Some Good Questions to Ask: “Are you an Axe Murderer?” “What’s your financial situation?” “How often do you want to visit extended family?” “What plans do you have for a future family?”

Spiritual Questions to Ask: “Do you really love me?” (Eph. 5:25, 33) “Are you a Christian? Do you Love God?” “How do you plan to serve God?”

The Most important Question: “Do you have a right to Marry?” “Does God say you have a right to marry?” – Our culture says anyone and everyone. – God defines who has a right to marry and God places restrictions.

One who has never been married God’s institution for marriage: Gen. 2:24 – All human race have this opportunity- who has not been married. – Everyone has a right to a lawful marriage. 1 Cor. 7:2

A Widower Widower: “one whose spouse has died” The nature of the marriage covenant truly is “till death do us part” Matt. 22: Tim. 5:11-14 Rom. 7:2-3

One who divorces their spouse Because of Sexual Immorality Matt. 19:9 – To divorce for a cause other than sexual immorality and to marry = adultery – One who divorces for sexual immorality does not commit adultery. – This passage implicitly authorizes another marriage.

Couples Reconciling 1 Cor. 7:10-11 When a divorce takes place that God does not approve, the couple may reconcile and remarry. They only have the right to remarry one another. – Matt. 9:9 prohibits marrying “another.”

Some Clarifications: One who is free to marry cannot marry one who is not free to marry. – Ex. If Jack is free to marry, but Jill is not, then they cannot run up the hill together (for marriage). They would both be guilty of adultery. “unfair” situations and hypothetical situations do not give a couple a right to be married. – Knowing these situations happen should give us caution when entering into marriage and deciding who we marry. If One does not have a right to marry and does so anyway, one does not have a right to stay married.

Final Points: God’s law on divorce and remarriage is simple (Matt. 19:9). Difficulty comes b/c of sinful man and the situations man finds themselves in b/c of sin. – No situation will modify the Lord’s teaching. Whether we teach/believe God’s law on MDR or not, this is the law that will judge us in the last day. – Let us fear – God has the right to make the rules and to judge by them.