Remarriage +
THE DOCTRINE OF BALAAM
#3 (DIVORCE & REMARRIAGE) Garland M. Robinson
It seems that almost everybody today is trying desperately to find a way around Scriptures they don’t like. They want to discover what else God might say. Because they don’t love the truth, they’ll find what they’re looking for — so they think!
The interpretation and application made by many in some passages causes the Bible to contradict itself. On the other hand, we are advised to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).
But, so many won’t give diligence to study ALL the Scriptures. They make up their mind as to what they are going to find in the Bible and when it conflicts with their belief they will dismiss it and explain it away. That’s not the way we should treat God’s precious Word which is able to save our souls (James 1:21).
First Corinthians 7:15 does not allow desertion as a cause for one to divorce and marry again with God’s approval. But, none the less, they focus upon the phrase “A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases.”
Their interpretation is that since my unbelieving spouse has deserted me, I’m not under the marriage bond any more, I’m free to marry again. However, if they were careful enough to study, they would find the word “bondage” (douloo, 1 Cor. 7:15) does not apply to the marriage bond. It applies to the bondage experienced in “service.” It is the bondage of servitude, subserviency — to make a slave of, to enslave, bring into (be under) bondage.
For example, the Greek word for “bondage” is used in Romans 6 where it is translated servants — “servants of righteousness” (v.18) and “servants to God” (v.22). The Greek word for “bondage” (and its root, doulos) is used more than 100 times in the New Testament but is NEVER used in reference to marriage.
Here’s the point, a Christian married to a non-Christian is not so bound (enslaved) to their unbelieving spouse that the Christian should (can) forsake the Lord in order the keep the marriage intact.
The word used in reference to the marriage bond is found a few verses later in 1 Corinthians 7:27, “Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed.” Here the word ‘bound’ is deo — “to bind, be in bonds, knit, tie.”
A few more verses down, in verse 39, the word is used again in regards to the marriage bond. “The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth....” This is exactly what we read in Mark 10:9, “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (cf. Matt. 19:6).
No one has the right to divorce and marry again, “except it be for fornication” (Matt. 19:9). Why keep searching for more? Fornication is the only exception given.
The Holy Spirit could have used the Greek word for the marriage bond in 1 Corinthians 7:15 if he was talking about the marriage bond, but he did not. He used a different word — a word that is not connected to the marriage bond.
Further, the word “bound” in 1 Corinthians 7:15 is in the “perfect tense.” “The perfect tense in Greek is used to describe a completed action which produces results which are still in effect to the present.”
With this definition in mind, if it is the case that “bound” in verse 15 means the marriage bond, then the result would be that a married couple are not presently bound in marriage nor have they ever been bound in marriage.
No one believes that! It follows the axiom, “that which proves too much proves nothing.” If, upon being deserted, the deserted one is no longer bound in marriage, then the effect of the perfect tense means the two were never bound in marriage.
That can’t be because God sanctions marriage and declares it is for life! “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Mark 10:9). If a couple living together as husband and wife are not presently bound in marriage, they are living in fornication — a sin for which cause one cannot go to heaven without repenting of it!
Only in the marriage bond can a couple live together as husband and wife and meet with God’s approval. There is no other way. This is a very serious and grave warning for countless numbers of people who are living together and are not married.
Today’s culture allows it without impunity, but it’s not so with God. God only knows of the number of couples living in fornication, not marriage. Repent! before it’s too late. The body is not for fornication (1 Cor. 6:18; Eph. 5:3; 1 Thess. 4:3; Jude 1:7; Rev. 2:21). Living together without a God ordained marriage is fornication.
I might also add that just because a couple has a marriage certificate does not mean their marriage is right in God’s eyes. A marriage where one (or both) has been divorced without having put away their spouse for fornication is an adulterous marriage.
Both are living in fornication/adultery (Matt. 19:9). Divorce is not under consideration in 1 Corinthians 7:15. What is being discussed is a situation where a Christian is married to a non-Christian.
The question is asked, should the Christian leave the non-Christian mate? God’s answer is No (vs.12-13). But, what if the unbelieving spouse leaves (deserts) the Christian. God’s answer is let him/her leave, “A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases.” The believer is not so bound/enslaved to the deserting spouse that he/she must forsake the Lord in order to keep the marriage together.
The Christian spouse is not so bound now, now has he/she ever been so bound. The Lord and his kingdom comes first above all other matters (Matt. 6:33). There is literally nothing in this world more important than obeying God and staying faithful to Him.
As sacred as marriage is (both are to work very hard to keep the marriage together), marriage is not more important than being right with God. Nothing in this world is worth losing your soul — even marriage and family.
In Matthew 19:10-12, the Lord says some people cannot get married. “...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 loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matt. 10:37).
When we obey the Gospel we must leave ALL that is in the world behind — everything unholy and sinful — everything that would prevent us from living a holy life and going to heaven. Even marriage is not worth losing your soul!
Don’t be like Balaam and keep looking for what more God might say. Just be thankful that God knows what is best for us and has given his best to us in His all inspired Word, the holy Bible. By God’s divine power he has “...given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3).
#3 (DIVORCE & REMARRIAGE) Garland M. Robinson
It seems that almost everybody today is trying desperately to find a way around Scriptures they don’t like. They want to discover what else God might say. Because they don’t love the truth, they’ll find what they’re looking for — so they think!
The interpretation and application made by many in some passages causes the Bible to contradict itself. On the other hand, we are advised to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).
But, so many won’t give diligence to study ALL the Scriptures. They make up their mind as to what they are going to find in the Bible and when it conflicts with their belief they will dismiss it and explain it away. That’s not the way we should treat God’s precious Word which is able to save our souls (James 1:21).
First Corinthians 7:15 does not allow desertion as a cause for one to divorce and marry again with God’s approval. But, none the less, they focus upon the phrase “A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases.”
Their interpretation is that since my unbelieving spouse has deserted me, I’m not under the marriage bond any more, I’m free to marry again. However, if they were careful enough to study, they would find the word “bondage” (douloo, 1 Cor. 7:15) does not apply to the marriage bond. It applies to the bondage experienced in “service.” It is the bondage of servitude, subserviency — to make a slave of, to enslave, bring into (be under) bondage.
For example, the Greek word for “bondage” is used in Romans 6 where it is translated servants — “servants of righteousness” (v.18) and “servants to God” (v.22). The Greek word for “bondage” (and its root, doulos) is used more than 100 times in the New Testament but is NEVER used in reference to marriage.
Here’s the point, a Christian married to a non-Christian is not so bound (enslaved) to their unbelieving spouse that the Christian should (can) forsake the Lord in order the keep the marriage intact.
The word used in reference to the marriage bond is found a few verses later in 1 Corinthians 7:27, “Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed.” Here the word ‘bound’ is deo — “to bind, be in bonds, knit, tie.”
A few more verses down, in verse 39, the word is used again in regards to the marriage bond. “The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth....” This is exactly what we read in Mark 10:9, “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (cf. Matt. 19:6).
No one has the right to divorce and marry again, “except it be for fornication” (Matt. 19:9). Why keep searching for more? Fornication is the only exception given.
The Holy Spirit could have used the Greek word for the marriage bond in 1 Corinthians 7:15 if he was talking about the marriage bond, but he did not. He used a different word — a word that is not connected to the marriage bond.
Further, the word “bound” in 1 Corinthians 7:15 is in the “perfect tense.” “The perfect tense in Greek is used to describe a completed action which produces results which are still in effect to the present.”
With this definition in mind, if it is the case that “bound” in verse 15 means the marriage bond, then the result would be that a married couple are not presently bound in marriage nor have they ever been bound in marriage.
No one believes that! It follows the axiom, “that which proves too much proves nothing.” If, upon being deserted, the deserted one is no longer bound in marriage, then the effect of the perfect tense means the two were never bound in marriage.
That can’t be because God sanctions marriage and declares it is for life! “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Mark 10:9). If a couple living together as husband and wife are not presently bound in marriage, they are living in fornication — a sin for which cause one cannot go to heaven without repenting of it!
Only in the marriage bond can a couple live together as husband and wife and meet with God’s approval. There is no other way. This is a very serious and grave warning for countless numbers of people who are living together and are not married.
Today’s culture allows it without impunity, but it’s not so with God. God only knows of the number of couples living in fornication, not marriage. Repent! before it’s too late. The body is not for fornication (1 Cor. 6:18; Eph. 5:3; 1 Thess. 4:3; Jude 1:7; Rev. 2:21). Living together without a God ordained marriage is fornication.
I might also add that just because a couple has a marriage certificate does not mean their marriage is right in God’s eyes. A marriage where one (or both) has been divorced without having put away their spouse for fornication is an adulterous marriage.
Both are living in fornication/adultery (Matt. 19:9). Divorce is not under consideration in 1 Corinthians 7:15. What is being discussed is a situation where a Christian is married to a non-Christian.
The question is asked, should the Christian leave the non-Christian mate? God’s answer is No (vs.12-13). But, what if the unbelieving spouse leaves (deserts) the Christian. God’s answer is let him/her leave, “A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases.” The believer is not so bound/enslaved to the deserting spouse that he/she must forsake the Lord in order to keep the marriage together.
The Christian spouse is not so bound now, now has he/she ever been so bound. The Lord and his kingdom comes first above all other matters (Matt. 6:33). There is literally nothing in this world more important than obeying God and staying faithful to Him.
As sacred as marriage is (both are to work very hard to keep the marriage together), marriage is not more important than being right with God. Nothing in this world is worth losing your soul — even marriage and family.
In Matthew 19:10-12, the Lord says some people cannot get married. “...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 loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matt. 10:37).
When we obey the Gospel we must leave ALL that is in the world behind — everything unholy and sinful — everything that would prevent us from living a holy life and going to heaven. Even marriage is not worth losing your soul!
Don’t be like Balaam and keep looking for what more God might say. Just be thankful that God knows what is best for us and has given his best to us in His all inspired Word, the holy Bible. By God’s divine power he has “...given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3).
posted by Believer | 4:02 AM
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