The image is unforgettable. Jesse Jackson had gone to counsel Bill Clinton after the "confession" of his sin with Monica Lewinsky. Somehow, Mr. Clinton had managed to turn what should have been a moment of shame into a photo op, and his willing accomplices in the press cooperated in taking his picture of contrition (smiles on everyone’s face) with Jackson and an entourage of aids and friends. Standing alongside Jackson was Karin Stanford, the 39-year-old head (at the time) of the Washington bureau of Jackson’s civil rights group, the Rainbow-PUSH Coalition. Both Jackson and Stanford wore benign and understanding smiles as the cameras clicked. After all, they did understand. They could sympathize a whole lot better than any of us imagined. Ms. Stanford (Miss and Mrs. Being reserved for ladies) was five months pregnant with Jackson’s "love child," and was about to be the recipient of a California condo and $10,000 a month hush money.

This past week, upon the threat of being exposed by the National Enquirer, Jackson went public. Now I must admit that I do appreciated his confession. It is good that he, in contrast to the one he counseled, said, "I fully accept responsibility and I am truly sorry for my actions."

In spite of the fact that he confessed because he was about to be exposed, I will assume that Jackson is honest in his repentance and won’t do anything like this again. He said that he loves his daughter very much, and he said, "I was born of these circumstances, and I know the importance of growing up in a nurturing, supportive and protected environment." Good for him. Now Mr. Jackson, it is time for you to take a long vacation from the national spotlight. As a spiritual leader, you must rebuild your ruptured credibility, but you cannot do that on the center stage which you covet more than anything else. Go home and be with your wife.

It seems every time you turn around some public figure’s infidelity is being exposed. We are living in times that are indeed dark. And more disturbing than that is the lengths people will go to in order to justify such aberrant behavior.

With regard to infidelity, if we like the guy, eventually someone will ask, "Well, don’t you have something in your past that you would be ashamed for everyone to know?" I probably do. But fornication is not there. The media would have us believe that adultery is the norm, that nearly everyone does it, so it couldn’t be all that bad. Well, I have a bulletin for the News people. Most of the people I know have never cheated on their husband or wife, and those who have are paying dearly for it (as it should be). And nearly all admit it to be wrong, even reprehensible, even the ones who have been unfaithful. Do we really want a man whose wife can’t trust him to tell the truth about that most sacred relationship entrusted with the welfare of the nation?

Jackson and Clinton are not the only ones unfaithful. Every now and then we hear of some preacher that we have known "running off" with one of the sisters. Sometimes they repent, but rarely are they ever trusted again by those who know what they have done. Then there are those who know the pain they have caused in the past, and they do it again. Folks, it ain’t easy to commit fornication. It doesn’t just happen. It is not an accident, at least for those who have taught others about Joseph and Potiphar’s wife. There is lust, planning, seduction and cover up. That’s a lot of work. You have to want to do it – real bad.

In the early days of our nation, there arose a controversy over the relationship between Thomas Jefferson, a widower, and one of his slaves, Sally Hemings. It is said that Jefferson had an affair with the young black girl and fathered children by her. Well, if the laws of Virginia allowed for a common law marriage, which they did at the time, then what might be thought of as an affair could actually be exactly what the facts point to. But the fact that she was a slave, and a black woman at that, caused all kinds of scandal in polite American society.

One of those scandalized was the old friend of Jefferson’s, the former president, John Adams. Adams was blessed with a happy marriage and wonderful offspring. But fearful that the scandal mongers might misrepresent his behavior when he was dead and could not refute their nonsense with the truth, he wrote this confession. And this confession is mine as well …

John Adams, being a deeply religious Puritan, knew what the Bible said about adultery and other types of fornication.

"Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Cor. 6:9-10).

"For this ye know of a surety, that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no man deceive you with empty words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience (Eph. 5:5-6).

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties, envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal. 5:19-21).

"But for the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part shall be in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death (Rev. 21:8).

Fornication and adultery have no excuse. They are the height of treachery. The Bible is so plain and loud in its warning. I know that there are temptations all around, but DON’T DO IT! Don’t even think it. There is no excuse.

I know that there is forgiveness for the penitent. But the destructive path left by an unfaithful spouse, or an unmarried person who is promiscuous, has no equal. As with repentant and forgiven David, the suffering is never ending.