Hardness of Heart (I) Matthew 19:3-12

Introduction God’s ideal arrangement God’s ideal arrangement –Man’s difference from animals –Created woman (Genesis 2:18-25) Man’s departure Man’s departure –Early on (Genesis 4:19; 6:2; 11:1-9) –Both Jews and Gentiles departed (Romans 1:18-32; 2:1-3; 3:23)

Introduction Hardness of heart continues Hardness of heart continues –The Jews (Deuteronomy 24:1-4) –Jesus’ day (Matthew 19:8) –Today’s high divorce rate Our approach Our approach –Look at eight false positions –Determine what is right

Death is Only Cause Position stated –J–J–J–Jesus only explaining the Old Law –T–T–T–The only “safe” position since there is really no “innocent” party (Romans 7:1-3) –E–E–E–Exception not found in other Gospels (Mark 10:11, 12; Luke 16:18)

Response Response –What Jesus said didn’t agree with the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 24:1-4; Matthew 5:32) –He appealed to the beginning (Matthew 19:4) –Permits divorce for fornication

Divorce and Remarry- Any Cause Position stated Position stated –God wants man to be happy –This encourages individual growth –Question to Ann Landers

Question When a marriage has gone sour and the only thing that keeps you from filing for divorce is the promise, “till death do us part,” how can a person go ahead and split with a clear conscience? I have been miserable in this marriage for several years and my mate feels the same emptiness, but I am haunted by the feeling that it would be a sin to break that promise. Please give me some guidance

Answer You have already been parted by death- the death of your love, your respect, your devotion, the joy of being together and the warm feelings that made you want a lifetime partnership. If something is dead, it should be buried. I believe God understands everything.

Divorce and Remarry- Any Cause Response Response –Assumes man knows more than God (Proverbs 14:12) –Ignores God’s will (Ecclesiastes 12:13) –God’s commands are universal in scope (Romans 1:16)

Divorce and Remarry- Any Legal Cause Position stated Position stated –Any other conclusion forces a person to stay in a bad situation –God is a loving Father who wants people to be happy –Think of the harm done to children

Divorce and Remarry- Any Legal Cause Response Response –Assumes man’s right to legislate (Deuteronomy 24:1-4; Acts 5:29) –Man’s path to happiness often marked by lust (Matthew 5:3-12) –Studies show that divorce is more harmful than a bad home situation

Guilty Party Can Remarry Position stated Position stated –Both parties to a broken contract are free –Exception of first half applies to the second half as well –Can’t bind celibacy on the guilty one –One is to marry “in order to avoid fornication (1 Corinthians 7:2)

Guilty Party Can Remarry Response Response –Leaves out God’s role in the contract (Malachi 2:15, 16; Matthew 19:6, 9; Romans 7:1-3) –Confuses being married with being bound and being divorce from being loosed (John 4:16-18; Mark 6:17, 18)

Guilty Party Can Remarry Response (continued) Response (continued) –Jesus released only one party (Matthew 19:9) –Celibacy results from a bad choice (Proverbs 13:15) –Leads to the absurdity that it is better to be put away as a fornicator –Must have one’s “own” wife/husband

Conclusion Start off right by marrying right Teach our children who can marry