Marriage Under Attack Humanism—Materialism Worldliness—Selfishness 3 million w/out marriage 45% women 55% men 1990’s 1 out of 2 end in divorce! Happens every 27 seconds!

Genesis 2:24 One man—one woman—for life Excludes all immorality “One flesh”—no fornication/ no adultery Implies immorality destroys the union A flesh/blood bond only

Old Testament & Morality Deuteronomy 22:13-21 False accusation Virginity in question If untrue-cannot divorce If true-taken out and stoned

Old Testament & Morality Deuteronomy 22:22-27 Adultery—death penalty Unfaithfulness of a betrothed woman Forced rape—only man dies Deuteronomy 22:28,29 - Pre-marital sex is the sin -Paid father—take her as wife -Cannot divorce her

Deuteronomy 24:1-4 Restrain, not initiate, their practices Men sent away wives at will Women had no resource or protection Treated as property—pawns of men Temporary concession to their stubbornness Regulate Soften abuses suffered by women. “Shameful conduct.”

Malachi 2:13-16 Covered altars with tears Breaking the covenant Dealing treacherously Covers garment with violence God hates divorce Has God changed his mind?

Matthew 5:32 “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.”

Explaining Matthew 5:32 Whoever—applies to ALL Causeth—guilty by placing temptation before mate. For fornication—not guilty of the subsequent adultery. Marries the divorced—guilty of adultery.

Bible Pattern for Marriage All Men Are Under One Marriage Law Genesis 2:22-24; Hebrews 13:4 MDR One Man—One Woman For Life Matthew 19:4-6; Romans 7:2; 1 Corinthians 7:39 Only One Exception Matthew 19:9-12 1 Corinthians 7:10,11

Matthew 19:8 “He said to them, Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.”

Matthew 19:9 “And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”

What Does the Word “Except” Mean? Matthew 18:3—cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. John 3:2—can do the miracles. John 3:5—cannot enter the kingdom. Matthew 19:9—not adultery All cases only ONE WAY is right!

“Except it be for Fornication” Whoever shoots a basketball, except it misses the hoop, scores two points. Force of Exception If and only if the shot misses the hoop, you do not get two points. If and only if you put your wife away for fornication and marry another, you do not commit adultery.

Does Matthew 19:9 Exempt the Fornicator? Matthew 5:32 & Matthew 19:9 are compound, complex, sentences. Each one contains two independent clauses, joined by the conjunction “AND.” The exception stated in the first independent clause has no force in the second independent clause.

Mark 10:11,12 “So He said to them, Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."

Luke 16:18 “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.”

Mark 6:17,18 “For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her. For John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

Live in Adultery? “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.” Colossians 3:5-7

How Long Does the "Bond" Last? “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. So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man.” Romans 7:2,3

Adultery: Civil or Sexual Act? “Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.” John 8:3,4 Hebrews 13:4

Alien Not Amenable to the Gospel... No such thing as adulterous remarriages among unbelievers. Polygamy & Homosexuality permitted. Better to marry unbeliever than a Christian. False religious doctrine cannot be condemned! Who Can Believe it????

1 Corinthians 7:2 “Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.” Does it say they may have as many as they want?

Every Marriage is Good? Every man have his OWN wife—within the terms and conditions set by God. Authorized marriages: Never married; mate dead; innocent mate put-away fornicator. Unauthorized marriages: a put-away person for fornication or any other cause and marries another. Hebrews 2:9—Universal condition but conditional enjoyment!

1 Corinthians 7:9 “But if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.”

Can Any "Burning with Passion" Marry? Put-away fornicator? Person divorced for any cause? Person who divorces for any cause? Husband/wife serving life prison term? Husband/wife in asylum? Husband/wife with Aids? Husband/wife become invalid? Better to commit adultery than “burn with passion”!

1 Corinthians 7:10,11 “Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.”

What Does 1 Corinthians 7:10,11 mean? Don’t Divorce! What if divorce is necessary? In unscriptural marriage. Before becoming a Christian? Options? Remain unmarried Be reconciled?

1 Corinthians 7:15 “But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace.” When were you “called to peace”?

1 Corinthians 7:15 Is Not Under Bondage Hath Called Us To Peace Has Not Been Bound & Is not Now Hath Called Us To Peace Has Been Called & Is Now Begin When Deserted? Begin When Converted?

1 Corinthians 7:24 “Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called. Can one remain in an “unlawful marriage”? Homosexual marriage? Living together?

1 Corinthians 7:27,28 “Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you.”

1 Corinthians 7:27,28= Divorced People? Never married man is “loosed from a wife” IF “Loosed” man is Divorced His female counterpart is “a virgin” The “a virgin” is a Divorcee

Who Releases the Guilty from the Law? Deuteronomy 24:1-4 Matthew 5:32 Matthew 19:9 1 Corinthians 7:10,11 1 Corinthians 7:12-15 Unscriptural divorce releases neither party. Scriptural divorce releases both party from marriage, but not from the constraint of the law! Matthew 19:6

1 Corinthians 7:39 “A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.” Ephesians 6:1—same phrase.

Matthew 19:3 Did Jesus answer the Pharisees in Matthew?—YES! Did He fail to answer to their satisfaction?—YES! Does this mean that He did not answer them in the simplicity of truth?—NO!

Spin The Theory Wheel... Win an Unscriptural Mate Every Time! Olan Hicks: Redefine Adultery Lowell Williams: Baptism washes away marriage Homer Hailey—Alien not amenable Jerry Bassett: Unbeliever leaves Jack Freeman: Fornicator can remarry Wallace Little: Covenant Passage Theory

Theories to Avoid- Matthew 19 Baptism Sanctifies Theory Must be written on the document Blood of Christ Theory Grace of God Theory Rush to the Courthouse Hardship Theory No cause for Divorce Theory Fornication releases both parties Romans 14

Where does the Bible authorize these to remarry: How Do We Know? Simplicity of Truth! Know we can remarry: Mate dies—Romans 7:2,3 Put-away for fornication—Matt. 19:9 Where does the Bible authorize these to remarry: Put-away fornicator? Unscriptural divorce?

Repentance Commanded! By John—Matthew 3:2 By Jesus—Luke 13:3,5 Great Commission—Luke 24:47 By Disciples—Mark 6:12 By Apostles—Acts 2:38

Repentance is not… Fear Confession Being sorry Simply a reformation of life Being aware of sin Prayer Remorse or regret

Bible Repentance Jews on Pentecost—Acts 2:37-41 People of Nineveh—Jonah 3:10 Rebellious son—Matthew 21:28,29 Prodigal Son—Luke 15:11-21 Ephesians—Acts 19:9 Jailer—Acts 16:33,34 Corinthians –1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Brought “fruits” worthy of repentance!

What is involved in Bible Repentance? Regret—Psalm 28:17,18 Resolve—Luke 15:18 Reform—Luke 15:20 Restore—Luke 19:3-9

What Does Bible Repentance Demand? Cease & Leave! Acts 26:20 1 Cor. 6:9-11

2 Corinthians 7:9,10 “Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

Forgiveness: Does it Remove Temporal Consequences? Converted Murderer? Did he escape the death penalty? Converted Thief in prison? Reduce his prison term? Converted Prodigal? Regain his lost money? Converted Adulterer? Continue in unlawful relationship?

Breaking Up Happy Homes? “Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, You have transgressed and have taken pagan wives, adding to the guilt of Israel. Now therefore, make confession to the LORD God of your fathers, and do His will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the pagan wives.” Ezra 10:10,11

How Do You Show Repentance? If you steal a Man’s watch. Give It Back! If you steal a Man’s car. Give it back! If you steal a Man’s wife. You keep Her? The offended party may concede a watch or car, but can’t give his wife the right to marry another!

Trying to Preserve… HOMES! MARRIAGES! MORALITY! We may be opening doors Our children and Grandchildren will Never be able to close!