Marriage, God’s Design
Romans 7:1-4; Matt 19:3-12
God binds man to woman as they comply
with laws of the land at marriage
legitimizing the sexual union.
God
Wife is bound to the
husband by the law of the
of
husband Rom. 7:1-4 Law
wife
Rom.7
Law of
Husband
Rom.7
man 1
Laws of the Land
Husband is bound to the
wife by the law of the
Wife Rom. 7:1-4
woman 1
1
Remarriage, God Approves
Romans 7:1-4; Matt 19:3-12
• Death – Release Bond
• Remarriage – Approved
God releases man and woman from the law of the
husband and the law of the wife by the death of
wife, thus allowing man to marry again.
Wife loosed
from law of husband
Rom. 7:1-4
God
Law of
wife
Rom.7
Wife Dies
Husband loosed
from law of Wife
by death Rom. 7:1-4
Wife bound
by law of husband
Rom. 7:1-4
Law of
Husband
Rom.7
Law of
wife 2
Rom.7
God
Husband bound
by the law of Wife
Rom. 7:1-4
Law of
Husband 2
Rom.7
Wife Dies
X
Wife Dies
man 1
God binds man to woman as they comply
with laws of the land at marriage
legitimizing the sexual union.
X
Laws of the Land
X
woman 1
man 1
Laws of the Land
woman 2
2
Remarriage, Not Adulterated
Romans 7:1-4; Matt 19:3-12
• Death - Releases
God
binds man to woman as they comply
Bond
with laws of the land at marriage
legitimizing the sexual union.
Wife bound by the law
of husband Rom. 7:1-4
God
Law of
wife
Rom.7
Wife Dies
Husband loosed
from law of Wife
by death Rom. 7:1-4
God
Law of
Husband
Rom.7
Law of
Wife 2
Rom.7
Law of
Husband
Rom.7
Wife Dies
X
Wife Dies
man 1
• No Adultery
• Though joined to another
• Hebrews 7:3
X
Laws of the Land
X
woman 1
man 1
woman 2
Laws of the Land
3
Marriage Adulterated by Man
• Marriage
• Husband divorces Wife
• Unscriptural – Divorce
God bound man to woman as they comply with
laws of the land at marriage legitimizing the
relationship. But divorce does not loose the law
of the husband or the law of the wife thus
adulterating the marriage.
God
Wife still bound by law of husband
Rom. 7:1-4; Matt. 19:9
Husband still bound by law of wife
Rom. 7:1-4; Matt. 19:9
Law of
Wife 1
Rom.7
Law of
Husband 1
Rom.7
Divorce
man 1
X
Laws of the Land
woman 1
4
Marriage Adulterated by Man
• Adultery
• Husband – another wife
• Unscriptural remarriage
Husband 1 still bound by law of the wife.
Divorce for other than fornication does
not release him. Matt. 19:9; Rom 7:1-4
Man is joined to two women at the same time.
One joined by God, the other joined by the
laws of the land adulterating the relationship.
God
Law of
Wife 1
Rom.7
Wife 1 still bound by law of the husband.
Divorce for other than fornication does not
release her. Rom. 7:1-4; Matt. 19:9
Law of
Husband 1
Rom.7
Laws of the Land
Divorce
man 1
X
woman 1
woman 2
The man is married or
joined to two women at
the same time.
5
Divorce And Remarriage, The Problem
Authorized Remarriage
Unauthorized Remarriage
God releases the man from law to the wife and he is
free to marry another. This is the Biblical pattern
authorized by God in Matthew 19:3-12 and Romans
7:1-4. The exception clause of Matthew 19:9 is shown
by excepting him from law to the wife to which she is
still bound.
God binds man, by law to the wife, to woman 1(Rom
7:1-4). Their subsequent divorce for reasons other
than adultery does not release the bond of either the
husband or the wife (Matt.19:9). When the husband
remarries woman 2, they commit adultery ( Matt. 19:9)
Man is still bound by God to woman 1 while he marries
woman 2, being bound to two women at the same
time, thereby committing adultery.
Husband1 still bound by law of the wife.
Divorce for other than fornication does
not release him. Matt. 19:9; Rom 7:1-4
Husband 1 is bound to
two women at the same
time; one by law of land
the other by God’s law.
Rom. 7:1-4; Matt. 19:9
Law of
Wife 1
Rom.7
God
Wife 1 still bound by law of the husband.
Divorce for other than fornication does not
release her. Rom. 7:1-4; Matt. 19:9
Law of
Husband 1
Rom.7
woman 1
man 1
woman 2
6
If This Is Such A Simple Issue Why Are
So Many Smart People Divided Over it??
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Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage??
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Alexander Campbell
Barton W. Stone
Walter Scott
Homer Haley
Yater Tant
David Lipscomb
Homer Haley
F.B.Srygley
R.L. Whiteside
N.B. Hardeman
H. Leo Boles
C.R. Nichol
G.C. Brewer
W.W. Otey
John L. Lewis
Foy E. Wallace
Franklin Puckett
J.W. McGarvey
James Adams
How could these smart men not understand this
subject like we do today? How could they be
geniuses in every area and old coots on
Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage. The subject
must not be as easy as we have been told it is,
therefore let’s not divide over this issue.
We should fellowship everyone no matter what
their marriage.
With this thinking, it shows that man is our
standard of authority and not God and His word.
Plan Of Salvation??
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Joseph Henry Thayer
A.T. Robertson
Albert Barnes
James MacKnight
E.J. Young
R.C.H. Lenski
R.C. Trench
E.W. Bullinger
James Strong
John McClintock
Martin Luther
Zwingly
Calvin
All The Reformation Leaders & worlds greatest
scholars
99% Of Commentators
How could these smart men not understand the
simple plan of salvation? How could they be
geniuses in every area and old coots on the plan
of salvation. The subject must be too difficult and
therefore we can’t understand it and should not
divide over this issue either.
So let’s join in fellowship with all denominations.
With this thinking, it shows that man is our
standard of authority and not God and His word.
7
Adultery (MOICHAO) 4298 - Verb
• W.E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words
–
Defines the noun form as “denotes one ‘who has unlawful intercourse with the spouse of
another’”...The verb form “is used in the middle voice in the NT, is said of men in Matt. 5:32; 19:9;
Mark 10:11; of women in Mark 10:12”
• Word Pictures in the New Testament, A.T. Robertson page 154-155
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“Except for fornication (PAREDTOS LOGOU PORNEIAS). This is the marginal reading in Westcott
and Hort which also adds ‘maketh her an adulteress’ (POIIEI AUTEN MOICHEUTHENAI) and also
these words: ‘and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery’ (KAI HO
APOLELUMENEN GAMESAS MOICHATAI)... McNeile holds that ‘the addition of the saving clause
is, in fact, opposed to the spirit of the whole context, and must have been made at a time when the
practice of divorce for adultery had already grown up.’ That in my opinion is gratuitous criticism
which is unwilling to accept Matthew’s report because it disagrees with one’s views on the subject of
divorce. He adds: ‘it cannot be supposed that Matthew wished to represent Jesus as siding with the
school of Shammai.’ Why not, if Shammai on this point agreed with Jesus? Those who deny
Matthew’s report are those who are opposed to remarriage at all. Jesus by implication, as in 5:31,
does allow remarriage of the innocent party, but not of the guilty one.”
• A Greek - English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early
Christian Literature, by William Arndt and Wilber Gingrich pg. 526
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“1. of a woman (Ezek 16:32) the man who divorces his wife causes her to commit adultery (if she
contracts a new marriage) Mt 5:32; Mk 10:12
2. of a man, who marries a divorced woman Mt. 5:32; 19:9 or who marries again after divorcing his
wife 19:9 commits adultery against her (his first wife) Mk 10:11.
3. of a man or woman, whoever acts as the heathen do (i.e.., takes part in idol-worship), commits
adultery (and it cannot be expected of the other marriage-partner to maintain marital relations).
• Thayer’s Greek English Lexicon, page 417
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“To have unlawful intercourse with another’s wife, to commit adultery with”
8
Adultery As Taught At ______ ___
• Covenant Breaking - Breaking the marriage
covenant
– The Divorce and Remarriage = Adultery (a one time act)
– The sexual act is not what Jesus was referring to in Matthew 19:9
(continuous act)
• Present Tense Verb - Must be Punctiliar
– One point in time - Adultery is a one time act and not a continuing
relationship.
– Olan Hicks in What The Bible Says About Marriage, Divorce,
and Remarriage page 31 quoting Dana and Mantey A
Manual of the Greek New Testament.
– “It is a mistake to suppose that the durative meaning
monopolizes the present stem”
9
How Adultery Is Used In
Scripture
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Matt. 5:28 “Who looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery in his heart” - Sexual
sin or not ?
Matt 5:32 “Who divorces his wife, except for the cause of fornication makes her commit
adultery” - Sexual sin or not ?
Matt 19:9 “Whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another,
commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery” - Sexual sin or
not?
Mk 10:11-12 “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. And
if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” - Sexual sin or
not?
John 8:3 “Woman caught in adultery, in the very act” - Sexual sin or not?
Romans 2:22 “You who say do not commit adultery do you commit adultery?” - Sexual sin or
not? Look at context
Romans 13:9 “ For the commandments, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder…” Sexual sin or not
Galatians 5:19 “The works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lewdness…” - Sexual sin or not
Heb 13:4 “Let the marriage bed be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be
undefiled, for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” - Sexual sin or not
2Pet 2:14 “having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable
souls…” - Sexual sin or not
Look at every passage of scripture and see if covenant breaking or a sexual sin is what is under
10
discussion!!
Adultery AS Viewed By God In Scriptures
• Malachi 2:16 “For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce”
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They perverted the law vs.8
They had dealt treacherously with the wife of their youth vs.14
They did not even have a remnant of the Spirit of God vs.15
But God allowed it under the law and regulated it Duet 24.
Did God hate divorce under the Law? Yes
Did God allow divorce under the law? Yes
Does God hate divorce still? Yes
Does God allow divorce today? Yes but only for fornication
Any teaching that allows free divorce and remarriage undermines
God’s teaching on divorce.
11
Dana and Mantey the whole
quote
• Page 176
– No element of the Greek language is of more importance to the student of the New
Testament than the matter of tense. A variation in meaning exhibited by the use of a
particular tense will often dissolve what appears to be an embarrassing difficulty, or
reveal a gleam of truth which will thrill the heart with delight and inspiration
• Page 178
– There are, therefore three fundamental tenses in Greek: the present, representing
continuous action; the perfect, representing completed action; and the aorist (...without
limits, undefined in time), representing indefinite action
• Page 181
– It is a mistake to suppose that the durative meaning monopolizes the present
stem...(now picking up where Olan Hicks left off). Since there is no aorist tense for
present time, the present tense, as used in the indicative, must do service for both
linear and punctiliar action. But it is to be borne in mind that the idea of present time is
secondary in the force of the tense. The time element belongs to the indicative, where
the present tense is really the ‘imperfect of present time,’ while what we know as the
imperfect tense is the ‘imperfect of past time.’ The progressive force of the present
tense should always be considered as primary, especially with reference to the potential
moods, when the nature of the case does not need any ‘present punctiliar’ tense.
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Punctiliar action vs.
Continuous or Durative action
• Punctiliar Action
Present time
• Continuous or Durative Action
Past Action
continuing into
Present Action
continuing into
Future
Action
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Matthew 5: 31-32
“Furthermore it has been said, ‘whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a
certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason
except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a
woman who is divorced commits adultery.”
• The question was asked how does he make her commit adultery?
– The divorce defrauds the wife of the husband’s affection due the wife I Cor.7:2-3
– Marriage legitimizes the sexual relationship I Cor. 7:4-5
– He causes her to do what she does herself
• This answer is by allowing or providing opportunity for her sin
• The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart
– Exodus 7:3 “And I will harden Pharaoh's heart
– 8:32 “But Pharaoh hardened his heart “
– God simply provided the opportunity for Pharaoh to harden his own heart
• The affliction of Job
– Job 1:12 “And the Lord said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your
power...”
– Job 2:3 “..And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me
against him, to destroy
him without cause”
– God simply allowed Satan the opportunity to afflict Job
• The man makes her commit adultery - Matthew 5:32
– He does so by providing the opportunity for the adultery
– By withholding the affection due his wife
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Does God Demand Keeping A
Covenant Without Exception?
• Genesis 27 is given as proof text
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By deceit Jacob stole Esau’s blessing
Esau asked for the blessing and Isaac refused
Because he had already blessed Jacob
Therefore it is reasoned once a covenant is made it can not be broken
• Consider Ezra 10 in connection with a covenant given
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God had warned Israel not to take foreign wives because of Idolatrous background
Israel took wives of foreign women anyway vs. 2
• They made a marriage covenant with the women of the land
• Was this covenant to be kept ?
Ezra was instructed to have all the men to make a covenant with God vs.3
• Their later covenant with God superceded the prior marriage covenant
• God demanded that they break the covenant with the foreign wives
They were to put away their foreign wives and children born of them vs.3-4
• Faithfulness to God demanded the putting away of their former marriage covenant
• Refusal to break this covenant meant separation from God’s chosen people
Those who refuses would be cut off from the people of Israel vs.8
• Sometimes Faithfulness demands putting away an unrighteous
covenant
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Faithfulness may sometimes require putting away an unscriptural
15
The Bounds Of fellowship
• We Cannot Avoid Some Worldly Associations
– 1 Corinthians 5: 9-10
• We Cannot, However, Have Fellowship With Sin
– 1 John 1:1-7; 2 John 9-11
• We Can Be At Different Levels Of Spiritual Growth and Have
Fellowship
– 1 John 2:12-14
• But Fellowship Is Confined Only To Those That Walk In The Light
– 1 John 1:7; 2 John 9-11
• We Must Stand Against Sinful Practices and Reprove Them
– Ephesians 5:1-16
• We Must Separate Form Those That Practice Sin
– 2 Corinthians 6:17-18; 2 Thessalonians 3:6; 1 Corinthians 5:9-11
• Else we are partakers with them
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– Ephesians 5:7
Historical Consequences Of Fellowship With
Error
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The Stone-Campbell Movement Leroy Garrett
– pg.309 “Another fact that runs counter to subsequent practice is that the most adamant
opponents of the organ, J.W. McGarvey and Benjamin Franklin, insisted that it should
not be made a test of fellowship. In fact, from 1849 until the 1880’s there was only one
prominent leader in the Movement that called fro non-fellowship over the instrument,
and that was Moses E. Lard.
– There is reason to conclude, therefore, that they could have absorbed this controversy
without an open spl;it, just as they did the question of open communion. for decades
the Movement had both instrument and non-instrument churches without schism, a
difference but not division. This could have continued but for other factors.”
– pg. 315 “This was characteristic of McGarvey’s ambivalence on the instrument
question. After being adamantly opposed to the instrument in the earlier years of the
controversy, he said little about it in the after years, leading some to suppose that he
no longer objected to it, which was not the case. For forty years he kept the organ out
of the Broadway church in Lexington where he served as preacher and elder, and yet
he sanctioned the use of pianos in its Sunday School.”
– pg.318 “But the story of J.W. McGarvey does not support the view that those who
disagreed with him about the instrument had a different attitude toward the Scriptures
than he did, though there was obviously a difference in interpreting the Scriptures. For
19 years, off and on, McGarvey ministered to the Bethlehem church out from
Lexington, which gave its people;e ample time to understand his argument against the
organ. They nonetheless decided to use an instrument.”
•
But J.W. McGarvey Learned from his mistake
– Plain Talk Vol.4, No.3
– www.cedarparkchurchofchrist.org/ptalk/v4/n3a.htm
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When Will we?
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Plain Talk
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Vol. 4, No. 3
May, 1967
Where Is Your Influence?
A short time back bro. Ferrel Jenkins visited with an aged disciple, bro. Henry S. Ficklin, who studied at the feet of
J.W. McGarvey years ago. We let bro. Jenkins tell the story.
"In the 19th century when the church was divided over the use of instrumental music and the missionary society,
McGarvey took what might be described as a "middle-of-the-road" position. He opposed the use of the instrument
but favored the society. Even though he opposed the organ in worship and moved his membership when the
Broadway church, Lexington, Ky., adopted the organ by majority vote, he continued to fraternize with those who
used it. What about his students whom he taught that the instrument in worship was wrong? Did they follow his
scriptural advice? No! Bro. Ficklin commented that McGarvey's influence went with his fellowship and not with his
teaching."
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In 1950 bro. J.P. Sewell, in a Harding College lecture, recalled the following advice, given to him by bro.
McGarvey away back in 1902. It is advice preachers today might ponder.
"You are on the right road, and whatever you do, don't let anybody persuade you that you can successfully
combat error by fellowshipping it and going along with it. I have tried it. I believed at the start that was the only
way to do it. I've never held membership in a congregation that uses instrumental music. I have, however,
accepted invitations to preach without distinction between churches that used it and churches that didn't. I've
gone along with their papers and magazines and things of that sort. During all these years I have taught the truth
as the NT teaches it to every young preacher who has passes through the College of the Bible. Yet, I do not know
of more than six of those men who are preaching the truth today. It won't work"
Our influence goes with what we do rather than with what we say. Ponder this well, you preachers, elders, and
members who give your presence, support, and silent acquiescence to practices you know to be without divine
authority. You hope to teach them? Do you know more about teaching than J.W. McGarvey and the Lord?? (Matt.
12:30)
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What If We Are Wrong??
• If My Position Is Wrong
– People remain celibate for life
– They lose right to marriage in this
life
– They do not forfeit Heaven
– They only loose on this life’s
blessings
• If The Other Position Is
Wrong
– People enjoy pleasures of illicit
life
– They can marry without concern
– They loose out on Heaven
– Heb 13:4 “Let marriage be held in
honor among all, and let the
marriage bed be undefiled; for
fornicators and adulterers God
will judge.
Is It Worth It To Risk Heaven???
19