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Having re-emphasised the fact that death alone can break the marriage
bond we now continue with our Lord's teaching from Matthew chapter 5.
Here is the same scripture portion which we examined in our previous
chapter but with the fornication clause set aside even as Mark, Luke
and Paul have done. "It hath been said, Whosoever shall put
away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: but I say
unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife...... causeth her to
commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced
committeth adultery" (Matthew 5:31-32). Christ's "it
hath been said" is a clear reference to Moses' concessions,
however the Lord follows this up with His all powerful "but I
say unto you" thereby dismissing what Moses had said. Rather
than govern a nation out of which a small remnant clave unto God as
Moses did, Christ is addressing His church as a "holy nation,"
His "body" and His "bride." He
will in a day to come present her to Himself as a bride without spot
and without blemish. His body and bride is made up of those who have
answered the gospel call, repented and turned from sin. In fact right
here in chapter 5, the Lord is addressing those overcomers who are
destined to reign with Him forever. Namely; "the poor in
spirit, they that mourn, the meek, they which do hunger and thirst
after righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers"
and "the persecuted for righteousness sake." We
feel sure that the above would prefer to be in the enjoyment of happy
family life. However those who have truly come to repentance and have
by grace gained an interest in their Saviour's death are not about to
submit a `bill of rights' to God. Such are content to suffer loss if
need be rather than be found living in contradiction to God's holy
word. In contrast to the world's `bill of rights' the truly repentant
possesses a humble gratitude coupled with self-denial and obedience.
The prayer of such is: "Lord please forgive me and
my spouse for all our sins and please restore our family that your Holy
Name may be glorified." Such realise that the spirit of divorce and
remarriage is Babylonish and entirely foreign to the kingdom of God and
all that it stands for.
Dear friends, the Lord has set before us a "narrow way"
asking each of us to take up our cross and follow Him. There is nothing
in the beatitudes about a life of ease and self-will. We are following "a
man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. " There will be
time enough for celebration when He takes us home, but while we are in
the world we will have tribulation. Yet we possess a hope that is
steadfast and sure. The obedient child of God too possesses a deep and
overflowing joy that the world cannot give nor take away. Those who
possess this joy unspeakable have no desire to sing:
"I did it my way," but in a day to come they will sing: "we
did it His way." Sadly, many religious people at the time of
Christ's earthly ministry were not prepared to lay down their life,
their selfish aspirations, their `bill of rights.' They wanted to enter
heaven but were loath to crucify the flesh. Christ lovingly warns us
against the peril of this "way that seemeth right unto man."
"For I say unto you, that unless your
righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven " (Matthew
5:20).
True salvation is "not of works lest any man should boast."
This exceeding righteousness referred to by our Lord is His own which
we poor sinners may inherit. But the terms of the will demand death to
all that is contrary to God's commands. We cannot live in contradiction
to His word and at the same time claim our inheritance.
Now it is clear from Christ's commands that a man who puts away his
wife is the cause of her becoming an adulteress should she remarry. It
was extremely difficult in Christ's day for a lady to survive alone
especially if she had no brothers or if her father was deceased. The
pressure to remarry was enormous. Christ adds to this that any man who
marries the woman unfortunate enough to have been divorced also commits
adultery. No matter how badly her husband has behaved she is, and will
be as long as he lives, his wife. Any man who seeks to deny this fact
by marrying the divorced woman also cuts across God's immutable command
and is called by God an adulterer. Remember, it is not sin to marry
after a broken engagement bond but it is sin to violate the immutable
marriage bond. This obviously is a most serious matter and worthy of
our closest scrutiny seeing we have it on authority that no practicing
adulterer will enter into the kingdom of heaven. We know of many church
leaders who admit to Christ's definition of adultery. They counsel
their followers to confess their sin and repent. However their
credibility collapses totally after they then claim that these once
illegitimate relationships became legitimate upon confession and
so-called repentance. That would be like a thief confessing to his
crime and claiming to have repented and then insisting that he gets to
keep the money.
Please consider this hypothetical example: I am preaching the gospel
and a man comes forward under conviction of sin and begins to confide
in me. He was involved in an armed hold-up of an armoured car ten years
ago. In the ensuing scuffle he shot a guard but he and his accomplice
managed to escape with $800,000. He then explains that he was able to
launder his share of the money. Since then he has married, purchased a
business, is raising a family and appears to be a respectable citizen.
Yet he has no peace, for he is continually haunted by his crimes. `I am
a sinner,' he cries, `can I be forgiven?' Now in receipt of this
knowledge I have immediately become an `accessory after the fact.' How
do I honour God, the law and this man's confidence? Do I say: `sure,
don't tell anyone else, just confess to God and repent, old things will
pass away and all things will become new when you become a Christian.
Just be good from here on.' God forbid that I should ever represent the
gospel of repentance and remission of sins in such a loose way! No, my
advice will be consistent with the gospel of repentance; upon the
confession of our sins and our preparedness to forsake them the blood
of our Lord Jesus will wash us clean. His precious blood though will
not cover sin. It is a washing agent not a covering. If true repentance
is at work and true conversion has taken place this former robber and
murderer will not leave a stone unturned as he faces the consequences
of his crimes. The indictment of his accomplice, and also the man who
drove the get-away car and the money launderers, the public
humiliation, all that he possesses sold to pay back the bank, letters
of deep contrition to the shot guard's family, his wife and children
destitute, plus thirty years in prison! Yet, though he is a prisoner,
he will be a free man. His wife and children will respect and honour
him for having the sincerity and courage needed to put things right
with God and man. Their husband's and father's true repentance will
comfort them even while facing hardship. He has done even as that great
repentance preacher preached long ago; "Bring forth therefore
fruits meet for repentance" (Matthew 3:8).
Yes it is hard but it is right. To the carnal mind this would seem to
be the end, but God will honour this forgiven man, and his family will
be blessed even though he is not personally able to care for them. In
prison he will sing psalms and spiritual songs, he will have a powerful
ministry with all he comes in contact with. No, he hasn't saved himself
any more than that murderer and robber saved himself while hanging next
to Christ. He has though, shown fruit of the true work of God in his
life and is in possession of a conscience that is void of offence
before God and man, a great treasure to have in possession. We affirm,
a robber cannot keep stolen money, a murderer cannot cover his crime,
and an adulterer cannot continue to live in contradiction to God's law.
Repentance means not just confession but also a turning from sin
followed by restoration and restitution wherever possible. We do not
convict people, the Holy Spirit does that, but woe be to us if we
hinder convicted people from salvation and peace by turning them away
from bringing forth works appropriate to and consistent with true
repentance.
Often children are used to excuse illegitimate relationships and keep
them together. As sad and touching as such cases may be, children can
never legitimise what Christ has defined as adultery any more than our
example's children could be used to legitimise his murder and robbery.
Nevertheless, a man who divorces his wife and marries another, or a man
who marries a divorced woman while her husband yet lives will upon true
repentance not only forsake the adulterous relationship but do all
within his power to provide for his children both legitimate and
illegitimate. Love and care with all holiness and purity too should be
shown toward that person with whom they were previously in an unlawful
relationship. If Christ would have us love our enemies how much the
more should we love those who have lived in sin with us. A truly
repentant adulterer or adulteress may return to their legitimate mate
or if this is not possible should abide alone. The children born out of
illegitimate relationships have a far better chae of spiritual rebirth
if they have witnessed their parent's true repentance rather than that
they continue to suffer under the heavy load of their parent's
continued adulterous relationship. It is totally false to continue in
sin and claim that it is for the children's welfare.
Rather than sanction what Christ has defined as adultery, the church
should spring to the aid of repentant adulterers. They need all the
love and support that we can give. Sadly, deserted partners and
repentant adulterers are generally neglected by the church rather than
being taken for the valuable church members that they are.
In conclusion then, the Lord's judgement in Matthew chapter 5 is that
any man who puts away his wife puts her in serious jeopardy of
committing adultery. Also, any man who marries her that has been put
away from her husband, too commits adultery. Our cry to those living in
contradiction to the clear word of God is repent and turn from your sin
while you can. Don't listen to the false justifications of man as
attractive as they may sound, but listen to the clear and loving
warnings of your Creator before it is forever too late. Our warning to
church leaders who have in the past aided and abetted those committing
the crime of adultery, repent, you won't be able to blame your
denomination or your congregation for your sin when ultimately you
answer to the One who has spoken these righteous laws into being.
Finally, to those of us who have been true to our spouses and upheld
Christ's testimony, may we remember that merely looking and lusting is
as serious as the crime of adultery according to our Lord. Let us
admire our beautiful ladies with pure minds, and cast down every
thought and imagination which exalts itself above the word of God.
Anything short of that needs to be confessed and repented of, so let us
walk honourably before God and man and in godliness and meekness seek
to help one another as we with patience run the race.
© Copyright Dirk Evenhuis. The book Holy Matrimony is
protected by Australian copyright law. No part of the book may be used
or distributed for commercial reasons without the written permission of
the author Dirk Evenhuis.
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