Ron Halbrook

Ron Halbrook, 3505 Horse Run Ct., Shepherdsville, KY 40165 [See articles: Guardian of Truth, 8-15 & 9-5, 1996]

MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, & REMARRIAGE:
Distinguishing Judgments from Departures

THE PRINCIPLE REVEALED

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 (Matt. 5:32).

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 (Matt. 19:9).

Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery (Mk. 10:11-12).

Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery (Lk. 16:18).

In short, God’s law requires one man to be married to one woman for a lifetime. One and only one exception is given. When one mate commits an act of immorality, the innocent partner is permitted (though not required) to put away his or her mate, and to marry another.

DIVISION INEVITABLE DIVISION NOT INEVITABLE

1. Theories Contradict Fundamental Rule or Law Given by Christ (Matt. 5:32; 19:9)

2. Appeal to Silence & Absence of Specific Prohibition Rather Than Positive Authority (1 Pet. 4:11)

3. Theory Breeds Looseness on Other Moral & Doctrinal Issues (2 Tim. 2:16; 3:13; 2 Cor. 6:17; Eph. 5:11)

4. Won’t Tolerate Open Study & Discussion of Issues (Acts 17:11; 1 Pet. 3:15; 2 Tim. 4:2-4; 1 Jn. 2:19)

1. All Appeal to Same Fundamental Rule or Law Given by Christ (Matt. 5:32; 19:9)

2. All Appeal to Positive Authority, Not Silence (1 Pet. 4:11)

3. Different Views Breed No Looseness on Other Moral & Doctrinal Issues (Acts 15:36-40; Rom. 14:6; I Cor. 6:12)

4. Encourage Open Study & Discussion of Issues (Acts 17:11; 1 Pet. 3:15; 2 Tim. 4:2-4; 1 Jn. 2:19)

p. 2 MDR: Judgments, Departures

THE PRINCIPLE REVEALED:
Matt. 5:32; 19:9; Mk. 10:11-12; Lk. 16:18

JUDGMENTS: DEPARTURES:
Fine Tuning Some Points of Application Deny, Destroy the Principle

1. Male Must Initiate Divorce?

2. Annul Under-Aged Marriage, Marry Later?

3. Get Out of Unscriptural Marriage, Marry Later?

4. Answer to 3. Depend on Whether Knew 1^st One Was Unscriptural When Married?

5. Answer to 3. Depend on Whether Deceived?

6. Answer to 3. Depend on Details of Divorce?

7. Any Separation, Grounds, How Long?

8. 1 Cor. 7:5 Only Principle Apply to Separation?

9. 1 Cor. 7:5 Mean Submit to Drunken Demands, Violence, Perversion?

10. Remain If Wife & Child Endangered?

11. Legal Steps to Get Out of Harm’s Way?

12. After Divorce for Fornication, Reconcile?

13. Answer to 12. Depend on Whether Guilty Had Entered Subsequent Marriage?

14. 1^st Mate Die, Put-away Fornicator Remarry?

15. When Man Leaves Faithful Wife Over Her Protest to Marry Another, Does His Adultery Give Her the Ground to Appeal to God to Dissolve Her Marriage Bond?

16. If So, May She Marry Again, Or Does She Remain Bound to Him?

17. In Divorce for Fornication, Does It Matter Who Initiates Legal Action?

18. If Fornicator Sues for Divorce, Must Innocent Mate Countersue?

19. On 18., If They Sue in Separate Courts, Does It Matter Who Sued 1^st, Which Case Is Decided 1^st, Etc.

20. If man Drives Out Wife by Abuse, Violence, Etc., & Then Commits Adultery, May She Divorce Him for It?

21. Since He Drove Her Out 1^st, Would Her Right to Remarry Depend on Who Got to Court 1^st?

1. Homosexual Marriage

2. Polygamy

3. Put-away Fornicator May Marry New mate

4. Marriage Law Not Apply to Alien Sinner

5. Baptism Sanctify Adulterous Marriage

6. Deserted Believer Marry New Mate

7. Redefine Adultery as Non-sexual

8. Repentance Not Require Removal from Unscriptural Marriage

9. No Matter Why Divorce, May Take New mate

10. God Accept All Marriages Accepted by Legal System

In spite of the above study guide handed out to the brethren in Athens, GA. on July 27-28, 2000, along with the documented discussion of this subject, Ron and his associates continue to deny that he is really “teaching it.” See An excerpt of Ron Halbrook’s MDR discussion at Athens, Georgia and “I’m Still Studying It”

In the April, 2001 issue of Gospel Truths (a year after the Athens, GA. Discussion), brother J. T. Smith asked Ron to comment on the following question:

“A husband decides to put away his wife and she begs him not to. He decides to go ahead and do it anyway. She goes to the church and elders and voices her opposition to it. The divorce is final. A few years later the husband remarries. She then goes before the church and elders and expresses to them that she is now scripturally putting him away. She can then remarry without sin.”

In response to the above scenario question brother Halbrook wrote:

“As to your question, I see the problems and issues raised by a marriage under such circumstances and would not encourage such a remarriage…”

On page 9 of his April 2001 Gospel Truths article (“Why Halbrook Fellowships...”), Ron also refers back to a letter that brother Smith wrote to him February 17, 1993. In that letter, J. T. stated he had heard that Ron believed this scenario: “When a man puts away his wife for any cause other than fornication and he subsequently marries another, his first wife then may put him away for fornication and she has the scriptural right to marry another.” To this charge, Ron states, “My letter dated February 27, 1993 explained that I do not (emp. his) believe or teach such a view.”

Brethren, as one of the numerous men who have been tossed to and fro by all of Ron’s double talk through the years, I have come to find that brother Halbrook has been less than honest about this issue. See the mountain of evidence contrary to his claim (cf. numerous sound clips included) which proves the post-divorce “putting away” for post-divorce fornication doctrine that Ron has been publicly teaching since from at least 1983. –Jeff