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Lessons and Sermons from the Longmire Road church of Christ in Conroe Texas USA
We want to start off with a question tonight.
It's a question that we might not necessarily think anything about, but it is a question
that is valid in light of the lesson in which we want to engage as we continue on talking
about the ethics on the Mount, talking about the series of lessons that Jesus taught while
he was in a Mount region, somewhere in the area of Capernaum.
We are in Matthew chapter five, specifically verses 31 and 32.
And the question we want to ask tonight starting off is who has the right to make laws
concerning marriage?
Who has the right to make laws concerning marriage?
Now if you would ask that question out into the world, the answer may be multifarious.
The answer may be varying in aspects.
Some say, well, you can do whatever you want.
Whatever you want to do in marriage and whatever you want to do with marriage, you can do
whatever you want.
Just do what your heart
desires.
That's what some may say.
Some might even say, well, I think the government has the right to decide what marriage is
and what marriage looks like.
Maybe the Supreme Court.
Some may have that view or mentality.
Some say that, you know, well, every religion needs to decide for themselves.
You can decide what you want to do.
And if there's another religion that it may be different for them and they may decide what
they want to do.
So that may very well be the answers that you receive when you ask the question.
Well,
Let's modify the question ever so slightly and ask it again, but with a different
emphasis.
Who has the right to make laws for the union of marriage that belongs to God?
If I ask the question in that fashion, then the answer certainly should be different
because we are now talking about, or we have attached the fact that marriage belongs to
God.
And so if marriage belongs to God, who has the right?
Now some even in the face of these facts would answer in the same vein.
However, every sound minded person, every rational person would conclude that since
marriage belongs to God, since he is the author of it, the originator of it, the
proprietor of it, that he is the one who gets to make the laws relating to marriage.
And that would be a correct conclusion.
When it comes to the marriage relationship, what I believe is irrelevant.
What Mourney believes is irrelevant.
What the government says is immaterial.
It doesn't matter what they say in relation to marriage, that is immaterial.
What worldly religions proclaim is inconsequential.
It doesn't matter what happens in the world.
It doesn't matter what a denomination, creed, or religion believes.
The only voice that matters on the subject of marriage is that of God.
And as long as the Lord continues, as the Lord rather continues his discussion on the
foundation of the home, the first problem he dealt with was a erroneous understanding of
what happens in the mind.
He addressed that as we talked about last week, where he says that you need to be
concerned about what happens in the mind.
The Pharisees and the scribes, they taught that you can look, but you can't touch.
It doesn't really matter what happens in the mind.
You can act however you want up here just as long as you don't go through with the
physical act.
Jesus says, no, I'm concerned about what happens in the mind.
This has been a trend throughout his sermon on the mound.
But now the Lord addresses another pernicious and prevalent problem regarding people's
actions in marriage.
And it was a problem that the Jews had.
It's a problem specifically that the Pharisees and the scribes had that they propagated
and talked about as we will notice.
that they try to trap Jesus in trying to get him to answer a certain way about it.
But the Lord will address this problem once and for all.
As with so many today, they got it wrong, they understood it wrong, and they practiced it
wrongly.
And so let's read the text and let's exegete it.
We'll also obviously include other passages that relate to the same concept.
In Matthew chapter five, verses 31 and 32, the Lord said, furthermore, it has been said,
underscore that.
It has been said.
Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate or a bill of divorcement.
But I say unto you, whosoever divorces his wife for any reason except fornication causes
her to commit adultery.
And whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.
Now here is number one in our points, if you're taking notes, the comprehension of the
day.
Here's the comprehension as they had it.
The Lord says, it has been said.
And I want you to pay careful attention to the difference there.
Note the difference in approach.
In the preceding obligations that the Lord mentions, Jesus used the phrase, have heard
from them of old time, meaning you have heard how the law was interpreted, but this time,
he says, it has been said.
This is what you've been told or what has been said.
The case of divorce was not by any law of Moses per se, and it was not from God.
But wait a second.
They're gonna talk about Moses and the bill of divorcement.
What do you mean?
We'll get there.
The Lord addresses this instance or the case of divorce.
He addresses it from a standpoint of the morality of God.
And he says, this is not from God.
You've heard it's been said.
It was allowed, the Lord says, because of the hardness of your hearts.
He will talk about later.
And so therefore, Jesus said, it has been said, not recorded, not taught, it's been said.
But the Lord says here, whosoever shall put away his wife.
He goes on and so in Deuteronomy recorded for us is the following about divorce.
Deuteronomy chapter 24 verse one.
When a man had taken a wife, Deuteronomy 24 and verse one.
When a man had taken a wife and married her and it come to pass that she finds no favor 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 on out of his house.
And so obviously we understand here he's found some uncleanness in her.
And so the Jews understood it and interpreted it this way.
The Pharisees taught it this way.
They believe that a man can divorce his wife for any cause.
Right?
And so this is how they taught it.
As they did, if he found favor in another, if she displeased him, if she burned the
supper, he can
divorce her or give her a bill of divorcement.
Because this is how they're gonna come to Jesus later on in Matthew chapter 19.
They said, well, Moses told her, told us to give her a bill of divorcement for any old
reason.
But that's not what the text says.
We've just read it in Deuteronomy.
That's not how they interpret it.
And so the same question is addressed in Matthew chapter 19, where the Pharisees, this is
Jesus teaching the multitudes.
In Matthew chapter 19, the Pharisees come to Jesus,
and they have a question.
Obviously, this was not a concrete law.
This was not a concrete law.
This was not something that everybody agreed with or understood or else it wouldn't have
been asked.
It was disputed.
But notice what it says in Matthew 19 and verse three, the Pharisees also came unto him,
tempting him and saying to him, is it lawful for a man to put his wife away for every
cause?
They come to Jesus and said, is that what Deuteronomy said?
For every cause?
That's not what Deuteronomy said.
Deuteronomy didn't say every cause.
Deuteronomy said, if you find some uncleanness in her.
But they say, isn't it lawful for a man to put away his wife for any cause?
And so they're trying to trap Jesus.
What's he going to say?
And so they were trying to tempt Jesus.
If he goes against what Moses said or what we receive from Moses, then we have him.
We have him and we can trap him in his word.
He's going against the word.
They tried to dispute with Jesus.
Why then, they say?
if we're supposed to stay together for life.
Jesus answered his question, one man, one woman for life.
Why then, if we're supposed to stay together for life, did Moses tell us to get a divorce?
Deuteronomy chapter 24 and verse one.
That's what they asked Jesus.
Why then did he do this?
Jesus explains to them why it is that Moses allowed this by the permission of God.
Notice what it says in Matthew chapter 19, verses seven through eight.
In Matthew chapter 19, verses seven through eight, they say unto him, why did Moses then
command to give a writing of divorcement and to put her away?
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.
He says, here's what you have.
You have a group of people, you have the nation of Israel.
And the Lord says, because of your stubbornness and inflexibility, this was permitted.
Because of your stubbornness and inflexibility, this was allowed to happen.
Moses allowed it, meaning that God gave Moses permission to say, do this.
But he says, from the beginning, it was not so.
They were not going to be swayed one way or the other.
It was already rampant in the nation of Israel.
And so Moses implemented this.
Moses deemed it prudent to forbear.
a bill of divorcement.
Now much of the problems with Matthew chapter 99 as we have it in many instances are
because of the people's hardness of heart.
That's what it is.
It's the hardness of the heart unwilling to accept what the Lord has said.
Too stubborn to get rid of sin and too rigid to move out of sin and too proud to admit
sin.
Some may ask the question, well why is it that Moses allowed it or why did God allow this?
If it was not so from the beginning,
If this is not what God wanted from the beginning, why did he allow them to write a bill
of divorcement?
Well, the first consideration should be this.
The divine lawgiver has the right to alter his laws as he see fit.
He is the divine lawgiver, and he's the one who gave the law.
Imagine having to explain under a threat of indictment why you painted your living room a
certain color, right?
Somebody comes into your house and demands to know why you painted it this color.
The first question you're going to say, or rather the first thing you're going to say is,
who are you?
This is my living room.
I'll do with it what I want.
I'm painted whatever I want.
Imagine coming into God's house and then asking Him, why is it that He changed that law?
It's my house, He would say.
It's my law.
And so the God of heaven will do what the God of heaven wants to do.
I think that needs to be understood first.
But then consider also, secondly, what Paul says and in relation to
the text when the Lord said that Moses allowed this, he allowed this for the stubbornness
and inflexibility.
I want you to understand this, that Paul gives us an answer in the book of Romans, Romans
chapter two, verses two to four, as he speaks about the Jewish nation.
He speaks about the Jewish nation and what they did and the things that they engaged in.
But he says, Romans chapter two, verses two and four, but we know that the judgment of God
is according to truth.
to those who practice such things.
And do you think this, O man, O man is how the Jews refer to one another, though you who
judge those practicing such things and doing the same that you will escape the judgment of
God?
Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, notice this word, forbearance and long
suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
The apostle Paul says, I want you to take a look at the life of the Jews, because in
Romans chapter one and Romans chapter two, the apostle Paul talks at length about the
Gentile world.
And then he switches and he talks about the Jewish nation.
And he says, the Jews look at the Gentiles and they say, well, look at you and look at
what you've done.
And he says, hold up, look at what you've done.
Look at how you lived and you're pointing fingers at them.
But he uses the word in the text here.
He says.
the forbearance of God.
What is the word forbearance?
The word forbearance in the text is tolerance in view of later judgment.
Tolerance in view of later judgment.
Strictly a holding back.
In classical Greek, mostly of a truce of arms, it implies something temporary which may
pass away under new conditions.
And so what it is is the Lord looks at Israel and he says, all right, y'all do it.
I'll take care of it over here.
When they wanted a king, what did God say?
Go ahead.
Have yourself a king.
And then you read the prophet specifically, Hosea, what does God say about that whole
mess?
He says, that's not what I wanted.
When they wanted to divide the kingdom and they indeed split the kingdom, what did God
say?
Go ahead.
Go ahead and do it.
But what does the Lord say in the mind of prophets?
The Lord says, no, that is absolutely not what I want.
It was an abomination.
It was never in the plan.
God looks at Israel and God says, they want to do this, all right.
They want to do this, all right.
They want to do this, all right.
What is God doing?
He's looking over here to the Christ.
He says, I'm going to take care of this later.
And so the Lord allows them to do this.
Jesus said it was allowed.
It was not set in stone.
It will never be changed or said to never change that is.
It was allowed up until a certain point and the Lord says that point is now.
allowed this and Moses allowed you to do this but guess who's in town?
The lawgiver.
Guess who is walking on earth?
The creator.
The owner of marriage of the marriage relationship is in the house.
The lawgiver of marriage is on the scene and he's about to set the record straight once
and for all.
He's about to tell them, this is what you have taught, this is what you have taught the
Jewish people, this is what you have interpreted, but let me tell you how it is and how
it's going to be from here on onwards.
And so the same outcome is given to us in Matthew chapter five, verses 31 through 32, and
also in Matthew chapter 19, verses one through nine, the subject matter is exactly the
same.
In Matthew chapter five, Jesus is recalling what the Pharisees and the scribes taught.
In Matthew chapter 19, the Pharisees and the scribes are the one who brings it up.
Twice this subject has been brought up by two different parties and twice the Lord answers
the exact same thing.
I think that's important.
The Lord didn't answer a different way in Matthew chapter 19 as he does here in Matthew
chapter five.
He answered the exact same thing in the exact same way.
And in both instances, Jesus corrects their mindset by saying the exact same thing the
Pharisees and the scribes believed and they taught that you can divorce for any cause and
marry another.
That's what they believe.
That is the comprehension that they had.
And the Lord says, no, no.
He gives them a correction.
And putting Matthew chapter five and 19 together as it talks about the same, Jesus makes
two statements that we must consider.
Number one, the Lord asked them, have you not read?
Have you not read?
Matthew chapter 19 verses three and four, says, the Pharisees also came to him testing him
and saying to him, is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?
And he answered unto them, have ye not read that he who made them in the beginning made
them male and female?
Jesus asks them, have you not read the book?
We talked about that this morning in our Bible class.
We talked about the fact that God's will has been revealed to men.
Jesus asked a common sense question, you have the law.
Have you not read it?
All right, well since you have not read it, says, have you not read that he which made
them in the beginning made them male and female?
The Lord says, have you not read, which means they can understand what?
The law.
Have you not read?
Take your minds back to the very beginning when God instituted the marriage relationship.
That's where I want you to go, Jesus says.
What does this tell us about the marriage relationship?
The marriage relationship was not subject to the law of Moses.
The marriage relationship was not something that just came in when Christianity came in.
The Lord says you go all the way back to the very beginning.
Marriage is a moral law.
It has always been the same and it's always going to be the same.
the laws relating marriage are not going to change.
In fact, Jesus will elaborate on that here in second.
The Lord says, have you not heard that he which made them in the beginning made them male
and female?
When God instituted marriage and when the Lord gives his authoritative discourse on
marriage, he says it's between a man and a woman, period.
And so we ask the question, who has the right to determine these things?
God does.
And so the Supreme Court comes in and says, well, it's okay for a man and a man or a woman
and a woman to be together.
God says, no, you don't have the right to make that determination.
You don't have the right to make that decision.
You go all the way back to the beginning.
God created Adam and Eve as they say, not Adam and Steve.
And so the Lord says when God instituted marriage and when the Lord gives his
authoritative discourse, the Lord says it is between man and woman.
Does not matter what our government says.
Scriptural heterosexual marriage is the only marriage that is approved by God.
Whatever you have that is contrary to that is an abomination.
But not only this, he made them marriage male and female and he says marriage is a moral
law.
The fact that Jesus points them to the beginning tells us that marriage is a moral law.
What was right for the patriarchs was right for the Mosaic age.
What was right for the Mosaic age was right for the Christian age.
God's laws on marriage has always been the same and that is why Jesus takes them all the
way to the very beginning.
What does Jesus take them back to the beginning?
He takes them back to the beginning for them to understand something about God.
Have you not read that he which made them in the beginning made them male and female?
He put them together and he put them together for life.
Why?
Malachi chapter 2 and verse 16.
Because God hates putting away.
How does God feel about divorce?
He hates it.
Period.
Doesn't matter what I think about it.
Doesn't matter what people might say, well, God hates it, period.
The Bible is very clear on this subject.
the Lord, the God of Israel, saith, he hateth putting away.
For one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts, therefore take heed
to your spurt, that you deal not treacherously.
I want you to gather for life.
This is how I designed it to be.
This is what it should be.
Now, he's gonna give an exception, but this is what God desires.
the marriage relationship.
Now man has come along and has messed up that desire in the sense that they've done a lot
of things that messed that up, but it doesn't change what God wants.
I think sometimes what happens is when we do all sorts of things over here, we think that
what we've done now changes what God wants.
No, God still wants the same thing.
We just have messed things up over here.
And so the Lord says, have you not read the law that God made in the very beginning?
And so in Matthew chapter two, rather Matthew chapter five, verse thirty two and also
five, nineteen nine, the Lord says the following in verse thirty two of chapter five, our
text, says, but I say unto you.
So the Lord says, have you not read number one?
And then he says, but I say unto you that whosoever divorces his wife for any reason
except fornication causes her to commit adultery and whosoever marries a woman who is
divorced commits adultery.
And in Matthew chapter 19 in verse nine, he says, I say unto you.
Whosoever divorces his wife excepted be for fornication and marries another commits
adultery and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.
And so the Prince of Peace, the everlasting Father upon whom soldiers the authority rest,
he says the following about marriage so that we can all understand it.
So that they can understand it.
Whosoever.
Now who does that exclude?
Whosoever.
We sing the song, Whosoever will may come.
What do we mean when we say that?
Do we mean that anyone who desires to obey the gospel and conform their lives to the will
of Christ can come?
That's what we mean.
When John chapter 3 and verse 16 says that whosoever believeth in him should not perish
but have everlasting life, what do we understand about that passage?
Is that anyone?
That's everyone who wants to and wants to have eternal life.
When the Lord says whosoever, he means whosoever.
Everyone in the world is subject to the law
on marriage.
You know why?
Because it's a moral law.
That's why.
The Lord didn't take them to the Mosaic Age.
The Lord took them all the way to the Patriarchal Age and said, here's how the law reads.
All the way over here.
It was not the case that it was specific to the Mosaic Age or the Law of Moses or that it
is specific to the Christian Age.
No, the law was taught over here.
It was given over here and everyone is subject to it.
Remember this is a law from the very beginning.
And so the Lord says, whosoever, for any reason except fornication.
Jesus makes a blanket statement in chapter five and verse 32 and said, for any reason
except.
Some have a hard time understanding the except of fornication.
Let me help you out.
There ought to be no food in the auditorium.
except when we have a fish fry.
All right.
So I'm here on Thursday.
I walk out of my office.
I go to Chipotle across the way here.
I bring in the food and I come and sit in the auditorium.
Per that law.
Am I breaking the law?
If that was a law?
Yes.
Why?
Because it said I can't have food in here except it be for the fish fry.
So when's the only time I can have food in here?
for the fish fry.
I think we get it.
I think we get it.
The Bible says accepted be for fornication.
Whosoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery unless there was
fornication.
I can't just divorce and get remarried for any old reason.
The Pharisees and the scribes, that's what they taught.
That's what they believed.
And this is what the Lord is trying to get right.
The Lord is trying to get them to understand that that is not how it should be.
That is not what you should do.
And so there is a clause, there is a condition, except, and now we have to get into this
because people have twisted the word of God, except it be for fornication.
I have to explain what this is.
Because some translations have lied and they've translated the word fornication something
else.
Because they've lied.
We talked about this with the elders in our meeting.
We talked about some of this.
The NKJV, the NIV, and the ESV have lied.
in their translation.
You know what they translate this word fornication as?
They translate it sexual immorality.
You know what sexual immorality is?
Nowhere found in the Greek language.
It's not found there.
But they translated sexual immorality.
You know what sexual immorality is?
That's a broad term.
Sexual immorality is a broad term.
What are they trying to do, brethren?
When the Lord said, accepted be for fornication, they said, that's too narrow.
Let's call it sexual immorality.
That's a whole lot better.
Because I could include more people in that.
No.
The NSAB calls it immorality.
That's all they say.
Accepted be for immorality.
You know what immorality is?
Living contrary to God.
So that means if somebody is living contrary to God, accepted be for somebody living
contrary to God, you can get a divorce and get remarried together.
That's not what the Bible teaches.
What it's so telling about their duplicity is that they will translate the same word
fornication in other places.
They will take that same word and they will translate it fornication over here, but sexual
immorality over here.
That's how you know they're duplicitous.
Why?
Because they're trying to get across something or teach something.
None of these definitions are what the word really means in the original language.
Any Greek scholar with a modicum of understanding and knowledge will tell you that the
word fornication is the word porneia.
It's the word porneia.
It means illicit sexual intercourse.
That's what it means.
We get our word.
pornography from that word.
Two words, pornea and graphos.
Pornographic or intercourse writings.
Pornography, right?
And so that's where that, understand what that is.
And so Vine says it's illicit sexual intercourse which includes adultery, incest and the
like.
And so if you divorce your wife or you divorce your husband and he or she has not
committed fornication, i.e.
committed sexual intercourse with someone else, you cannot get remarried.
That's what the Bible says.
If she has committed fornication or he has committed fornication, the Lord says, you can
get remarried.
Now that's a different study in relation to that marriage bond.
The marriage bond has been broken and the Lord allows the person who was the innocent
party as we call it to get remarried in the same way that he will take himself another
bride.
When his bride
Did what?
Gave herself to idolatry.
When his bride said, I'm going to worship idols, spiritual adultery, the Lord says, this
is what you did, I am going to reject you and I'm going to raise up a new bride, the
church.
The Lord does the same thing.
They broke the covenant and the Lord allows that.
And so if she continued or committed fornication or he, you can get remarried.
There is no adultery, hence,
You don't have to divorce.
I have to put this in here.
You don't have to.
The Lord says you have a right to.
But that doesn't mean you have to.
You could forgive.
You could do that.
You could take the person back.
I'm not saying it's going to be easy.
I've sat down.
I've studied with people.
I've had counseling sessions.
I've had tears in the eyes with people in relation to this.
I'm not saying it's going to be easy.
All I'm saying is this is what the Lord said.
You have a right to.
You don't have to.
Why?
Because he hates divorce.
Whoever marries her who is put away, Jesus not only addresses the one who divorces, but
also addresses the one who has been put away.
The person who has been put away for fornication or just plain put away, she or he or she
cannot get remarried.
And if he or she does, he or she will be committing adultery.
And the person who married him or her will be committing adultery.
And so the Lord says, you've been put away, you're the one who committed fornication and
you have been put away, you cannot get remarried.
There are so many brethren who are teaching false doctrine on this, it's not even real.
And brethren, I'm not telke, we're not talking about highfalutin, uh know, theological
discussions.
This is plain and simple.
This is simple stuff.
We're not, like I said, this sermon on the mound is, it's a basic sermon.
But for some reason when we get here, we lose our minds.
Many teach false doctrines on marriage, divorce, and remarriage, and they do not attack
this verse head on.
Why?
Why do not attack this verse head on?
Because it's a brick wall of common sense.
It's easy to understand.
You give it to a five-year-old and you tell them what does that say and they'll tell you.
They'll give it back to you.
This is what it says.
And that's how we need to understand it.
And so because they have nothing on this verse, they come up with all sorts of other
theories as to why they can do just like the Pharisees and the scribes.
The Pharisees and the scribes in Deuteronomy chapter 24
They looked at the verse and they came up with all sorts of reasons.
Jesus says in this day and time right now, I'm telling you, I'm putting it back in its
place the way it needs to be.
One man, one woman for life.
That's what God wants.
That's what he desires.
And that's, I cannot stress this enough, especially for our younger people.
We need to teach marriage.
We need to teach the value.
We need to teach the beauty and we need to teach the serious nature of marriage before it
ever gets to the point where we have to try to wrestle and try to get around, well, maybe
I can and maybe I can't, no.
Let's teach the value and the serious nature of marriage and what it is and the beauty of
it and what God desires for it to be.
Consider this, consider some of the corrupting things that man has said in relation to
this verse.
We're running out of time.
And so I will rush through this.
Consider the corruption.
We have the comprehension, how they understood it.
We have number two, Jesus' correction.
He gives them exactly what He wants.
The lawgiver has set in motion and set in place the law as it should be.
Now let's look at the corruption of man and what they have done.
What are some of the prominent false teachings relating to marriage, divorce and
remarriage?
Consider that this verse some have said is only to Christians.
Some say that the law on marriage only applies to Christians.
And so before I become a Christian, I can do whatever I want.
As soon as I become a Christian, everything I did before I became a Christian does no
longer apply, including marriage.
Well, there's a question I have.
It comes from Matthew chapter 28 and verse 18.
Under whose authority is the world?
If they're not under the Lord's authority, you need to tell me under whose authority they
are Because Jesus said I have all authority given unto me in heaven and in earth If you
are in the atmosphere in mars or you are on earth You are under the authority of Jesus and
pray tell me is he is authority separate and apart from this book How can he have
authority without law have you ever thought about that is there any authority without law?
Is there any authority without requirement?
I have authority.
Well, what do you want me to do?
Well, I don't have anything.
Then you don't have authority.
There is no authority separate and apart from law and from being able to determine,
adjudicate, and make decisions.
And so, who is not under the law of Christ?
Who is not subject to his testament, his new testament, his will in new testament?
Who can say that the will, the desire, and the instructions that Christ gave does not
apply to me?
Who can say that?
No one.
2 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 4 or 1 verse 8 decimates the doctrine that it is only for
Christians.
Why?
Because the Bible says he's going to come in flaming fire and take vengeance on them.
Notice it that, not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He says, I'm coming to take vengeance on them.
I do what?
Know not God and obey not the gospel.
God is going to take vengeance on those who obey not his gospel.
How can God punish those in the world for not obeying his gospel if they are not subject
to his gospel?
That would be rather unfair to punish me for something I have not done.
1 John chapter 3 and verse 4 also says, 1 John 3 and verse 4, whosoever commits sin
transgresses also the law, for sin is a transgression of the law.
If sin is breaking the law and those in the world are subject or not subject to God's law,
then they have committed what?
No sin.
So pray tell me why are we trying to convert them?
Why are we trying to convert folks?
If they're not amenable to the law of Christ, then we should leave them over there so that
they can continue to be in a safe state.
Why would we bring them in so that they now are
amenable.
It doesn't make sense.
It doesn't make sense because it's not true.
John chapter 12 and verse 48, he that rejects me and receives not my words has won that
judges him.
The word that I've spoken the same will judge him in the last day.
He's not talking to Christians, he's talking to everyone.
The word of God will judge us.
So the idea that it's only written to Christians, it is a false concept.
Also to this, the church in that point in time has not even been established yet.
He's talking to the Jews.
And he's telling them, this is what you need to do under the law of Moses.
And he will also tell the Christian, this is what you need to do.
But then some have said that baptism washes away the sin of an adulterous marriage.
Some say that when a non-Christian in an unscriptural marriage becomes a Christian,
baptism washes away the sin.
Consider what one must do in order to have one's sins washed away.
I need to hear the gospel.
I need to believe.
I need to confess and I need to be baptized.
Did I leave out something?
I left out repentance.
What is repentance?
Repentance, the word means to have another mind, changing one's mind and thinking
differently about sin and changing one's actions.
The Bible says that we are saved from our sins, we are not saved in our sins.
If it was sin before I was baptized, brethren, is it sin after I was baptized or after I'm
baptized?
See, in order for baptism to make a unscriptural marriage, scriptural,
It would have to change the law as it applies to people.
Let's think about that.
The law would have to change because you are still in the same relationship, but the law
no longer applies to you.
So that's what changes.
It's not the case that baptism washes away your sin.
What you're saying is that the law no longer applies to you when you come into Christ.
Well, what other laws do no longer apply to you since you have now come into Christ is
what I want to know.
I have not changed my mind and nor my actions if I don't do that.
Subsequently, baptism does not nullify the law.
If it was the law before you were baptized, it is the law after you get baptized.
If you broke the law before you were wrong, if you continue breaking the law afterwards,
you were wrong.
We had this conversation so many times over the years.
If you steal a car, they used to use the horse.
If you steal a car and you repent, can you keep the car?
No.
Why?
It's not your car.
If you have a wife or a husband that does not belong to you and you repent, can you keep
the wife or husband that does not belong to you?
No, you cannot.
Not yours.
Gotta give it back.
I think we get it.
I think everyone gets it.
The prodigal changed his mind before he went back.
The Nunavites changed their ways before God forgave them.
When Jesus taught on forgiveness in Luke chapter 17, he said, if he repents, then forgive
him.
Ezekiel chapter 18 and verse 20 says, again when the wicked man turns from his wickedness
that he has committed and then does that which is lawful and right, then he will save his
soul alive.
Jeremiah 4 and verse 14 says, wash thy heart from wickedness and thou shalt be saved.
From the Old Testament to the New Testament there has never been forgiveness extended
separate and apart from repentance.
What about other marriages?
We would ask.
Can a homosexual couple remain in a homosexual marriage after baptism?
If not, why not?
One might say, well, homosexuality is a sin, well, so is adultery.
In 1 Corinthians chapter six, we have adultery mentioned right next to homosexuality.
And so marriage only between a man and a woman, where does it say that?
It's in the same verse that says adultery is wrong and so.
One takes this verse and say, well, the adulterer gets the pass, but the homosexual does
not.
What about a polygamist?
Can they keep their wives after baptism?
If not, why not?
I mean, the marriage is wrong, but baptism makes a wrong marriage right, and so baptism
will take that wrong marriage and make it right, right?
Isn't that the mind?
And so why does adultery get a pass and the polygamist not?
Why does adultery get a pass and the homosexual not?
All three are condemned in the same book by the same man in the same verse.
But for some reason adultery is separated and said, well only this gets a pass.
That's nothing but the doctrines of men.
Because God's word doesn't read like that.
The bottom line is this and we'll conclude.
When you get married having never been married before, stay married.
Work on it.
A lot of folks in here are married.
Some have had their spouses pass away and they are married again and they will tell you,
listen, this requires work.
It requires love and commitment, communication.
There are many things that go into it.
When you get married, having never been married before, stay married.
God hates divorce.
Doesn't matter how you feel about it.
Doesn't matter what our society does and how they live.
They get married 10 or three, four, five times and they don't think anything of it.
They will talk to you.
I've talked to many people in our neighborhood and they this is my third wife or whatever
the case may be.
They have no respect for God's laws on marriage.
We need to be different.
If you get married, stay married.
If your spouse commits adultery, you can divorce her or him and get remarried.
She who committed the adultery cannot get remarried.
The person who marries her will commit adultery.
If you are divorced from your spouse for any other reason than fornication, neither you
nor your spouse can get remarried.
For how long?
Until the Lord gets back.
You know why?
Because God wants you together.
God says be reconciled.
If you are not able to marry at 18, guess what happens at 85?
You're still not able to get married.
The laws of God do not have a statute.
limitations and how do we know that?
Because Deuteronomy chapter 24 in verse 1 was over here and Matthew was over here and God
says y'all got it wrong over here and it is still wrong over here.
There is not a statute of limitations on the laws of God relating to marriage.
The one who created marriage has spoken clearly and succinctly about marriage.
I don't make the rules.
You don't make the rules.
The government doesn't make the rules.
God does.
The world's ethics on marriage is a cesspool of immorality to put it mildly.
They treat marriage like buying a car.
If you don't like it you can always get another one.
That's how our young people view marriage today.
They don't take it seriously.
We'll just get married and get divorced and get married and get divorced.
As someone told me, no fault divorce is probably one of the worst things that has ever
happened to this nation.
God says, Christian, you need to show the world a better way.
You need to show the world how I feel about the home and the marriage relationship.
One man, one woman, four lives.
That's what God desires.
And so as we go out this week and we see what happens around us as couples, as
individuals, as people who have influence over others, let's start teaching what God says
about the subject so that people can start getting their lives right.
And who knows?
Who knoweth?
we might still turn this nation around if it be God's will, if indeed, if he blesses us
with enough time to do so.
If you're subject to heaven's invitation tonight, if you have a desire to repent of sin,
whatever it may be, the Lord certainly will hear that desire and certainly will grant
forgiveness if you desire such and if you're willing to repent of those sins.
If you're here tonight and you understand the concept
of marriage, please understand this, that the church is called the bride of Christ.
Why is it called the bride of Christ?
Because we enter into a covenant relationship with God.
And that covenant relationship is solidified by the fact that we have heard the gospel, we
have believed it, we have repented of sins, we confess His name, and we are immersed in
water for the remission of sins.
and the Lord then adds us to His church, the bride, the bride of Christ.
And brethren, we know that if we stay faithful unto death, just like the Lord speaks about
in the book of Matthew, in the parable of those ten virgins, the foolish virgins and the
wise virgins, the bridegroom cometh, the bridegroom cometh, and when he comes, he's coming
for his bride.
He's not coming for anybody else.
He's coming for his bride.
You need to be in the bride of Christ if you want to go home with the groom which is the
Christ.
Can we help you tonight?
Please make a note while we stand and as we sing.