Posted on 11/23/2002 5:07:20 PM PST by Ex-Wretch
Mal. 2:16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.
Jesus told the woman at the well (John 4:18). John the Baptist told Herod (Matt. 14:4). Up until as recently as 50 years ago, divorce and remarriage was well acknowledged as adultery. What has changed? It hasn’t been the Word of God!
The Word of God is quick and, sharper than a two-edged sword! Those who fear God and are led by the Holy Spirit are able to rightly divide and properly discern it. These are they which obey, rebuke, admonish and exhort one another in this sin-sick world. And likewise, they who do not obey (sinners), will take scripture and twist it to their liking so as to “justify” their disobedience and desire for pleasure. They wrest God’s word to agree with their sin. This is basic denial and, the selling of one’s soul for a mess of pottage. And, the biggest offenders today not only commit the sin but teach it and preach it from the pulpit. Woe unto these blind guides! Satan knows the Word of God. He used it to tempt Jesus into “justifying” comfort, disobedience and sin.
Matt. 19:6 “Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”
It is God that joins a man and a woman’s hearts together when they, without guile or deceit, vow before Him to bind themselves unto death. Courts only serve the purpose of providing legal witness that two people have voluntarily contracted under the laws of the state … not the laws, commands and precepts of God.
Matt. 6:31,32 “It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.”
Matt. 16:18, “Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.”
Some will say “doesn’t God forgive the adultery”? Most certainly. He also commands that it be repented of. That means turning away from it. God’s forgiveness is conditioned on our repentance. Jesus said that both he/she who divorces/remarries and him/her that has been divorced/remarried “committeth” adultery. That means that it is not just a one-time past sin but an ongoing sin. A person in a divorced/remarried state is living in a continual state of sin! A one-time forgiveness does not clear your continual sin. It must be forsaken! The adulterous connection must be broken! To choose one’s own way instead of God’s holy command is presumptuous at best and fatal at worst.
Matt. 19:8 “Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.”
John 4:17,18 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said unto her, “Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.”
Just like the scribes and Pharisees, others will say that the Old Testament, via Moses, allowed divorce and remarriage. Still, what does the Lord Jesus say? Only because your hearts were so hard and your ways were so carnal. If Moses hadn’t allowed you to separate you would have killed each other! (paraphrasing) But where, may I ask, is Jesus’ approval of divorce and remarriage? You won’t find it because he never gave it!
Matt. 6:12 “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
Matt. 6:14,15 “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Mark 10:27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, “With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”
Still, many will say “if the wife or husband is unfaithful then the marriage covenant has been broken and the innocent party is free to divorce and remarry”. Is that so? What does “for better or for worse” mean if not this? If, after coming to a saving relationship with Christ, you fall and sin, is He free to divorce you? Are we not to emulate our Lord? Isn’t this what being Christ-like is all about? Of course it hurts to be cheated on! Yet, if we do not forgive as He forgives us, we have the full assurance of His Word that our heavenly Father will not forgive us! Is hanging on to your hurt and bitterness worth eternal damnation? Forgive. Forget. Surrender all to Jesus. Be healed. Seventy times seven.
Proverbs 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
Yes, marriage is a picture of Christ and His church. Jesus is the head and we are the body. The man is to be the head but, he is to be under Jesus as Head. He is to provide for his wife and direct the family as he also submits to the guidance and direction of the Lord. Just as he expects his wife to yield unto him, he must also yield unto Christ. If he will not submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in his life, he cannot even govern his own life righteously.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”
And to those who say “it is too hard” or “unnatural” to live alone without a mate, well, Jesus proved it was possible to abstain from sex. Isn’t God’s grace enough to keep you? It’s enough to save you but not enough to keep you from sinful sexual relations?
Matt. 19:12 “For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.”
And what if your spouse has divorced you? Even if it was for Christ’s sake? How are we to live then? Is it possible to live a life holy and pleasing unto the Lord when all that is natural screams out for the companionship and affection of a mate? Remember friend, our dear Lord was also fashioned after a man and was in all points tempted as we are. He died and rose again so that we could have power in this life over sin, the devil and the flesh! We are to walk as he walked. Yes! It is possible to be delivered and kept from yielding to the carnal lusts and live in victory over sin!
Phil. 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
For one thing, we made civil divorce too easy! In 50 years we have gone from small percentage to crisis. At this stage, people are acting like pagans out of control. Society removed all the penalties and it is reaping the rewards. The unfortunate thing is that when sin is out of control it sometimes takes drastic measures to correct. At one time, there were laws that made it difficult to get a divorce. I'm not advocating legislating morality. However, it did curb the sinful appetite. I'm not sure what it will take, but I do know that I pull no punches when I preach about it. In other words, I ain't warm and fuzzy!
WOW man thanks, that was a close one.
BigMack
I think if you look up your own Reformed traditionalists you'll hear them speak of taking "marriage vows". Without this 'intent', it's fornication.
I would say even from that point of view, mom. When does God consider union between husband and wife? When the two vow to be one under Him!
Praise God, Rn.
Unto the 3rd and 4th generation of those who love me.
Your marriage will influence your great-great grandchildren. Is that a neat thought or what?
I have struggled in the past with your logic here, Rn. It has a lot of merit. And I will not say it is wrong.
There is, however, a case to be made in the bible for a "marriage" event/ceremony. The traditional wedding service speaks of Jesus affirming marriage by being at attendance at one in Cana of Galilee. Not just in attendance, but he also assisted the effort by changing water to wine.
Another event that confirms the significance of the "marriage event/ceremony" for me is the story of Jacob and Leah....not Rebekah. The ceremony was performed and Jacob discovered the trickery. He honored the commitment.
Paul, of course, affirms marriage repeatedly all the way to calling it a mystery.
We don't know that. It isn't addressed. That doesn't mean it didn't happen.
However, I find your and OP's discussion of homosexual marriage instructive here. You both (and I pretty much agree) say that civil marriage is their baliwick...let them have it and call it what they want.
Marriage within the church, however, is a serious thing and should be approached seriously. They are the true marriages.
So your generation observation (as scripture and practical is true)
Before the covenant? In salvation history, God has revealed Himself a little at a time. Certainly in big way at the institution of the covenants both Old and New. Under the New, for instance, Jesus responded to the question about divorce as follows:
He said to them, "For your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another, commits adultery."
And so, just as Jesus had said, He came to fulfill the Law. Now, I know Mom that you don't accept the sacramental system. But I do and so do all believing Catholics. And its because of this that I see marriage as a covenant. The Catechism expresses it better than I can so here's some excerpts.
1625 The parties to a marriage covenant are a baptized man and woman, free to contract marriage, who freely express their consent; "to be free" means:
- not being under constraint;
- not impeded by any natural or ecclesiastical law.
1626 The Church holds the exchange of consent between the spouses to be the indispensable element that "makes the marriage."[125] If consent is lacking there is no marriage.
1627 The consent consists in a "human act by which the partners mutually give themselves to each other": "I take you to be my wife" - "I take you to be my husband."[126] This consent that binds the spouses to each other finds its fulfillment in the two "becoming one flesh."[127]
1628 The consent must be an act of the will of each of the contracting parties, free of coercion or grave external fear.[128] No human power can substitute for this consent.[129] If this freedom is lacking the marriage is invalid.
1629 For this reason (or for other reasons that render the marriage null and void) the Church, after an examination of the situation by the competent ecclesiastical tribunal, can declare the nullity of a marriage, i.e., that the marriage never existed.[130] In this case the contracting parties are free to marry, provided the natural obligations of a previous union are discharged.[131]
Mack and I found out this week that we will be grandparents for the first time in July.
Becky
Of course the OBVIOUS way of being assurred Do not have sex before marriage...and stayed married:>)
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