Adultery is an ugly thing. It wrecks families, devastates communities, and leaves a trail of brokenness. The fallout from someone cheating on their spouse is staggering—and God uses that very metaphor to describe what happens when our hearts grow cold toward Him.
When we drift from our first love, we begin to fall for substitute gods. These false loves woo us away from intimacy with the One who created us, shaped us, and saved us from the domain of darkness. The entire book of Hosea is a story of God’s relentless love toward an adulterous people, and this theme is repeated throughout Scripture.
The cost of having another lover besides God is great. Jesus spoke to the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2 and told them their witness would be snuffed out like a candle wick and His power would be extinguished.
Where does this spiritual adultery begin? It starts with the desires we battle within. The world, the flesh, and the devil bombard our souls with God-substitutes. The temptation is everywhere. Satan constantly sets bait to draw us away from a white-hot love for God and into affection for other loves.
These "other loves" take many forms:
Here’s the good news: God calls us back. Our identity is not “adulterer”—it’s child of God.
God is calling you back to your first love. He wants you to live out your true identity. But having another lover is costly and leaves a trail of carnage. The best part? God knows the way home.
James 4:4–6 says:
“You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, ‘He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us’? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’”
These verses contain an incredible invitation: Return. Come home. Receive grace. It’s His power that brings us home—not ours. Our only role is humility—leaving the arms of a false lover and returning to our first love, the Lover of our soul.
Four Practical Moves to Rekindle Your Love for God
1. Turn Away from the Other Lover
Behind every adulterous relationship with a false god stands the devil.
James 4:7 says: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Whatever it is—status, addiction, money, relationships, or any other lovely distraction—call it what it is. Renounce it. Turn your back to it. You can’t turn to God without first turning away from the idol—the other lover.
2. Draw Near to God
James 4:8a says: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”
That’s a promise. Take that step toward Him and watch how He runs to meet you. The story of the prodigal son reminds us: when we move toward God, He runs to embrace us with grace and mercy.
3. Cleanse Your Hands
James 4:8b continues: “Cleanse your hands, you sinners…”
Cleansing comes through confession.
1 John 1:9 declares: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Own what you’ve done. Acknowledge what the other lover has stolen from you. Don’t minimize it. Agree with God about what it is and what it has cost you. Tell Him—aloud if you can—that you now see what He sees. And tell one trusted friend today. Don’t delay. There is cleansing in confession.
4. Purify Your Heart
James 4:8c finishes with:
“…and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
This goes deeper. In James 1, we’re told that double-minded people receive nothing from God. This is about having your mind made up. No more straddling the fence. You can’t serve two lovers.
Today is the day to put a stake in the ground and declare your desire to love God alone—no more divided loyalties. Ask God to realign your mind, and your heart will follow.
There’s no shame in returning—only grace. No matter how far you’ve wandered into the arms of another lover, there is a way back. And it begins with one courageous step: humility.
James 4:10 says: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”
God is not interested in beating you down. The conviction you feel may hurt, but it’s His loving way of calling you back to full restoration.
So, ditch the spiritual affair.
Return to your First Love.
Return to God.
If you're around the Chicagoland area, I'd love invite you to 180 Chicago Church. Come be a part of a diverse, gospel-motivated, disciple-making church. We meet in downtown Chicago (South Loop) and Elk Grove Village. You can also join us online every Sunday at 10am CST.