“For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but...

“For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.”

- Rom. 7:2

God’s ideal will is that marriage last until death !

Could I Divorce and remain Unmarried?

Some get tired of being married

Want to be single again

Do not intend to remarry

Is this all right?

NO !NO !

Could I Divorce and remain Unmarried?

Marriage is a permanent arrangement

Life long obligation – Rm.7:2Life long obligation – Rm.7:2

Death ~ Sexual InfidelityDeath ~ Sexual Infidelity

1 Cor. 7:39 “as long as her 1 Cor. 7:39 “as long as her

husband liveth”husband liveth”

Could I Divorce and remain Unmarried?

Marriage is a binding covenant

Mal. 2:14 “wife of thy youth”Mal. 2:14 “wife of thy youth”Covenant breakerCovenant breaker

Marriage has responsibilitiesMarriage has responsibilities1 Cor. 7:3-5 Eph. 5:22 1 Tim. 5:8

We cannot vacate our marriage

Could I Divorce and remain Unmarried?

Unscriptural divorce brings temptationUnscriptural divorce brings temptation

Subjects mate to temptation

Matt. 5:32

God will hold us accountable

Jesus Teaching on DivorceMatt. 19:1-9 & Matt. 5:32

Matt. 19:1-6Matt. 19:1-6

Pharisees ask questions

Is it lawful to divorce for every cause?

Have you read God’s will ?

Gen. 2:24-25

Jesus Teaching on DivorceMatt. 19:1-9 & Matt. 5:32

Matt. 19:7-8Matt. 19:7-8

Why did Moses command to give a writing of divorcement?

Moses allowed – not a command

Deut. 24:1

Never intended for there to be divorce

Jesus Teaching on DivorceMatt. 19:1-9 & Matt. 5:32

Matt. 19:9Matt. 19:9 “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.”Any person, all persons

In or out of the church

Jesus Teaching on DivorceMatt. 19:1-9 & Matt. 5:32

Matt. 19:9Matt. 19:9 “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.”Divorce, release,

liberate

Jesus Teaching on DivorceMatt. 19:1-9 & Matt. 5:32

Matt. 19:9Matt. 19:9 “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.”

Marital unfaithfulnessAdultery, homosexuality

If and only if fornication is the cause

Jesus Teaching on DivorceMatt. 19:1-9 & Matt. 5:32

Matt. 19:9Matt. 19:9 “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.”

Another personAnother man or woman

Jesus Teaching on DivorceMatt. 19:1-9 & Matt. 5:32

Matt. 19:9Matt. 19:9 “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.”

Keeps on – continuous actionAs long as they live together

Jesus Teaching on DivorceMatt. 19:1-9 & Matt. 5:32

Matt. 19:9Matt. 19:9 “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.”

Marry a put away companionKeeps on committing adultery

Jesus Teaching on DivorceMatt. 19:1-9 & Matt. 5:32

Matt. 19:9Matt. 19:9 by implication this says:

“All persons who because of fornication put away their companions and form another marriage with an eligible person are persons who do not commit adultery.”

Jesus Teaching on DivorceMatt. 19:1-9 & Matt. 5:32

Matt. 5:32Matt. 5:32 “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Contrasting the Law of MosesThis was his regulation

About divorce and remarriage

Jesus Teaching on DivorceMatt. 19:1-9 & Matt. 5:32

Matt. 5:32Matt. 5:32 “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

DivorceBreak the Marriage

Jesus Teaching on DivorceMatt. 19:1-9 & Matt. 5:32

Matt. 5:32Matt. 5:32 “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

All unlawful marital relationsThe one and only grounds

For scriptural divorce

Jesus Teaching on DivorceMatt. 19:1-9 & Matt. 5:32

Matt. 5:32Matt. 5:32 “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

If she remarries she will beCommitting adultery

The husband causeth her

Jesus Teaching on DivorceMatt. 19:1-9 & Matt. 5:32

Matt. 5:32Matt. 5:32 “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

New companion is in adulteryShe is not free to remarry

The husband would be in adultery if he got married again

Why did God make theException ?

1. To discourage unfaithfulness

2. To punish the guilty

3. To protect the Innocent

Why did God make theException ?

Under O.T. law the guilty party was stoned to death - Lev. 20:10-16

The innocent party was free to remarry

In the N.T. innocent party is free

But not the guilty party !!!!

Why did God make theException ?

In our society a legal divorce implies a legal right of remarriage.

But a legal divorce does not necessarily imply the scriptural right of remarriage.

Ways that Men try to avoidThese Scriptures

Those out of Covenant are exemptThose out of Covenant are exempt

Non-Christians cannot be guilty of any sin except those of civil law

They reason: people outside the church can marry, divorce and remarry for any reason and it is not adultery.

Ways that Men try to avoidThese Scriptures

Those out of Covenant are exemptThose out of Covenant are exempt

False Doctrine ! !

All men are accountable to God

Mark 16:15

2 Thes. 1:7-10 obey or be lost

Ways that Men try to avoidThese Scriptures

Those out of Covenant are exemptThose out of Covenant are exempt

All men are commanded to repent Acts17:30

If they are not accountable to God’s laws then they could not repent.

If they are not guilty of sin then they are not lost !

Ways that Men try to avoidThese Scriptures

Those out of Covenant are exemptThose out of Covenant are exempt

Rom. 1:24-32 – people out of the church were condemned for sins

Matt. 14:4 “It is not lawful”

Gal. 5:19-21 – the world is guilty of sins including adultery and fornication

Ways that Men try to avoidThese Scriptures

Laws Do not apply to us todayLaws Do not apply to us today

Not repeated after Acts 2 when the church was established

When did Matt. 19:9 apply ?

Not before Christ - Deut. 24:1

Not in Heaven – Matt. 22:30

Ways that Men try to avoidThese Scriptures

Laws Do not apply to us todayLaws Do not apply to us today

Matthew , Mark, Luke, John were written after Pentecost.

Did not have to be repeated after Acts chapter 2 for it to apply for us today.

Many things in Gospels not repeated after Acts 2

God’s regulations about DIVORCE and remarriage are for all people.

We must abide by these regulations because we will be judged by them.

Sermon by Arthur Pigman

Evans Church of Christ

515 Gibbs Road

Evans, Ga. 30809

706-855-1249

arthurpigman@cybrtyme.com

www.evansgachurchofchrist.orgwww.evansgachurchofchrist.org

Sunday Evening Feb. 18, 2007