LESSON 47
THE SIXTH AND NINTH COMMANDMENTS
"Thou shalt not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14)
"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife." (Exodus 20:17)
DIRECTIONS TO THE STUDENT
It is a grave error to allow a convert to go through the instructions with only a vague notion of his obligations in chastity. This often leads to defection from the faith later on. The modern world teaches people that certain sins against chastity are not sins at all. Too often, the non-Catholic does not know the seriousness of impurity; he does not know about the many sins against chastity which can lead him to hell. Therefore, it is necessary to mention to adults various ways in which serious sins against chastity might be committed. These two commandments must be explained to an adult group thoroughly but tactfully, but we will not omit anything through a sense of false shame or from a groundless fear of offending someone.
The Sixth Commandment is, "Thou shalt not commit adultery ." The Ninth Commandment is, "Thou shalt not covet (desire unlawfully) thy neighbor's wife." Both commandments are placed in one lesson with all violations of the virtue of chastity included. The Sixth Commandment forbids especially unchaste actions; the Ninth Commandment forbids particularly unchaste thoughts and desires.
A. GOD'S CREATIVE POWER
God Himself created the first man and woman. Then, in order to people the earth, He (as it were) shared His creative powers with man. He gave Adam and Eve the command "Increase and multiply ." (Gen.l :28) In order to accomplish this, He implanted in them a sacred power which we call the sex passion. This passion is not a dirty thing. It is something holy. It is something good in itself. It is something very important in God's plan of creation and providence. The misuse, the wrong use, the abuse of this sex passion is what is evil. In fact, the misuse of this sacred power is an insult to God; it is mortal sin.
B. THE VIRTUE OF CHASTITY
The virtue of chastity is the virtue by which you regulate the use of your sexual passions according to the law of God. Outside of the marriage state, no one has the right to satisfy the sexual urge. He must at all times keep it under control. Only husband and wife have the right with each other to satisfy their sexual desires in a lawful way, and thus be God’s instruments in bringing children into the world.
C. THE NECESSITY OF THE VIRTUE OF CHASTITY
Without the virtue of chastity no one can hope to save his soul. St. Alphonsus tells us that there are more souls in hell because of the violation of this virtue than for any other reason. St. Jerome says that nine out of ten who are in hell are there because of sex sins.
Spiritual things become distasteful to the impure man. Violation of this virtue often means loss of Faith, the neglect of Confession and Holy Communion, the neglect of prayer and Mass. The impure, unchaste person develops a hardened conscience, a weak will, and often loses his character and self-respect. Often impurity makes a man stoop to any crime.
As we look back through the history of the human race we see how God punished people who violated chastity, and how they thus punished themselves.
God brought fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah for sins of impurity, principally that of homosexuality. To this day it carries the odious name of sodomy.
God destroyed twenty-four thousand Israelites in one day for this sin. He exterminated almost the entire tribe of Benjamin. Adultery led the great King David into the sin of murder. Henry VIII left the Catholic Church and led a miserable life with six wives because of sins of impurity. He even died a victim of a sexually transmitted disease.
Napoleon's downfall, some historians say, can possibly be attributed to his sins against chastity.
The Bible tells us that "neither fornicators nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor liars with mankind. ..shall possess the kingdom of God. " (1 Cor 6:9-10)
The Bible also tells us these sins keep a person out of heaven: .'Now the works of the flesh are manifest; which are fornication, uncleanness. immodesty, luxury ...of these which I foretell you, as I have foretold to you, that they who do such things shall not obtain the kingdom of God. " (GaI5:19-21)
St. Paul tells us that " no fornicators, or unclean person hath inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God." (Eph 6:5 ) SO SINS OF IMPURITY (UNCHASTITY OR SEX SINS) MEAN ETERNAL PUNISHMENT
God loves the chaste. He chose for His mother the purest virgin among the Jews. St. John was the beloved disciple of Christ because he was so pure.
Christ said, .'Blessed are the clean of heart; for they shall see God." (Matt 5 :8)
Chastity gives great joy to living. Only the chaste are carefree and joyful in life. The world will become a world of reason and of beauty if men are chaste; the world and life itself will become undesirable if men are impure.
D. MARRIED PERSONS ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO MAY USE THE SEX PASSION
This passion is made for marriage and the begetting of children. When it is used for this purpose it is not a sin but rather an act of virtue. The normal use of the sex passion between man and wife is permitted, even rewarded by God.
E. THE GRAVITY OF SINS OF SEX
All deliberate sins against the sacred power of creation, the power of sex, are morta/ sins. Only married people are allowed to use the sex passion. In the twentieth century , people have many erroneous ideas about chastity. Let it be clear that the following are mortal sins: deliberate impure thoughts, immodest touching, petting, necking, indecent dress and dancing, impure talk and kisses for the purpose of arousing passion, sins against nature, masturbation, impure shows and the like. In this matter there is no such thing as a venial sin. Our Lord said that even impure desires deliberately entertained, are mortal sin. The habit in some men of "undressing a women" by sight is a dangerous one to get started. "Whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her hath a/ready committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matt 5:28)
F. ADULTERY
Adultery is the sin of sexual intercourse between a man and woman, one or both of whom are married but not to each other. It is a very serious sin against chastity and against justice. You violate God's law of chastity when you commit adultery you also violate justice because you are unjust to the partner of the married person, you are violating the right which only married persons have; you have stolen his (her) most precious possession -his wife (her husband). Because you have seriously sinned against chastity and justice, you deserve eternal punishment.
The one sinful act might be two or three mortal sins for each participant in the act: (I) a mortal sin of impurity against the Sixth Commandment; (2) a mortal sin of injustice against the spouse of your partner (if she is married).
G. FORNICATION
Fornication is sexual intercourse between an unmarried man and an unmarried woman. This is a mortal sin. Young men and young women who are keeping company have absolutely no sexual right to each other until they are married. Don't fall into the trap of the secular world which says that unmarried couples need to see how compatible they are, even sexually. During the time that they keep company, they must learn respect for each other; they should pray for each other; they should go to Confession and Holy Communion often. They must avoid any signs of affection that would arouse their passions.
The safe rule is always to keep out in the open, where people can see you. Even the best of intentions and the holiest of resolutions can fall by the wayside in the heat of passion.
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