INTRODUCTION
1. A troubling trend was revealed by a recent survey from The Barna
Group...
a. So-called "born again Christians" are just as likely to divorce
as
are non-Christians
b. Among married born again Christians, 35% have experienced a
divorce
c. That figure is identical to the outcome among married adults who
are not born again: 35%.
d. Barna's figures show that nearly 1/4th of the married born
agains
(23%) get divorced two or more times
-- cf.
The Barna Group
2. The apparent reason? Evidently many do not believe divorce can
be
sinful...
a. Although Bible scholars and teachers point out that Jesus taught
that divorce was a sin unless adultery was
involved, few Americans
buy that notion
b. Only one out of every seven adults (15%) strongly agreed with
the
statement "when a couple gets divorced without
one of them having
committed adultery, they are committing a sin"
c. A majority of both Protestants (58%) and Catholics (69%)
disagreed
that divorce without adultery involved the
commission of sin
-- ibid.
[A survey like this reveals the need for constant reminder of what God
has spoken concerning divorce and remarriage. It is truly an issue
confronting Christians today, and so let us consider....]
I. JESUS ON DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE
A. HIS TEACHING ON DIVORCE...
1. In His sermon on the mount - Mt 5:31-32
a. Many scribes and Pharisees
taught that divorce was
permissible
for any reason, as long as a certificate of
divorce was
granted
1)
Technically it was - cf. Deut 24:1-4
2) But the
effect was to defile the wife when she remarried
- Deut 24:4
3) Note
well: her remarriage "defiled" her!
4) "The
second marriage of a woman who had been divorced is
designated by Moses a defilement of the woman...a moral
defilement, i.e., blemishing, desecration of the sexual
communion which was sanctified by marriage, in the same
sense in which adultery is called a defilement in Lev 18:20 and
Num 5:13,14." - Keil & Delitzsch
5) "Thus the
second marriage of a divorced woman was placed
implicit upon a par with adultery, and some approach was
made towards the teaching of Christ concerning marriage
(Mt 5:32)..." - ibid.
b. Jesus taught that divorce
led to adultery, unless
fornication
was the cause of divorce
c. Note well: the
bill of divorce did not necessarily end the
first
marriage!
1) Jesus
described the second marriage as committing
"adultery"
2) The term
"adultery" implies the first marriage is still
valid (binding)
2. In His response to the Pharisees - Mt
19:3-9
a. The Pharisees thought
divorce was permissible, as long as a
certificate
was granted
b. Though they differed among
themselves as to whether it could
be "for any
reason"
c. Jesus explained that Moses
permitted divorce because of the
hardness of
their hearts, but it was not God's will from the
beginning (of
creation) - Mt 19:8
d. Jesus then provides the only
ground for divorce without it
leading to
adultery: if the innocent spouse puts away his
or her spouse
for fornication - Mt 19:9
-- Jesus allows only one reason for divorce:
when a spouse is
guilty of fornication!
B. HIS TEACHING ON REMARRIAGE...
1. Jesus warned twice that remarriage can result
in adultery
a. Divorcing a wife can cause
her to commit adultery when she
remarries -
Mt 5:32
b. Divorcing a wife for can
cause oneself to commit adultery
upon
remarriage - Mt 19:9
2. The only way to avoid adultery when remarrying
is for the
innocent spouse to put away his
or her spouse for the cause of
fornication - Mt 19:19
3. Jesus suggested celibacy might be necessary
for some - Mt 19:10-12
a. Chosen for the sake of the
kingdom of heaven
b. The only scenario I can
imagine is where one realizes they
are in
adulterous marriage and are willing to leave it for
the sake of
the kingdom of heaven
-- Jesus allows only one reason for divorce
and remarriage: when
a spouse is guilty of
fornication!
[In teaching His disciples concerning divorce and remarriage, Jesus was
very clear. But what about His apostles? Inspired by the
Holy Spirit,
what do they add to the subject...?]
II. THE APOSTLES ON DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE
A. THEIR TEACHING ON DIVORCE...
1. Paul reminded people of what the Lord Himself
taught - 1Co 7:10-11
a. A wife is not to depart her
husband; a husband is not to
divorce his
wife
b. If a wife leaves her
husband, she must remain unmarried or
be reconciled
2. He revealed more concerning marriages with
unbelievers - 1Co 7:12-16
a. Believers are not to divorce
unbelieving spouses if they are
willing to
live with them
b. If unbelieving spouses
depart, believers are not in bondage
(to fulfill
marital duties)
-- Paul reinforced Jesus' teaching on divorce,
and permitted
separation only when initiated
by an unbeliever!
B. THEIR TEACHING ON REMARRIAGE...
1. Paul in writing to the Romans - Ro 7:1-4
a. Paul used what the Law
taught on marriage for the purpose of
illustration
b. The Law (of Moses) taught
that a woman was bound to her
husband for
life
c. Even if she legally divorced
her husband, she became an
adulteress
when she remarried
d. Remember, according to Moses
she became "defiled"- Deut 24:4
2. Paul allowed remarriage after the death of
one's spouse - 1Co 7:39-40
a. But only "in the Lord",
which many believe to mean "must be
a Christian"
b. But it may mean "in the will
of the Lord" (in harmony with
His teaching)
3. Some assume Paul permitted remarriage if
abandoned by an
unbeliever - 1Co 7:15
a. That "not in bondage" means
they are permitted to remarry
b. But such permission is not
necessarily implied by the text;
believers are
simply not in bondage to fulfill marital
duties
c. To say that Paul allowed
remarriage is to put words in his
mouth
-- Paul allowed remarriage on the death of a
spouse; only Jesus
gave another ground for
remarriage (fornication)
[Other than saying that a believing spouse was not obligated to fulfill
marital obligations toward an unbelieving spouse who leaves, and that
death permitted remarriage under certain circumstances, the apostles
added nothing to what Jesus taught. With that in mind, here are
some
thoughts on...]
III. THE ISSUE OF DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE TODAY
A. PERTAINING TO CHRISTIANS...
1. As disciples of Christ we must be faithful to
the Lord - cf. Lk 6:46; 2Jn 1:9
2. This requires heeding Him in both teaching and
practice - cf.
Mt 28:20
3. As with all sin, it may take time to fully
learn and apply what
Jesus taught - 2Pe 3:18
4. Even if it means we must choose celibacy to be
faithful to His
teaching - Mt 19:12
5. In this way, we can demonstrate that God's
will is good,
acceptable, perfect - Ro
12:1-2
-- Rather than conform to the world, allow
Christ to transform us!
B. PERTAINING TO NON-CHRISTIANS...
1. They should be taught the gospel - Mk
16:15-16: Mt 28:18-19
2. If they are baptized, they need to be shown
what Jesus taught
- Mt 28:20
3. Some may ask, "Cannot those in adulterous
marriages be
forgiven?"
a. Yes, but forgiveness does
not make an adulterous marriage a
holy one
(just as it does not transform a homosexual
marriage into
a holy one)
b. Repentance requires that one
turn away from sinful conduct
(e.g.,
adultery)
4. Again, it may take time to fully learn and
apply what Jesus
taught - 2Pe 3:18
5. And we should be willing to work with those in
difficult
situations - cf. Ga 6:1-2
-- Souls are at stake, and we cannot water
down the doctrine of
Christ!
CONCLUSION
1. From what we have gleaned these past two lessons...
a. God intends for marriage to be for life ("till death do us
part")
b. It is God who joins a man and wife, and He alone can truly put
asunder
c. He does not release the married from their marriage simply
because
they get a divorce
d. The state might recognize divorce and marriages, but they might
be
"unlawful" to God
e. Unless divorce is for the grounds of fornication, remarriage
results in adultery!
f. Celibacy is a viable option (if need be) for those serious about
the kingdom of heaven
2. When confronted with issues like divorce and remarriage...
a. We are tempted to take the path of least resistance
b. To simply conform to the standards of society
c. To reinterpret and reapply the words of Jesus to be socially
acceptable
But we do ourselves harm and others no good by watering down what Jesus
and His apostles taught. When it comes to doing and teaching the
will
of the Lord, may we never forget these words...
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is
not in vain in the Lord. - 1Co 15:58
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