Marriage Under God #3 - (Living a Life of Freedom in Christ Series)

I. Introduction A. Foundation 1. In our recent studies on Communism and also in our series on Legalism we examined man’s required response when faced with obeying God’s Law or Man’s law when they conflict. a. Act 5:29 - But Peter and the apostles answered and said, We must obey God rather than men. b. Mat 6:33 - But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

2. Why? Because we have one foundation: It isn’t emotion, not popular approval, not government. a. 1 Cor 3:11 - For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

3. What did our foundation say about the joining of a man and woman in marriage? a. Mar 10:9 - What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.  Whatever God says is puts together, man is not to tear apart.

4. Not only is man told not to tear apart, but he simply cannot tear it apart. a. Job 11:10 b. Eccl. 7:13 c. Mat. 2:5-7 d. Man can proclaim anything he wants, but it does not change what God sets.  Man can call faith only salvation, but God’s will doesn’t change.  Man can call the murder of babies freedom of choice, but God’s will doesn’t change.  Man can call sex outside of marriage acceptable, but God’s will doesn’t change.  Man can call a homosexual unions marriage, but God’s will doesn’t change.  Man can call an unscriptural marriage, scriptural, but God’s will doesn’t change.

5. Thus, a scriptural marriage is only what is deemed so by God, not by man. a. A marriage is only scripturally ended, when God proclaims it is ended. b. A marriage is only scripturally begun, when God proclaims it is begun.

6. This truth will be important regarding the remainder of our lessons.

B. Review 1. Examined God’s Marriage definition, characteristics, and purpose. 2. Historical Deviations from God’s Marital Pattern. 3. False doctrine of MMLJBC 4. Noted all are accountable to God’s law. 5. Made Suggestions of preparation to consider before getting married. 6. Defined a number of Terms used in Marriage Discussion 7. Discussed 7 specific questions regarding Marriage

C. We will spend our lesson looking at the concept of Point and Continual Adultery. II. Point and Continual Adultery A. Introduction to the Idea. 1. Many folks have never heard of Point and Continual Adultery a. They think they Mat. 19:9 is pretty cut and dried. b. After all, we have identified in this verse:  Who commits adultery  Who can remarry without committing adultery  Yet, this verse is far from having discussion exhausted.

2. Olan Hicks and Jim Waldron Debate Knoxville, TN, Feb. 21-25, 1977 a. Mr. Hicks affirmed the following proposition:  “Unscripturally, divorced and remarried people may continue in the remarriage without further sin.” Pg. 4

b. He also states the following:  “When two people divorce unscripturally and marry someone else, they can make things right with God in ways other than another divorce.” Pg. 12  “’Unscriptural divorce and remarriage equals the commiting of adultery.’ That’s not our question. We agree to that.” Pg. 12-13  “Over here is our question. Continuation in the remarriage after it has happened, what does that equal?”Pg. 13

c. This is how we get to the discussion of Point and Continual Adultery in Mat. 19:9.

B. Examining the Greek of Mt. 19:9 1. The Greek Work Moichatai means “commits adultery”. 2. The issue is does this mean at a single point or from that point onward? 3. Mr. Hicks states: “If they are living in adultery, they have to quit it. There’s no question about that. Any sin to be forgiven, must be stopped.” Pg. 16 - He is affirming the definition of repentance.

4. Mr. Hicks believes that “Commits adultery” is a single point time frame which can be repented of and moved forward from. a. The opponent Mr. Waldron, believes “Commits adultery” is a continuing action which can be repented of and moved forward from. b. Their views on how to move forward though are completely different.

5. When we say something is a single point in time, it is called punctiliar. 6. If we say it is a continuing action, we call it linear.

7. Both Mr. Hicks and Mr. Waldron agree that the word Moichatai in Mt. 19:9 is a present tense verb. It is predominantly a linear verb, however, in some exceptions it is puncitiliar. a. Both parties presented a host of experts who confirmed the predominance of usage of Mochatai as linear, but acknowledged the rare possibility of it being used as punctiliar. b. Mr. Hicks states: “It is possible for the present indicative Greek verb to have a punctiliar meaning or a linear meaning. Now, it is of no value to say that one is more frequent than the other. The frequency is not the point.”Pg. 75 c. Mr. Waldron states in regard to the rare chance of the verb being used as point action: “Jesus could have indicated point action by saying moichase…” Pg. 96 d. Your Question: Do you want to base your salvation on an admitted “possibility”.

C. Mr. Hicks stance of Point Adultery leads him to establish the following understanding: 1. “I am contending that once divorce and remarriage has happened, even though it involved sin in the instigation of it, once it has happened, the relationship produced as a result of that sin, is not itself sinful.” Pg. 60

2. The question many may have is when does the point of adultery occur according to Mr. Hicks? a. “All right, how often do you commit adultery in Mat. 19:9? As often as you put away your wife and marry another.” Pg. 76 b. To Be clear Mr. Hicks believes that the marriage ceremony is the point of Adultery.  After that it is done, there is no more adultery.

3. As mentioned, he believes this can be repented of and moved forward from. How? a. Repentance by saying they will never do it again and… b. Fruit by being faithful to the spouse they are with.

4. Note: According to this doctrine, the individual coming from the unscriptural divorce or the one put away are identified as someone else’s spouse. That is why it is called Adultery. a. In Point Adultery, the belief is God puts asunder the previous marriage after the 2nd marriage ceremony and ordains the new marriage. b. Note: This would create a new definition for Adultery.

D. Mr. Waldron’s stance of Continual Adultery leads him to establish the following understanding: 1. Adultery occurs during the point of intercourse in a new marriage a. The proclamation of that sin continues as long as the two are in the civil law marriage. b. Mr. Waldron was asked by Mr. Hicks: “Is unscriptural divorce and remarriage adultery, if there is no sexual intercourse?” The answer was “No”.

2. The question arises what if a couple does not have sexual intercourse? a. As mentioned in our first lesson, sex in marriage was expected by God and sexual needs were commanded to be met within the confines of the new testament. b. Additionally, in that era (and truthfully this), there was no question about sex in marriage.

c. The Talmud which was the oral law of the Jews commanded it  The right of sexual intercourse was a woman’s right.  It was called Onah.  The Talmud specified the quantity and quality of sex to be provided for the woman.  Even according to the man’s occupation – Jewfaq.org/sex.htm d. Thus, no intercourse, no marriage. 3. Mr. Waldron sees the second marriage as a continual proclamation of adultery. a. He states: “The Bible teaches unscriptural divorce renders any succeeding marriage invalid and adulterous in the sight of God, as long as the original parties live.”Pg. 130

b. Mr. Hicks and Mr. Waldron both agree that adultery occurs with the second marriage.  Adultery means that at that point God has not put the marital covenant asunder.  We read many scriptures pointing out there is adultery with the 2nd marriage.

c. Therefore, we must ask the following question about God’s actions:  If the civil divorce was unscriptural, how can there be a scriptural marriage?  A 2nd marriage cannot precede a 1st divorce.  This means God did not recognize the civil divorce.  Sex is in the 2nd civil marriage is occurring with someone else’s spouse.  This is called adultery.  There are a host of other sins that are occurring at that time as well.

4. Mr. Waldron describes repentance in this situation as follows: a. “Can they continue in their sinful relationship? Nay, verily. And we are not breaking up marriages when we tell people to quit fornicating and to quit committing adultery.”Pg. 142

5. One therefore repents of the adultery, by separating and obtaining a Civil divorce to come back into compliance with God’s will and becoming single.

E. Returning to Baptism: Considering point and continual adultery 1. Does Scriptural Baptism forgive all our sins? The prior answer was yes! 2. What about if one is in an unscriptural marriage? 3. The answer is still yes, however, consider… a. If you hold to point adultery, your sin is in the past done with at Scriptural Baptism. b. If you hold to continual adultery:  Your sins are forgiven if you are ignorant of your sin, but you are still covered in sin afterward by continuing in the civil marriage.  Upon realization of the sin, you would repent by separating and obtaining a civil divorce.  Your baptism would not be a scriptural baptism if you were aware of your sin and did not repent of it before baptism. 4. If have been in an unscriptural divorce or were guilty of adultery, the scriptural consequences mentioned in our second lesson do not go away. You must still obey them.

III. Closing A. Review 1. God’s Law vs. Civil Law in regard to Marriage. 2. Point and Continual Adultery

B. Final lesson - Examine passages from I Cor. 7