adultery. From the Old Testament in the book of Exodus 20:14, the seventh commandment requires us not to commit adultery. Jesus, in the book of Luke 16:18, noted that any man who divorces their partner to marry another then has committed adultery, and the opposite also applies to the woman.

In Mathew 5:27-28, Jesus expounds on what adultery looks like. He notes that adultery entails not only engaging in sexual activities out of marriage, but even if you look at another woman lustfully, then you have committed this sin. Proverbs 6:32 notes that whoever commits adultery lacks sense and has set himself up for destruction.

Therefore, the Bible openly condemns any adulterous acts. Hebrews 13:4 urges us to hold marriage in order and not to defile the marriage bed. This verse notes that God will judge those who commit adultery or engage in sexually immoral acts.

What is God’s punishment for adultery?

In the Old Testament, the punishment for adultery was death. Leviticus 20:10 notes that anyone who is found committing adultery, both the adulteress and the adulterer, should be killed. However, with the coming of Christ, this punishment no longer stands. In John 8:1-11 when the people brought an adulterous woman before God to be stoned according to Moses’ law, Jesus asked the crowd to stone her only if they had no sin. The whole crowd walked away, and Jesus allowed the woman to go and urged her to sin no more.

The scripture is clear in the book of John 3:17 that Jesus did not come to condemn us but to save us. Therefore, even the adulterous stand a chance to be saved. However, that is not to say that adultery has no punishment now. The scripture says in the book of 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 that adulterers will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Can God forgive adultery if you repent?

Yes, God can forgive adultery if you repent. The book of 1 John 1:9 says that if we confess that we have sinned, God is righteous and just enough to cleanse us from all our impurities and forgive us our sins. The key takeaway is confessing and repenting. Even in the Old Testament, when King David committed adultery, God forgave him. In Psalms 51:17, David cries out to the Lord and says that God cannot despise a contrite heart and a broken spirit. Therefore, the key to being forgiven after committing adultery, or any other sin, is to approach God with humility, confess, and repent your sins.

What if I commit adultery repeatedly, will I still go to heaven?

Can you go to heaven after adultery?
What if I commit adultery repeatedly, will I still go to heaven? Image source: Pixabay

The scripture in the book of 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 notes that the adulterous are among those who shall not enter heaven. Therefore, if you keep committing adultery repeatedly and fail to repent, you might not go to heaven. However, it is key to note that this sin is forgivable. The scripture in the book of Romans 5:8 notes that God showed us his life to use by Christ dying for us when we were still in sin. Therefore, whether adultery or any other sin, Christ died for our sins, and if we repent, God can forgive us, and we can hopefully meet Him in heaven one day.

Leave a Comment