What Does a Godly Man Do If He’s Committed Adultery?

At first glance, the title of this article may appear contradictory. If a man commits adultery, does not that disqualify him as a godly man? The answer is not necessarily. It depends on how he handles his sin. 

Remember King David’s adultery with Bathsheba? He not only slept with Uriah’s wife, but then to cover up his sin, David had Uriah killed in battle. Yet in 1 Samuel 13:14 David is called by God “a man after God’s own heart.” Yes, David was a godly man.  

If that sticks in your craw, consider this: what makes a man godly? Is it sinless perfection? No, because “there is no one righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). And still, God, who looks at the heart, commended a number of his servants as righteous. Abraham “believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). Noah was told by God in Genesis 7:1 “…I have found you righteous in this generation.” 

So, it is possible for a godly man to commit adultery. But the difference between a godly man and a wicked man is this: a godly man will not live in adultery. He will repent and turn away from it. The wicked man has no such concern. 

I have known two godly men who were unfaithful to their spouses, one of them was a pastor. Both share similarities in the way they reacted to what they did. They were both broken about their sin. They did not make excuses. They accepted responsibility for what they did. They sought help and guidance from other godly men. They humbled themselves before their wives in repentance and willingly submitted to a system of accountability to their spouse and other men.  

Though it was heart-wrenching to experience, both marriages not only survived but eventually thrived as each partner humbly submitted themselves to the Lord in repentance and granting forgiveness.  

These two situations turned out well, but most are not so fortunate.  

May I speak a word to anyone considering cheating on their wife? While there is forgiveness, the damage runs deep, and the consequences severe for the family and God’s church when a man commits adultery. God’s name is blasphemed, children are devastated, and it takes years to recover. Please don’t!