Divorce And Remarriage
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Theme: Lessons From 1 Corinthians
Hope:
Last week, we examined the text of 1 Corinthians 7:8-16 wherein we discussed the “New Christian Lifestyles” that these men and women found themselves in as they became “new creations” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Paul mentions how the unmarried and the married were to handle their “New Christian Lifestyle.”
Today, I want us to go back to a specific passage there in last weeks text, 1 Corinthians 7:15.
It reads…
15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace.
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.
Some have used this passage to suggest that if a person is married to an unbeliever and their spouse divorces them then they can remarry because they are no longer “under bondage.”
To answer that we must first step back a bit and examine what exactly is God’s word on “Divorce & Remarriage.”
Before we do that I think I can say there is no one here that does not understand God’s stance on marriage and his stance on thoughts on the act of divorce itself.
Marriage is between a biblically eligible man and women for life.
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Divorce is that which God hates.
16 “For the Lord God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one’s garment with violence,” Says the Lord of hosts. Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously.”
As we mentioned last week, that doesn’t mean a divorce person cannot go to heaven, but that God is not happy that a divorce took place.
So, with all that in mind let’s examine…
God’s Law On Divorce
God’s Law On Divorce
Man’s Hard Heart.
Man’s Hard Heart.
The reality is when God established the marriage law (Genesis 2:24) and man showed himself to be anything but “sinless” (Romans 3:23) God knew he must establish laws or regulations for man to follow when things don’t work out as intended in a marriage.
This is where Deuteronomy 24:1-4 comes into play.
Deuteronomy 24:1–2 (ESV)
1 “When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house, 2 and if she goes and becomes another man’s wife,
3 and the latter man hates her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter man dies, who took her to be his wife, 4 then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after she has been defiled, for that is an abomination before the Lord. And you shall not bring sin upon the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.
The word for “indecency” or “uncleanliness” in other translations is a Hebrew word meaning…
“Nakedness, nudity, shame, genitalia, shameful exposure of genitalia, improper sexual behavior.”
You had two schools of thought on this passage.
The Shammai taught it to mean “fornication.”
The Hilliel taught it to mean “unbecoming.”
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know idea the Jews favored.
Deuteronomy 24:1-4 is what is being discussed by the Pharisees and Jesus in the other great passage on this subject, Matthew 19:3-9.
Let’s read Matthew 19:3-9…
Matthew 19:3–5 (ESV)
3 And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” 4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?
Notice the Hillel teaching here.
Matthew 19:6–9 (ESV)
6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” 7 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” 8 He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for fornication, and marries another, commits adultery.”
Why allow for divorce, the hardness of man’s heart, but from the “beginning it was not so.”
And “I say to you” leaves no doubt Jesus is saying this is the law on divorce and remarriage that has always been and always will be.
Jesus says something similar in Matthew 5:31-32.
Matthew 5:31–32 (ESV)
31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of fornication, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Summary
Summary
God created the marriage bond between male and female because it was not good that man was alone.
Because of this what is very good, from the beginning, God hates divorce.
However, God is not ignorant of man’s sin problem and hardness of heart on this subject.
Therefore, he made legislation or law on who can remarry wherein a divorce takes place.
Only the one that divorced their mate “because of fornication” can remarry.
This is God law on divorce and remarriage.
The one that committed fornication and divorced must deal with the consequences of their actions of doing that which allowed for the breaking of the marital bond between husband, wife, and God.
So, what does this have to do with our text of 1 Corinthians 7:15.
Well as I said many have tried to say this passage circumvents Jesus’ declaration of the law on divorce and remarriage.
So, let’s look at that closer.
No Longer Bound
No Longer Bound
The Pauline Exception.
The Pauline Exception.
Due to the sympathy and sometimes empathy of those who have divorce for a reason “other than fornication” and due to the hardness of hearts concerning God’s word there has emerged what is commonly called the “Pauline Exception” and it comes from out text this evening from 1 Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 7:15 (NKJV)
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.
Pauline Exception: If you have a non-Christian and Christian married and the non-Christian wants a divorce “for any cause” go ahead and get divorced because it is ok to remarry.
Now there are several reasons why this isn’t what Paul taught but let’s begin by looking at the Greek word for…
Bound & Bondage.
Bound & Bondage.
There are two words used for the word bond or bondage in the New Testament.
There is the Greek word “deo” and the Greek word “douloo.”
The Greek word “deo” is found three times in the N.T. specifically tied to marriage with no question about its meaning.
Romans 7:2 (ESV)
2 For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage.
27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.
39 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.
This word is the Greek word “deo” and means to tie, to bind, or fasten together and as seen is used three times in direct connection with marriage.
You have the other word used in our text which is not this word “deo” but is a different Greek word “douloo.”
It is found 8 times in the New Testament and not once is it ever referring to marriage unless this one particular case does, which doesn’t eliminate it but it also doesn’t help it.
The Greek word “douloo” means “to enslave, to make a slave, to reduce to slavery” which is why the ESV has “enslaved” instead of bondage.
So, is there any way to know if 1 Corinthians 7:15 and the Greek word “douloo” is referring to marriage bond or something else.
Let’s take a closer look at 1 Corinthians 7:15 in the NKJV.
1 Corinthians 7:15 (NKJV)
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.
Let’s break this down.
Departs: This is in the “indicative case & present tense” meaning a “current action.”
Let Him Depart” This is in the “present tense” which means “continuous action.”
Not Under Bondage: This is in the “perfect tense” which means “an action that takes place in the past and continues to the present.”
Has Called: This is in the “perfect tense” and again means “an action that takes place in the past and continues to the present.
1 Corinthians 7:15 (NKJV)
15 But if the unbeliever departs [right now], let him [stay] depart; a brother or a sister is not [ever] under bondage in such cases. But God has [always] called us to peace.
Summary
Summary
It’s sad that people try and “get around” God’s word when it comes to something that will keep someone out of heaven.
The lack of true and honest care for God’s creation and their soul is staggering.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Brothers and sisters, God the Son has spoken clearly and without waver on the only allowance for remarriage after a divorce and that is when the offending party has committed “fornication” and is divorced “for fornication.”
Can one divorce for “additional reasons” as well, yes, but fornication must be a reason for the divorce along with the others.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.