ATTEMPTS TO JUSTIFY UNLAWFUL REMARRIAGES
Joe R. Price
"And I say unto you, whoever divorces his
wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever
marries her who is divorced commits adultery." (Matthew 19:9)
With these
words Jesus teaches us His will regarding allowable divorce and remarriage. They are not
difficult to understand. We can readily see that Jesus gave only one just cause which
allows for divorce and remarriage, namely, fornication. And, we may just as readily see
that this allowance has been given to only one party - the one who divorces his or her
mate because that mate has committed sexual immorality. Jesus said that when one divorces
his (or her) spouse for a cause other than fornication, and then remarries, he (she)
commits adultery. We rightly conclude that the person who is divorced (put away) may not
remarry without committing adultery, since Jesus said that the person who marries a
divorced (put away) person commits adultery.
The straightforward
statement of our Lord is not without its detractors today. When forty percent of American
marriages are ending in divorce, it is not difficult to see that marriage is not being
held in its proper honor (Heb. 13:4).
Unfortunately, many of the subsequent remarriages, according to Jesus’ teaching, is
adultery.
Christians are not immune from attempts to nullify
the force of Jesus’ teaching. I received a bulletin which chronicled four commonly
heard attempts to ease the force of Matthew 19:9 and allow remarriages where divorces have
occurred for reasons other than the cause of fornication. I want to share them with you.
Please understand, these reasons are being offered by some Christians to justify
remarriages which are unlawful according to Matthew 19:9. They are used to claim that the
violators of Matthew 19:9 are nevertheless in a right condition with God. We must be aware
of these subtle efforts which deny our Master’s teaching.
Attempt # 1: David was not told to give up
Bathsheba. That is true. But Bathsheba had no living husband (2 Sam. 11:14-21). Romans
7:2 says "For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as
long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of
her husband." David’s adultery and murderous act is in no way exonerated by
the fact that he retained Bathsheba as his wife. David was convicted of his sins and he
repented of them (2 Sam. 12:7-13; Psa. 32:5). That David continued to care for and be
married to this woman after the death of her husband in no way comforts adulterous
remarriages today.
Attempt # 2: You cannot make restitution in
all cases. It is true that one cannot undo some things he has done. But when he can,
he should (cf. Exo. 22:1; Lev. 6:1-7; Num. 5:5-10; Ezek. 33:15). Is not this part of the
fruit of repentance taught by John (Lk. 3:8-15) and Paul (Acts 26:20)? Surely we do not
believe that when one repents of an adulterous remarriage that he may then continue to
live in that sinful relationship? What sort of repentance is that? Remember, where there
is genuine repentance there will be a cessation of the sin (Rev. 9:20-21).
Attempt # 3: One cannot live in
adultery. This view is set forth to say that adultery is an act, not something in
which one lives or "walks." But Jesus used the present tense "commits"
when describing the adultery of the one who remarries after a divorce for a cause other
than fornication. The Greek present tense indicates the present state of the remarried
person. As to the possibility of living in adultery, Colossians 3:5-7 teaches that it is
indeed possible. Here, fornication is among the sins which one is to "put to
death" (v. 5). (Fornication is the general term for sexual immorality which
includes adultery.) In speaking of these sins, Paul said "in which you yourselves
once walked when you lived in them" (v. 7). The adultery of an
unscriptural remarriage is indeed an ongoing sinful condition.
Attempt # 4: When one repents, baptism will
wash an unscriptural marriage away. No brethren, baptism washes away sin, not wives!
It does not change a sinful action into a godly one. The thief is forgiven of his theft
when he repents, but baptism does not make thievery righteous! He must stop stealing! When
a homosexual repents, his forbidden relationship does not become approved. He cannot
continue in it with God's blessing! Neither can the adulterer continue in an adulterous
remarriage after baptism and have God's favor. Baptism does not change the nature of sin,
it washes away the sinner's past sin. But the sinner must "come out and be
separate," or more sin is committed.
The wisdom of men cannot compare withstand the
wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:18-25). Let us be content with and strengthened by the
incomparable truth of Almighty God!
