By: Phil Hopkins
God’s law regarding Marriage – Divorce – and Remarriage has been lost and is totally ignored in modern society. What could be clearer as to what God wants regarding our marriages as given in Matt. 5:32 but I say unto you, that every one that putteth away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress: and whosoever shall marry her when she is put away committeth adultery. and again in Matt. 19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery. In general, there is little disagreement in what these two verses say. Just like in Moses’ time God’s will for a marriage is ignored today and as such many keep looking for a way to divorce for any reason. Further they want us Christians to accept them even as they are. They are not willing to submit to God’s will. Brethren are afraid to stand up for God’s word and are willing to compromise on the terms for the entrance into His kingdom in their desperation. They want to live in sin but they want to be seem as being obedient to God. They care more about men’s opinion than God’s.
They come up with scenario’s that make no sense. They bring up 1 Cor. 7 as one possibility. Even though the Greek words for divorce and remarriage (ἀπολύω or γαμέω never appears in this chapter. They appeal to verses 8 through 15 as giving them the authority. There is no discussion about divorce in the chapter nor is remarriage ever mentioned. 1 Cor. 7:10 But unto the married I give charge, yea not I, but the Lord, That the wife depart not from her husband 11 (but should she depart, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband); and that the husband leave not his wife. 12 But to the rest say I, not the Lord: If any brother hath an unbelieving wife, and she is content to dwell with him, let him not leave her. 13 And the woman that hath an unbelieving husband, and he is content to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. 15 Yet if the unbelieving departeth, let him depart: the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us in peace.
God never references remarriage in this passage. There is no “escape clause” here for a marriage or a husband or a wife. We must follow God’s commandments “1 Cor. 14:15 If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments.” It is simplistic to think that everything that is of some religious authority is OK. We are obligated to ensure what we do is approved by God and not of man’s origin. When we seek after these false doctrines the consequence is that we prove to all around us that we don’t love God nor do we live in His favor. Furthermore, the passage in 1 Corinthians references the fact that this is an unbelieving husband or wife and a Christian spouse, (a heterosexual relationship). Nor a generic relationship where neither partner is a Christian. It obviously doesn’t apply to all situations. A marriage MUST be between two eligible adults. Not between one eligible adult and one ineligible adult. God only recognizes a marriage between two eligible people. The question here is did Paul modify the teaching of Jesus. The correct answer is a resounding NO. Notice that God teaches us here that His law regarding marriage applies to both believers and unbelievers and that unbelievers fall under God’s law regarding marriage.
In Thomas Warren’s excellent book Your Marriage Can be Great, National Christian Press, on page 486, Brother Roy Lanier Sr. wrote an excellent article regarding the “The So-Called Pauline Principle is of human origin.” I have a copy and I can make you a copy if you ask.