The Seventh Commandment, “You shall not commit adultery,” is often viewed through a narrow lens, reduced to a simple prohibition against marital betrayal. While this is its most immediate and earthly meaning, a deeper spiritual examination reveals layers of significance that govern not only our actions but the very purity of our being. In this exploration, the work of the German spiritual author Abd-ru-shin (Oskar Ernst Bernhardt, 1875-1941) provides a profound and critical expansion of this ancient law, challenging us to reconsider its application in our daily lives.

The Foundational Meaning: Honoring Earthly Bonds

At its core, the commandment establishes the sanctity of marriage and the trust upon which it is built. It serves as a cornerstone for stable families and, by extension, stable communities. Adultery, in this context, is a act of dishonesty that shatters vows, breaks hearts, and damages the delicate fabric of human relationships. It is a transgression against a partner who has placed their faith and emotional well-being in one’s hands.

Abd-ru-shin does not dismiss this fundamental interpretation. He acknowledges the earthly contract of marriage and the chaos that ensues when it is broken. However, he urges us to look beyond the mere physical act to the spiritual currents that underlie it.

Abd-ru-shin’s Critical Expansion: Adultery of the Spirit

Abd-ru-shin argues that the commandments are not arbitrary rules but immutable Laws of Creation, designed to guide humanity toward harmonious and enlightened existence. His interpretation of the 7th Commandment is both more rigorous and more encompassing.

For Abd-ru-shin, “adultery” is not limited to a physical act between married persons. He defines it more broadly as any form of impurity or betrayal of one’s spiritual integrity. This includes the adulteration of thoughts, desires, and the very spirit.

He states critically:

“Whoever is untrue in his thoughts already commits adultery! …Therefore the Seventh Commandment does not refer only to the physical act, but to every emotion, every thought, and every volition which is directed towards the possession of a person who is bound to another!”

– Abd-ru-shin, In the Light of Truth: The Grail Message, Lecture “The Ten Commandments”

This radical perspective means that the commandment is violated long before any physical touch occurs. Lustful gazing, obsessive fantasizing about someone other than one’s partner, and emotional affairs that seek intimacy outside of marriage—all these are forms of spiritual adultery. They represent an impurity of will and a betrayal of the commitment one has made.

The Concept of “Spiritual Adultery”

Let’s take the concept further into the metaphysical realm. He speaks of “spiritual adultery” as the betrayal of one’s own higher self or the divine spark within. This occurs when a person allows their spirit to be enslaved by base earthly desires, material obsessions, or negative habits.

“Man also commits adultery if he… through his way of life, gives himself to the world, i.e., to matter, and thus becomes untrue to his spirit, which is a particle from God, and therefore should only serve God.”

– Abd-ru-shin, In the Light of Truth: The Grail Message

In this light, overindulgence in alcohol, drugs, greed, or power can be seen as a form of adultery—a forsaking of one’s sacred spiritual duty for a fleeting, earthly pleasure. The soul, intended for a divine purpose, is instead “adulterated” by impurities.

The Consequences: A Violation of Natural Law

Abd-ru-shin explains that the consequences of adultery are not about divine punishment in a vengeful sense, but are the natural, automatic results of violating a cosmic law. Just as touching a hot stove naturally results in a burn, committing adultery—whether physical or spiritual—naturally results in inner turmoil, guilt, a loss of personal power, and a distancing from the divine.

It creates a “kink” in the individual’s spiritual energy flow, leading to unhappiness, disease, and existential confusion. The act severs the individual from the harmonious flow of Creation, and they must inevitably experience the resulting discord.

A Path to Purity: Modern Application

So, how do we apply this demanding interpretation in the modern world? Abd-ru-shin’s work is not meant to foster guilt but to promote conscious living and self-awareness.

1. Guard Your Thoughts: Recognize that your inner world matters. Cultivate purity in your thoughts and intentions towards others.
2. Honor Your Commitments: This extends beyond marriage to all promises and relationships—friendships, business partnerships, and vows made to yourself.
3. Examine Your Attachments: Ask yourself: What am I giving my energy to? Are my pursuits pure and elevating, or are they “adulterating” my spirit with base desires? Are my loyalties clear?
4. Seek Inner Integrity: Strive for alignment between your thoughts, words, and actions. True fidelity is being faithful to your highest self.

Conclusion: A Call for Inner Faithfulness

Abd-ru-shin’s exposition on the 7th Commandment challenges us to move beyond a legalistic view of morality. It is a call to live with profound integrity, where faithfulness is not just an external obligation but an internal state of being. By understanding “adultery” as any impurity that betrays our spiritual essence, we see the commandment not as a restriction, but as a guiding principle for a life of clarity, power, and genuine connection—to our partners, to ourselves, and to the Divine.

By striving for purity in thought, word, and deed, we honor the deepest intent of this ancient law and align ourselves with the harmonious Laws of Creation.