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Articles
Is It Lawful?
"Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?" Jesus was posed this question in Matt. 19:3, May we consider it for a few moments.
Now notice what Jesus was not asked. Do men put away their wives for every cause? Do men have to get married? Are homosexual marriages lawful? Is it lawful to just live together? No, the question is: "Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?" "Is it right?" they asked.
The answer to this question to the minds of many today would be yes. Many people divorce for various reasons, can't (actually won't) get along, in-law problems, wife too fat, he hunts too much, she burned the toast, etc. But it doesn’t really matter what men think, but what the Lord thinks. For Isaiah said in ch.55:8-9, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Let’s look at this question that was asked to Jesus in Matt.19:3. He answers in vs. 4-6, showing from the creation of Adam and Eve, that God intended one man and one woman to be married for life. "And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Let us observe that Jesus is showing from creation that marriage is intended to be for life. They should cleave together, literally the word cleave means, to be glued, thus a man and woman should be glued together in this permanent relationship. Next Jesus says they are to be one flesh. Would anybody take a chain saw and cut their body into two pieces and toss away the right or left side of their flesh? Of course not! Neither should a husband or wife, up and divorce for every cause. Then Jesus speaks about being joined or yoke together. This yoke ties and binds the two together for life, "till death do us part." Finally, Jesus said let not man put asunder: neither the husband, nor the woman, nor some judge nor some court in the land. I would hope we could impress upon our young people the seriousness of marriage and it’s permanence. Marriage is for life!
They asked why Moses suffered (allowed or permitted) divorce, verse 7, "They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?" He said it was because of the hardness of your hearts, Moses permitted it, verse 8. "He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so."
Then in verse 9 Jesus said, "And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery." Thus Jesus sets forth his rule on the matter: to divorce and remarry another committeth adultery. There is just one exception, in the case of fornication, which is sexual unfaithfulness of one's spouse, the innocent party can divorce and remarry without sin.
Some have sought very hard to get around what the Lord has taught on this subject. Men have tried to find some loophole to excuse themselves of the law of Christ about marriage, divorce, and remarriage. Some have tried to redefine the word adultery to say it means the marriage ceremony. Thus the sin is only the act of getting married, and you just merely ask God to forgive you, then keep the spouse you now have. But this is not so, for adultery doesn’t take place at the wedding chapel, but when the new couple who has no right one to another, of being sexually together, they then commit adultery. Some one says, "Can’t God forgive them of their sin?" Of course he can. A thousand times yes, he can forgive, if they will repent. Yet this is where folks err in their thinking, they are excepting God to forgive without repentance. Some have sought to say that Jesus Matthew 19:9, is explaining the law of Moses. Can’t be so, because in the O.T. a husband or wife guilty of adultery was to be stoned to death, Leviticus 20:10 "And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death." Thus there would be no need for a writing of divorcement.
I am fearful many people are living in adulteress marriages, because they divorced over every reason but the one exception allowed by Jesus. The only way to gain God's forgiveness is to REPENT; Acts 17:30, "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent."; Acts 2:38, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."; Acts 8:22, "Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee." Yes, for some it will be necessary to be a eunuchs for the kingdom of God’s sake, Matthew 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." Somebody says this is hard. Consider Proverbs 13:15, "Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard." Don’t try to blame God. Who made you get married in the first place? Who made you not get along with your spouse? Who made you get a divorce? Was it not your choice in these matters?
Jesus set forth the law on divorce and remarriage, not me nor anyone else. He is the Lawgiver, James 4:12 , "There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?" He is the one who has all authority, Matthew 28:18, "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."
Again to young people or anybody else, you need to understand that marriage is for life "Till death do us part." Before you say "I do" be committed that this is a lifetime agreement.
