MDR
MARRIAGE
[To “Leave” and “Cleave;” the Joining of “Twain” to
become “One Flesh”]
Matthew 19:4-6, “And
he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which
made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, For
this cause shall a man LEAVE father and mother, and shall
CLEAVE to his wife: and they twain shall be ONE
FLESH? 6 Wherefore they are NO MORE TWAIN, but
ONE FLESH. WHAT therefore God hath joined
together, let not man PUT ASUNDER” (chorizo).
Cf. Gen. 2:24
DIVORCE
[Putting Asunder (Separating) the “One Flesh”
Relationship]
I Corinthians 7:10-11,
“And unto THE MARRIED (gameo)
I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife DEPART
(chorizo) from her
husband: 11 But and if she DEPART (chorizo),
let her remain UNMARRIED (agamos),
or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband PUT AWAY
his wife.” Cf. Matthew 19:6;
Mark 10:9
REMARRIAGE
[Reuniting the Twain, Whose Relationship Was
Sundered (Separated) Back into “One Flesh”]
I Corinthians 7:10-11,
“And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the
wife depart from her husband: 11 But and if she depart,
let her remain unmarried, or BE RECONCILED to her
husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.”
*Man can also wrongfully REMARRY ANOTHER (Mt.
5:32b; 19:9; Mk. 10:11-12; Lk. 16:18; Rom. 7:3).
Those who teach the FALSE HOPE that the put away person can “put away”
for post-divorce fornication and REMARRY ANOTHER are not
only defying Matthew 19:11-12 but also advocating ADULTERY
(Mt. 5:32b; 19:9b; Lk. 16:18b; Rom. 7:3)!
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GOD’S BINDING LAW
(Puts Under Obligation)
|
Romans 7:1-4, “Know
ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law) HOW THAT
THE LAW HATH DOMINION OVER A MAN as
long as he liveth? 2 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. 3 So
then if, while her husband liveth,
she BE MARRIED TO ANOTHER MAN, she shall
be called an ADULTERESS: but if her husband be dead, she is
FREE FROM THAT LAW; so that she is no adulteress, though
she BE MARRIED TO ANOTHER MAN. 4
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become DEAD TO THE LAW by
the body of Christ; that YE SHOULD BE MARRIED TO ANOTHER, EVEN
TO HIM WHO IS RAISED FROM THE DEAD, that we should bring forth fruit
unto God.”
THE POINT IS,
we are “bound” (obligated) by God’s Law in obedience to our
Spiritual Husband (II Corinthians 11:2-3) for as long as we live
(Cp. w. Matthew 16:19; 18:18)!
Cf. I Corinthians 7:39,
“The wife is BOUND BY THE LAW as long as
her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead,
she is AT LIBERTY TO be married to whom she
will; only in the Lord.”
THE LAW OF GOD is the
standard by which one is BOUND (obligated),
and the same standard by which one is LOOSED (at liberty to marry
another)!
BOUND
BOUND (# 1210),
“To bind, i.e. put under obligation, s.c. of law, duty, etc. To be bound
to one: of a wife, Rom. 7:2; I Cor. 7:27, 39” (Thayer’s
Greek-English Lexicon, p. 131).
This is why our wedding vows state,
“Until Death do Us Part” and “For Better or For Worse”
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The Rule
Romans 7:2-3, “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. 3 So then IF,
WHILE HER HUSBAND LIVETH, SHE BE MARRIED TO
ANOTHER MAN, SHE SHALL BE
CALLED AN ADULTERESS: but if
her husband BE DEAD, she is FREE from that law; so that
she is NO ADULTERESS, though she be married to another
man.”
The One and Only Exception
Matthew 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.”
Is PUTTING AWAY Done While
MARRIED or UNMARRIED?
The put away person commits “ADULTERY” when they
remarry ANOTHER while their original partner lives
because they are “bound” for life to their original mate.
Scripture never teaches that it is possible after one has been
wrongfully divorced, to be loosed from their obligation to their
original mate, apart from their bound partner’s death! Nowhere does
scripture teach that man can subsequently sunder a marriage (put away
their man/woman) for fornication that occurs after the
fact!
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There Are Only Two Classes of People
Who May Lawfully Remarry “Another”
|
1) Those whose mates have died:
Romans 7:3, “So then
if, while her husband liveth, she BE
MARRIED to ANOTHER man,
she shall be called an ADULTERESS:
but if her husband BE DEAD, she is free from that law;
so that she is NO
ADULTERESS, though she BE
MARRIED to ANOTHER man.”
2) Those who have lawfully put away
their “one flesh” mate:
Matthew 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.” (cf. Matthew 19:5-6)
The put away person falls
into neither of these categories:
-
The woman’s “husband” has not died.
-
The woman did not put away her husband for
fornication (instead, he put away his wife and sundered their
“one flesh” relationship).
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THE CONTEXT OF
PUTTING AWAY
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THE PHARISEES’ QUESTION
Matthew 19:3, “The
Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is
it LAWFUL for a man to PUT AWAY his wife
for every cause?”
THE LORD’S ANSWER & DIVINE DECREE
Matthew 19:4-6,
“And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he
which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And
said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and
shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be ONE
FLESH? 6 Wherefore they are NO MORE TWAIN, but
ONE FLESH. What therefore God hath JOINED
together, LET NOT man PUT ASUNDER (chorizo).”
Does scripture portray putting away as being enacted by those whose
“one flesh” relationship
has been “put asunder” – or by those who are “joined
together” in a “one flesh” relationship?
Cf. I Corinthians 7:10-11,
“And unto THE MARRIED (gameo)
I command, yet not I, BUT THE LORD, LET NOT the
wife DEPART (chorizo)
from her husband: 11 But and if she DEPART (chorizo),
let her remain UNMARRIED (agamos),
or be RECONCILED to her husband: and LET NOT
the husband PUT AWAY his wife.”
THEIR COUNTER
Matthew 19:7, “They
say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of
divorcement, and to put her away?”
Was this “writing” given and putting away done
while MARRIED or UNMARRIED?
MOSES’ TOLERANCE vs THE LORD’S
ONLY EXCEPTION
Matthew 19:8-12, “HE
SAITH unto them, MOSES because of the hardness of your
hearts SUFFERED YOU to put away your wives: BUT
FROM THE BEGINNING IT WAS NOT SO (cf. vv. 4-6).
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. 10 His disciples say unto him,
If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
11 But HE SAID unto them, All men cannot receive this
saying, save they to whom it is given. 12 For there are some
eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are
some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs,
which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake.
He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.”
cf. John 12:48; II Timothy
4:3-4
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THE CONTEXT OF
PUTTING AWAY
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Was This “Writing” Given
While MARRIED or
UNMARRIED?
Matthew 5:31-32,
“It hath been said, Whosoever SHALL PUT AWAY (apoluo)
his wife, let him give her a writing
of divorcement: 32 But I say unto you, That whosoever
SHALL PUT AWAY (apoluo) his wife, saving for the cause of
fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and
whosoever shall marry her that IS
DIVORCED (apoluo) committeth adultery.”
Why does the man who wrongfully puts away his woman
cause her to commit adultery? It is obviously because an
unapproved divorce defrauds one of the benefit that the “one flesh”
relationship provides (I Corinthians 7:2-5).
Matthew 19:3, 7,
“The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him,
Is it LAWFUL for a man to PUT AWAY (apoluo) his
wife for every cause?...7 They say unto him, Why did
Moses then command to give a writing
of divorcement, and to put her away” (apoluo)?
See
Apoluo Charts
Cp. w. Deuteronomy 24:1,
“When a man hath taken a wife, and MARRIED HER,
and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he
hath found some uncleanness in her: then
let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it
in her hand, and send her out of his house.”
Is PUTTING AWAY ever articulated in scripture,
as something that is done AFTER the “ONE FLESH”
relationship has been separated? Is it ever
spoken of in the context of a man and woman that have become “TWAIN”
(Matthew 19:5-6) or “UNMARRIED” (I Corinthians 7:10-11)? Such a
convoluted application is obviously “of men”
and not “of heaven” (Colossians 2:8;
cf. Matthew 21:25)!
Compare the above affirmation with divine revelation that
deals with PUTTING AWAY: Lev. 21:7; Deut.
22:19; 24:1-3, Ezra 10:3, 19;
Jer. 3:8; Mal. 2:16; Mt. 1:18-19;
5:31-32; 19:3, 7-9, Mk. 10:2, 4,
11-12; Lk. 16:18; I Cor. 7:10-13, 15
Cf. Robinson’s
Greek And English Lexicon,
1825, p. 67, “spoken in reference to the
marriage state, and seq. th̀n gunaîxa, etc. to
repudiate, to divorce, to dissolve the matrimonial connexion,
Matt. 1:19; 5:31, 32. 19:3. Mark 10:4. Pass. And seq. ὰπό cum gen.
Luke 16:18.— Diod. Sic. XII. 18.”
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THE CONTEXT OF
PUTTING AWAY |
THE PHARISEES’ QUESTION
Matthew 19:3, “Is
it LAWFUL for a man to PUT AWAY his wife
for every cause?”
THE LORD’S ANSWER
Matthew 19:4-8,
“Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them
male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave
father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they
twain shall be ONE FLESH? 6 Wherefore they are NO
MORE TWAIN, but ONE FLESH. What therefore God
hath JOINED TOGETHER, LET NOT man PUT
ASUNDER (chorizo)…
HE SAITH unto them, MOSES because of the hardness of your
hearts SUFFERED YOU to put away your wives: BUT
FROM THE BEGINNING IT WAS NOT SO…”
Positive Statements Indicating Marital Status at the
Time of Putting Away:
1) “For this cause shall a man leave
father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife”
2) “They twain shall be one
flesh”
3) “What therefore God hath joined together…”
Cf. Mal. 2:15
Cleave (# 4347):
“From 4314 and 2853; to glue to, i.e.
(figuratively) to adhere:-- cleave, join (self).”
One (# 3391):
“One (irregular feminine of 1520); one or
first:--a (certain), + agree, first, one, X other.”
Joined Together (# 4801):
“From 4862 and the base of 2201; to yoke
together, i.e. (figuratively) conjoin (in marriage):--
join together.”
Negative Statements Indicating Marital Status at the
Time of Putting Away:
1) “What therefore God hath joined
together, let not man put asunder
(chorizo).”
2) “From the beginning it (putting
away for every cause; divorce; jhb) was not so.”
Cf. I Corinthians 7:10-11,
“And unto THE MARRIED (gameo)
I command, yet not I, BUT THE LORD, LET NOT the
wife DEPART (chorizo)
from her husband: 11 But and if she DEPART (chorizo),
let her remain UNMARRIED (agamos),
or be RECONCILED to her husband: and LET NOT
the husband PUT AWAY his wife.” See
Chorizo Charts
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THE CONTEXT OF PUTTING AWAY |
THE PHARISEES’ QUESTION
(Mark’s Account)
Mark 10:2, “And
the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it LAWFUL for a man
to PUT AWAY his wife? tempting him.”
THE LORD’S ANSWER
Mark 10:3-9, “And
he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? 4 And
they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement,
and TO PUT HER AWAY. 5 And Jesus answered and said unto them,
For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. 6 But from
the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7 For
this cause shall a man LEAVE his father and mother, and
CLEAVE to his wife; 8 And they twain shall be ONE FLESH:
so then they are NO MORE TWAIN, but ONE FLESH. 9 What
therefore God hath JOINED TOGETHER, let not man PUT
ASUNDER” (chorizo).
Positive Statements Indicating Marital Status at
the Time of Putting Away:
1) “From the beginning of creation God
made them male and female. For this cause
shall a man leave his father and mother, and
cleave to his wife.”
2) “They twain shall be one
flesh”
3) “What therefore God hath joined together…”
Cf. Mal. 2:15
Cleave (# 4347):
“From 4314 and 2853; to glue to,
i.e. (figuratively) to adhere:-- cleave, join
(self).”
One (# 3391):
“One (irregular feminine of 1520); one or
first:--a (certain), + agree, first, one, X other.”
Joined Together (# 4801):
“From 4862 and the base of 2201; to yoke
together, i.e. (figuratively) conjoin (in marriage):--
join together.”
A Negative Statement Indicating Marital Status at
the Time of Putting Away:
1) “What
therefore God hath joined together, let not
man put asunder (chorizo).”
Then later, “In the house his disciples asked him
again of the same matter” (Verse 10).
“And he saith unto them, Whosoever SHALL
PUT AWAY his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery
against her. 12 And if a woman SHALL PUT AWAY her
husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery” (Verses
11-12).
Was This Putting Away Done
While MARRIED or
UNMARRIED?
Cf. I Corinthians 7:10-11,
“And unto THE MARRIED (gameo)
I command, yet not I, BUT THE LORD, LET NOT the
wife DEPART (chorizo)
from her husband: 11 But and if she DEPART (chorizo),
let her remain UNMARRIED (agamos),
or be RECONCILED to her husband: and LET NOT
the husband PUT AWAY his wife.” See
Chorizo Charts
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THE CONTEXT OF PUTTING AWAY |
Contrary To Those Advocating Post-Divorce “Putting
Away”
Jesus was NOT emphasizing “Cause” in
Matthew 5; 19; Mark 10 or Luke 16!
In context, Jesus was revealing
what was “LAWFUL!”
Matthew 5:31-32,
“IT HATH BEEN SAID, Whosoever SHALL PUT AWAY
his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: 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.”
Cf. James 4:12
They Asked For The Lord’s Rule (Law) Compared To
Moses’ Decree
Matthew 19:3,
“The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto
him, Is it LAWFUL for a man to PUT AWAY
his wife for every cause?”
Note Mark’s Parallel Passage:
The word “cause” is not even present in the question!
Mark 10:2, “And
the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it LAWFUL
for a man to PUT AWAY his wife? tempting him.”
The Master’s answer in Matthew 19 and Mark 10 was an
emphatic “NO” to their original question “Is it lawful for
a man to put away his wife.” The “exception” to this RULE
(Law) was not revealed until they asked a counter question in
Matthew 19:7.
The Emphasis is on the Lord’s RULE,
NOT on His exception to THE RULE! |
THE REALITY
OF UNAPPROVED DIVORCE
|
Matthew 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.”
Matthew 19:6,
“Wherefore they are no more twain, but ONE FLESH.
What therefore God hath joined together, LET NOT man PUT
ASUNDER (chorizo).”
Cf. Mark 10:9
Cf. I Corinthians 7:10-11,
“And unto THE MARRIED I command, yet not I, BUT THE LORD,
LET NOT the wife DEPART (chorizo)
from her husband: 11 But and if she DEPART (chorizo),
let her REMAIN UNMARRIED, or be reconciled to her
husband: and LET NOT the husband PUT AWAY his
wife.”
“Let Not” (i.e. Should Not) or
Cannot?
Cp. w. Mt. 6:3;
Lk. 21:21; Jn. 14:1, 27; Rom. 6:12;
14:3, 16; Eph. 4:26;
I Tim. 5:16
Not only CAN man wrongfully PUT AWAY,
he/she CAN also sinfully MARRY ANOTHER!
Matthew 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.”
Cp. w. Mt. 5:32b;
19:9; Mk. 6:17-18; 10:11-12;
Lk. 16:18; Rom. 7:3
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Was THE PUTTING AWAY In Malachi
2:14-16
Accomplished While
MARRIED
or
UNMARRIED
|
Malachi 2:14-16,
“Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between
thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast
dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of
thy covenant. 15 And did not HE
MAKE ONE? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And
wherefore ONE? That he might
seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let
none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. 16 For
the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that HE HATETH PUTTING AWAY:
for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of
hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not
treacherously.” Cp. w. I
Corinthians 7:13-15
Obviously, when the Israelites were “putting away”
and admonished to “deal not treacherously,”
Malachi was not addressing some kind of post-divorce action
“against” their wives!
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AFTER
AN UNAPPROVED DIVORCE |
Matthew 19:11-12,
“But HE SAID unto them, All men cannot receive this
saying, save they to whom it is given. 12 For there are
some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and
there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and
there BE EUNUCHS, which have MADE THEMSELVES EUNUCHS
for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive
it, let him receive it.”
Cf. I Corinthians 7:10-11,
“And unto THE MARRIED I command, yet not I, but the Lord,
Let not the wife DEPART (chorizo)
from her husband: 11 But and IF SHE DEPART (chorizo),
let her REMAIN UNMARRIED, or BE RECONCILED to
her husband…”
Verses 15-16, “BUT
IF THE UNBELIEVING DEPART (chorizo),
LET HIM DEPART (chorizo).
A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but
GOD HATH CALLED US TO PEACE. 16 For what knowest thou, O wife,
WHETHER THOU SHALT SAVE
THY HUSBAND? or how knowest thou, O man, WHETHER THOU SHALT
SAVE THY WIFE?”
It’s tragic enough when the one who wrongfully
departed
from his/her spouse subsequently marries and commits ADULTERY
(Mt. 19:9a).
However, it’s sadder yet when brethren encourage
the “innocent” victims
of such divorce to marry and commit ADULTERY, as well (Mt.
19:9b).
Does one wrong justify another?
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PITTING ONE VERSE AGAINST ANOTHER |
Matthew 4:5-7,
“Then THE DEVIL taketh him up into the holy city, and
setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 AND SAITH UNTO HIM,
‘If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down:
for it is written, He
shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands
they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot
against a stone.’ 7 JESUS SAID UNTO HIM, ‘It
is written again,
Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.’” Cp. w. Psalm
91:11-12; Deuteronomy 6:16
Above is an Illustration of Satan Pitting One
Scripture AGAINST Another
(Failing to Harmonize Scripture – II Timothy 2:15)!
Jesus indeed gave an exception
to His rule against putting asunder/away (Matthew
19:6, 9). This exception authorizes the innocent marriage
partner in a divorce for fornication to MARRY ANOTHER
while their previously bound partner still LIVES.
However, this authority was only given to those who
PUT AWAY (sunder the intact,
ONE FLESH marriage relationship) for just cause! This
authority/exception was never extended to those who are
already put asunder/away (or divorced, Matthew 5:32b;
cf. 19:9b).
Matthew 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.”
Part A
Whosoever
SHALL
Put Away –
(for fornication) – Marries
Another
– NO ADULTERY
SHALL
Put Away –
(not for fornication) – Marries Another –
Commits ADULTERY
Part B
Whoso
IS
Put Away
– Remarries –
Commits ADULTERY
[Includes both categories of put away people
described in the first half of this verse]
NOTE
THE CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN:
The One Who SHALL
Put Away
And
The One Who IS
Put Away
Hence, the exception clause is NOT
applicable after THE MARRIAGE is sundered!
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THE SADDUCEES’ METHOD OF TEACHING |
Acts 23:8,
“For THE SADDUCEES say
that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit:
but the Pharisees confess both.”
Matthew 22:23-29,
“The same day came to him THE SADDUCEES, which
say that there is no
resurrection, and asked him, 24 Saying, Master, Moses said,
If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his
wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 25 Now there
were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had
married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife
unto his brother: 26 Likewise the second also,
and the third, unto the seventh. 27 And last of all the
woman died also. 28 Therefore in the resurrection whose
wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. 29
JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THEM, Ye do err, not
knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.”
The Sadducees’ approach was simple:
If the scriptures did not teach their
philosophy, they made up stories and scenarios designed to
deny the unequivocal truth of God’s word!
By trusting in their hypothetical situation(s),
they denied God’s clear teaching (Proverbs
14:12; 16:25; cf. Titus 1:16; II Peter 2:1).
IN LIKE MANNER:
Those who deny the necessity of
water baptism tell their stories about the isolated
poor soul in the Amazon jungle who has “never heard the
gospel” and/or about the one who was killed on the way to
be baptized. Hence, they deny that water baptism
is essential!
Furthermore, our institutional brethren also
deny what God commanded regarding the individual’s
responsibility, transferring that charge to the burden of the
church (I Timothy 5:16; cf. Galatians 6:10; James 1:27). They
also prejudice others against the truth by
claiming that those who oppose their misapplication of
God’s word are unloving and uncaring “antis.”
Moreover, among us, there are those who assert
emotional scenarios to make what Jesus specifically stated
in Matthew 5:32b; 19:9b and
Luke 16:18b regarding the “innocent” put
away person seem unjust, thus implausible.
However, when the Lord decreed (without exception)
that a put away person commits ADULTERY when they marry
ANOTHER, it is necessarily implied that this result
holds true for as long as their obligated man/woman
“liveth” (Romans 7:2-3).
There is absolutely NO EXCEPTION to this DIVINE DECREE!
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