Hate evil and love what is good;
    turn your courts into true halls of justice.
Perhaps even yet the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies
    will have mercy on the remnant of his people.

-Amos 5:15, NLT

This step is often skipped in Christian community when it comes to marital infidelity situations. People want a quick fix. They demand “forgiveness” and leave no space for acknowledging the many injustices that were suffered by the faithful spouse.

I am not saying this to suggest we return to the days of killing adulterous spouses. Rather, I am saying this as a starting point to help faithful spouses who feel stuck in their healing journey.

We have to see infidelity victims in this picture.

That is the beginning of starting to love justice. You cannot act justly if you refuse to see victims and perpetrators. Without this distinction, there is NO justice.

Yet many Christians want to skip over this uncomfortable step of acknowledging victims of infidelity.

Sometimes, we, might even be tempted to skip it ourselves. Yet the injustices cry out for acknowledgement. If we are lovers of the good, then we have to see the injustices and name them for what they are.

Then–and only then–can we give them to the Just Judge to handle.

I do not believe we can EVER get to forgiveness without this first step of acknowledgement of injustice. How can you forgive unless there is something to forgive?!

If we truly care about having the heart of God, we need to STOP skipping over the injustices done to faithful spouses and start acknowledging victims exist in these situations. It is what justice demands.