Must the Adulterous Divorce?

Preachers of false doctrine promulgate that non-Christians mustn't divorce when they come to Christ in an adulterous marriage. They deny that all men are amenable to Christ's law concerning marriage and divorce. The Master said, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery" (Luke 16:18 NKJV). Ignorance of God's law does not excuse sin, Acts 17:30. And, Jesus also said "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him -- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day" (John 12:48). The statement of the Christ is all inclusive. Jesus has the final say-so in all matters. Read Colossians - the whole book!

Truth affirms that coming to Christ means leaving a life of sin behind. Acts 3:19, "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord." Adultery is not just a one time sin committed while the vows are being recited at the marriage alter. It is an unauthorized marriage covenant whereby God is displeased. Consider Romans 7:2,3 "For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man." This, my friends, is the meaning of "till death do us part." Since adultery is defined by God as an unauthorized marriage covenant, then the only way to repent from adultery is to break the covenant -- divorce.

In the conversion process, repentance is a prerequisite to baptism. So when we read of the sanctified in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 we read of souls that have turned away from a life of sin to walk after the Spirit, Romans 8:1,2. Thus, the law of Christ speaks plainly. "...whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery" (Matthew 5:32 NKJV). And again He says, "whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery." Jesus speaks these words to the whole world, John 12:48.

Donny Weimar

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)