1 Cor 7:17-24 THE DIVORCED AND REMARRIED WHO WOULD COME TO GOD

 “Can a person become a Christian if that person has been divorced and remarried?”  Yes, every sinner is saved who  Believes in Jesus Christ  Confesses faith before men  Repents of past sins  Baptized for remission of sins -Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:37-38, 41; 8:35-38; 17:30; 22:16; Rom 6:1-4; 10:9-10; Gal 3:26-27; 1 Pet 3:21 “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” Acts 2:21 WHO THEN CAN BE SAVED ? 2

 “What are the divorced and remarried to do who wish to be saved from their sins?”  If one’s divorce and remarriage violates the word of Christ, then he must repent of that sin, too. Matthew 19:9 (Acts 10:34-35)  Two issues: 1)Was the remarriage God- approved? 2)What is repentance and what does it demand of the sinner? “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” Acts 2:21 THE REAL QUESTION 3

IS SIN EVERY REMARRIAGE THAT VIOLATES MATTHEW 19:9… 4

Matthew 19:4-6 (5:32) Hebrews 13:4 Romans 7:1-3 Mark 10:11-12 SINFUL DIVORCE AND REMARRIAG E Marriage, ordained by God, is for life and is not to be sundered, Matt 19:4-6 (Heb 13:4) One can live in adultery, Rom 7:1-3; Col 3:5-7  Sinful remarriage is committing adultery…living in sin, Matt 19:9; 5:32; Mark 10:

Acts 2: Acts 22:16 THE ADULTERER IS LOST AND NEEDS SALVATION Sin must be washed away by the blood of Christ (Rom 6:3-4)  Does baptism change the meaning of adultery, thus making it holy?  Or, does baptism remove the sin of adultery after repentance has taken place? (Eph 4:17, 20-24) 6

Demands ending the present sin of adultery 7 REPENTANCE

 “To change one’s mind”  Caused by godly sorrow  Godly sorrow causes one to repent and do the opposite of what was being done, Matt 21:29  Fruit of repentance is to stop sinning, Acts 26:20; Rev 9:20-21  Repentance does not change the nature of sin, 1 Cor 6:9-11 REPENT 8 Acts 17:30 2 Cor 7: 9-10 Luke 3: 10-14

Giving permission to the divorced and remarried to remain in their sinful relation 9 OBJECTIONS TO ENDING A SINFUL REMARRIAGE

 What is unclear? The sin of adultery? Matt 19:9 Repentance of sins? Acts 26:20 What baptism cleanses? Acts 22:16; Rom 6:1-3 What is expected after conversion? Rom 6:4  If we cannot know, teach and obey the truth on this subject, how can we know, teach and obey the truth on any subject? (Eph 5:17) 10

 Assumes divorced and remarried in Acts 2  Assumes every sin is specified in Acts 2  Based on silence, we could just as properly allow… Live-in partners to stay together Polygamists to stay together Same-sex marriages to stay together  Correct definition of repentance explains the same need of all sinners: repent and be baptized 11

 Stay unmarried or be reconciled, 1 Cor 7:11  Israel was expected to “unscramble” sinful marriages, Ezra 9:1-2, 14; 10:1-4, Even with children involved, Ezra 10:44  Sinners in Ephesus could “confess” and cease their sinful deeds, Acts 19:18-20 Every sinner must renounce all for Christ, Luke 14:33 (9:23) For the kingdom’s sake, Matt 19:10-12 (25-26) 12

 Apply this rationale to 1 Cor 6:9-11  Context is of non-sinful conditions As God has distributed to each one, 7:17 Circumcised or uncircumcised, slave or free A righteous marriage to unbeliever (7:12-14)  Keeping the commandments of God, 7:19 Cannot remain in the “calling” of adultery, 7:20 (occupation, profession – way of life) Adulterer cannot “remain with God” while remaining in adultery, 7:24 13

 Have your own wife, not another’s, 1 Cor 7:2; Mk 6:17-18 (Rom 7:3) Abimelech would have sinned had he touched Sarah, Abraham’s wife, Gen 20:3, 6-7, 14 Was God “forbidding marriage”? No, He was forbidding a sinful marriage! 14

 New creatures in Christ must:  Put off the old man of sin  Put on the new man of righteousness, 2 Cor 5:17; Colossians 3:5-10  Christians are joined to Christ  We cannot continue in sin and be united with Him, Rom 6:1-6  Adulterers must cease their adulterous remarriage in order be saved…  Repentance demands it! 15 The Divorced and Remarried Who Would Come to God