Letters    

Divorce an Remarriage (Con't.)

II. "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 (this means, "except") for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery" (Matthew 5:31,32).

     First, the word "saving" means "except." Therefore, as we said in Deuteronomy 24, if the Lord allows her to go and be another man's wife, the "uncleanness" which her husband blames on her must be other than for fornication (which here would include adultery). In other words, it must be an illegitimate divorce, i.e. one for which the Lord does not allow divorce.

     Second, the phrase "causeth her to commit adultery" (Matthew 5:32), means that the unscrupulous husband does all that he can to cause his wife to commit adultery, for the Scripture says, "Let every man have his own wife, and every woman her own husband" (I Corinthians 7:2). The reason given is: "to avoid fornication."

     Third, the purpose for the institution of marriage is stated: "And the Lord God said, `It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him'" (Genesis 2:18). For this reason, to deny the innocent party the right to marry is to lay a snare for men's souls as surely as celibacy ever did in the Roman Catholic priesthood.

     Fourth, the phrase, "and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery" means that the man who marries a woman who has been divorced on account of fornication is guilty of living in sin by continuing to commit adultery. The word "fornication" is a blanket term that includes adultery, in much the same way that the word "adultery" is sometimes used as a blanket term to include fornication—such as in the seventh commandment. Whoso puts away his wife for fornication does not cause her to commit adultery.

III. "But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases ..." (I Corinthians 7:15). First, the Scripture is clear: if an unbelieving spouse elects to leave a believing spouse, the believer is not under bondage. Then, by what right do other believers keep such a one in bondage?

     Second, bondage may take the form of believers forbidding the innocent to remarry, but it may also take the form of believers forbidding the innocent to serve within the church. The believer is not under bondage if the unbelieving depart. Paul apparently equates such desertion to fornication.

     Third, it is not divorce that breaks the marriage bond: it is adultery.

    Fourth, Christians must expect the same degree of mercy that they show to others. Consequently, if a Christian woman is unwilling to forgive her wayward husband who repents, God will not forgive her of her trespasses. God does not counsel divorce, but He does allow it, and where He does allow it, He likewise allows remarriage.

     Fifth, if a believer deserts an unbelieving spouse, the believer is to remain unmarried, or be reconciled to his or her spouse. Conclusion: it is very difficult to treat sufficiently in a letter such a serious subject. I think, however, that you should re-think two statements you made, for you are in error when you say, l.) "The Lord Jesus exerted His supreme authority as Lord to overturn the law of Moses concerning divorce and remarriage"; and, you said, "In essence, He stated the law of Moses concerning divorce and remarriage was no longer in force."

       2.) Also, you said, "The law of Moses concerning remarriage of divorced people made provision for the weakness of the flesh. The Lord Jesus Christ opened His explanation with, `But I say unto you ....' The `but' is an adversative conjunction. Its use immediately draws attention to the fact that the following words in the context are going to disagree with what has already been stated." You are in error here as well. C., I love you in Christ. Must close.

Dear J. W.                                                                                                       January 5, 1992

     ... Regarding I Corinthians 7, and the remarriage of a believer whose unbelieving spouse has abandoned them, consider first, that divorce is almost never the better thing to do, since the unbelieving spouse is sanctified by the believing spouse.

    Second, where divorce is allowed, Scripture allows remarriage, because divorce was allowed in place of death.

     Third, if a believer will separate from an unbelieving spouse, Scripture says, they ought to remain unmarried, or be reconciled (I Corinthians 7:10,11). Fourth, everywhere that remarriage is allowed for a Christian, as in the case of death, it is allowed only "in the Lord." Fifth, one who divorces a spouse and remarries cannot return to the first spouse. Today, our land is defiled with such evil.

    In the event a believing spouse is content to dwell with an unbelieving spouse, but the unbeliever refuses to remain, the Scripture says, "A believer is not under bondage." From this it would appear that since fornication is the only reason allowed for divorce, Paul, under divine inspiration, considers desertion to be the same as fornication. 

     Divorce does not destroy marriage: fornication does; although a believing spouse may exercise undeserving forgiveness, the same as Christ has done for all of us. Desertion, therefore, severs marriage in the same way as fornication.

    If a believer is not under bondage, then he is free in the Lord to do as he will. He may remain unmarried, or be married, but only in the Lord. If the Lord does not bind the believer in such circumstances, then the Lord's people ought not to bind them.

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