Spiritual Adultery is a serious sin.
While I don't agree that we are to simply focus on the propitiation solely, it is good to see you interacting. Personally, I think believing in the son is a work we are called to as believers. The work of the cross is definitely the crucial component but there are so many more elements to apply in one's life I have found. Perhaps it works differently for you, but when I focus too much on the propitiation without focusing on the rock/strong tower (future and present hope) then I open myself up to the accuser if I take it to extremes. It's also mood dependent, so I just go with the flow on where my focus is directly. Sometimes I look forward, sometimes I look ahead. Sometimes how I look at Jesus is what matters...am I seeing him as a Lord today? Slave/master relationship? King? Friend? Sometimes it's a combination. Thinking of my friend going to the cross to die for me is different than a master paying the price for his servants. Or a God so loved the world view. Or the king of kings dying in such a way. There are many ways to understand it deeper....Most of how I interact is all dependent on what the day throws at me. I give the Lord the majority of the credit for the day to day moods and his grace for allowing me to see through the trials.
I fully agree with this statement though. Harlotry is quite serious. It's caused deep rifts in my life, the times where I have one foot in the world and one foot with the Lord I am the least secure in my salvation. That's not to say that I willfully participate in sin directly, but indirectly through ways that are difficult to pinpoint. It wasn't until the last few years that I've begun to understand this and THIS is the grace of the Lord that I know. "Ok, just so you know what you're doing, and how this hurts me". Opening our eyes to something is by grace.
Israel played the harlot many times and we can see what the results were. That was "with" a sacrificial system that the Lord put in place.
It is also interesting to note that intentional sin by certain persons were to be cut off from the assembly. Accidental sin is a different matter. So as pertaining to grace, if the Lord is the same (which scripturally it seems to me this is so) it stands to reason that "on purpose" sins that are specifically forbidden is very serious as well.
Oh, baffling...but another element of harlotry (or at best unfaithfulness) is the bride of Christ "look". This one is the hardest for me because I'm not married and since I have spent a lot of time warring against the fleshly side of my biology that has its portion in marriage, it is only until recently I've been focusing on this more and more as I've gained ground or just my passions have cooled a bit (I've been single all my life).
But, if your wife was constantly watching other males. "Lusting" after them...how would that make you feel? Sure sometimes they might have eyes only for you, but then whenever things get a little harder, or they are tired. Or they are "bored"...their may start to stray.
I'll confess I don't understand this element well enough yet. I look at it how I "would" interact. Not how I do because I haven't ever been in a romantic relationship physically so it's just postulation. I'm not sure if Jesus felt human weaknesses like lack of confidence (scripture shows that his confidence in the Father was firm, but what about his friends or private thoughts about people), there's no way to know...
However, I'm pretty confident for a lot of men, day in and day out, your wife constantly just roams about sort of lusting after men it might at the very least make you angry at times. Presuming the lust stayed out of the physical in this analogy...it's still relational growth wasted. Operating together as a unit when you are not in full agreement with one another...again wasted growth and missed harvest.
Reading the letters to the seven churches is of GREAT utility in this regard. I can't tell you all how much that has helped me lately. Sometimes I didn't want to hear the message (or read rather) but it struck the mark. Three times. Three different letters. I won't say exactly what but there are actually benefits to remaining faithful.
Anyway, that wasn't specifically at you. I'm not sure why your post struck me so, except yes, time is short. There was one other reply you gave me quite a long time ago when I was in a "mood" that struck me as well.
There are times when the way can lack "elbow room" for our flesh. Being a bit uncomfortable I'm sure most of us are somewhat useful, but past that? This is where collectively we must work together. Nobody is in this alone.
The way is narrow, but it is not impossible with Christ. Steadfastness and peace be with you all