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.

“‘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.” Romans 7:2

Marriage

Remarriage?

Questions And Consequences

Married or Bound?

Who can marry? [a scriptural right] Who cannot marry? [no scriptural right] What are “sexual immorality” and “adultery”? Does “not under bondage” mean “free to marry”?

• This position is usually called “Mental Divorce”, or “Post-civil-divorce putting away”

Can the “innocent party” remarry if “guilty” does?

Counter-issues And Counter-arguments

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

attempts to establish that not all divorces seen as “REAL”, “accepted”, “scriptural”, “in God’s eyes”

• The “unscriptural divorce” argument

– a divorce NOT for fornication is called “unscriptural”› argument is made that it is not a “REAL” divorce, but only a divorce in the legal sense by MAN’s law› being under GOD’s law, one put away “unscripturally” still has the right to a “scriptural” or REAL divorce in certain circumstances; can marry again without sin

– is this taught by the scriptures on marriage & divorce?

Man’s Law???

God’s Law???

OR

N.T. Marriage and Divorce Scripture• Matthew 5:31-32 [God’s righteousness vs. Man’s]

Their abuse of God’s law resulted in adultery

• Matthew 19:8-9 [“is it lawful?” (God’s law)]

God’s law, as taught by Jesus correcting the Pharisees

• Mark 10:11-12 [“is it lawful?” (God’s law)] • Luke 16:18 [self-justified vs. God-justified (His law)]

• Romans 7:1-3 [“to those who know the law” (God’s)] • 1 Cor. 7 [The Lord’s command (God’s law) v. 10]

God’s law, as applied by apostle Paul in his teaching

Counter-issues And Counter-arguments

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

attempts to establish that not all divorces seen as “REAL”, “accepted”, “scriptural”, “in God’s eyes”

• The “unscriptural divorce” argument

– a divorce NOT for fornication is called “unscriptural”› argument is made that it is not a “REAL” divorce, but only a divorce in the legal sense by MAN’s law› being under GOD’s law, one put away “unscripturally” still has the right to a “scriptural” or REAL divorce in certain circumstances; can marry again without sin

– is this taught by the scriptures on marriage & divorce?

Man’s Law???

God’s Law???

ORThe scriptures make no such distinction!

The “unscriptural divorce” argument BEGINSwith supposition rather than with scripture

based in Jesus’ teaching on God’s marriage law: “Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate…” [Mt. 19:6; Mk. 10:9]

Counter-issues And Counter-arguments

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

attempts to establish the reason not all divorces seen as “REAL”, “accepted”, “scriptural”, “by God”

• The “unscriptural divorce” argument

– God separates only fornicators; man cannot separate

• The “men cannot divorce” (only God can) argument

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

“When an innocent woman is divorced, this divorce is, in When an innocent woman is divorced, this divorce is, in the sight of God ‘the sight of God ‘nono divorcedivorce.’ .’ HeHe doesdoes notnot recognizerecognize itit! The ! The innocent woman is innocent woman is stillstill marriedmarried in God’s sight and the in God’s sight and the husband who ‘husband who ‘divorceddivorced’ her is ’ her is stillstill marriedmarried toto herher in God’s in God’s sight. Their sight. Their marriagemarriage hashas notnot beenbeen dissolveddissolved and as far as as far as God is concerned God is concerned sheshe isis notnot ‘ ‘putput awayaway’’ (apoluo). When her husband remarried he committed adultery. I contend that thethe innocentinnocent maymay then ‘ then ‘putput awayaway’ ’ herher husbandhusband. Reason? That is exactly what Christ said she could do!” Ken Cheatham(The Gospel Anchor, June 1979, Vol. 5, p. 301)

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

“As far as God is concerned one is ‘one is ‘notnot divorceddivorced’ ’ exceptexcept it be it be forfor fornicationfornication.” KEN CHEATHAM (The Gospel Anchor, June 1979, Vol. 5, p. 299)

“Remember, to deny this divine right to such a person on the grounds of her being a put away person overlooks the fact that suchsuch puttingputting awayaway isis futilefutile and dethrones divine authority and enthrones human authority.” (Searching The Scriptures, Mar 1987, Vl. 28, pp. 342-343)MARSHALL PATTON

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

“And so, in conclusion from this, we learn that an an unscriptural divorce unscriptural divorce releasesreleases neitherneither partyparty fromfrom marriagemarriage. When you have an unscriptural . When you have an unscriptural divorcedivorce, , asas menmen countcount itit, it’s not so with God. That bond is still in , it’s not so with God. That bond is still in tacttact. And that little piece of paper is nothing in the sight of God. Just as well use it as Kleenex and blow your nose and drop it in the toilet. It doesn’t mean a thing to God. God’s law rules over the laws of menGod’s law rules over the laws of men.” Ron Halbrook(MDR sermon preached in Wilkesville, OH, June 14, 1990)

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

if it’s not lawful, it’s not legitimate if it’s not approved, it’s not actual if it’s not permitted, it’s not possible if it’s not right, it’s not real

The Conclusions Summarized

based in Jesus’ teaching on God’s marriage law: “Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate…” [Mt. 19:6; Mk. 10:9]

Counter-issues And Counter-arguments

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

attempts to establish the reason not all divorces seen as “REAL”, “accepted”, “scriptural”, “by God”

• The “unscriptural divorce” argument • The “men cannot divorce” (only God can) argument

– is this taught by the scriptures on marriage & divorce?– God separates only fornicators; man cannot separate

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

“…let not man put asunder.” – ASV, DRB, KJV, RV, Web, YLT“…let not that which has been joined by God be parted by man.” – Bible in basic English “Let not man therefore put a sunder, that which God hath coupled together.” – Bishops’ Bible (1568)“And no one should separate a couple that God has joined together.” – Contemp. English Version, German versions “No human being must separate, then, what God has joined together.” – Good News Bible“Therefore, don’t let anyone separate...” – God’s Word

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

? Did Jesus mean that man CANNOT separate or that he SHOULD NOT separate what God joined

? Why would Jesus say “let not man separate” what was joined by God if man COULD NOT

! The fact that Jesus commands NOT TO separate indicates that man has the POWER to separate, but does not have God’s PERMISSION to do so

God’s law teaches man what he should not do,not what is impossible

for him to do![Romans 2:12-13; 7:7;

and Galatians 3:19]

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

[Matthew 6:3]

“But when you do a charitable deed, do not let (let not - ASV, KJV) your left hand know what your right hand is doing…”

CANNOT SHOULD NOT

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

[Luke 21:21]

“Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.”

CANNOT SHOULD NOT

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

[John 14:1]

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”

CANNOT SHOULD NOT

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

[John 14:27]

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

CANNOT SHOULD NOT

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

[Romans 6:12]

“Therefore do not let (let not – ASV, KJV) sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.”

CANNOT SHOULD NOT

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

[Romans 14:3]

“Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.”

CANNOT SHOULD NOT

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

[Romans 14:16]

“Therefore do not let (let not – ASV, KJV) your good be spoken of as evil…”

CANNOT SHOULD NOT

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

[Ephesians 4:26]

“‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let (let not – ASV, KJV) the sun go down on your wrath.”

CANNOT SHOULD NOT

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

[1 Timothy 5:16]

“If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and do not let (let not – ASV, KJV) the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows.”

CANNOT SHOULD NOT

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

[James 1:7]

“Let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord…”

CANNOT SHOULD NOT

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

[Matthew 19:6]“Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

CANNOT SHOULD NOT

[Mark 10:9]“Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

Consider… God condemns murder but does not impede it

God condemns prostitution but does not impede it

God condemns fornication but does not impede it

God condemns unlawful divorce but has not made it impossible to attain one – He does not impede it

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

Consider…

Right or Wrong

Marriages as seen in the Bible

Real or Unreal

Approved or Unapproved

Lawful or Unlawful

Permitted or Prohibited

Actual or Apparent

“In God’s eyes” or “In man’s eyes”N

O T

↓

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

Consider…

The Marriage of Herod and Herodias

[Mark 6:17-18]“For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her. Because John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

It was not right(approved, lawful, permitted)

but it was still real

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

Consider…

• Concubine [Gn 16:3; 25:1, 5-6 & 1 Ch 1:32; Judges 19:1-5, 7, 9; 20:4]

The use of “Wife” in the Bible

• Betrothed person [Dt 20:7; 22:23-24; Mt 1:18-20; Rev 19:7]

• Bride [Judges 14:15-16, 20]

• Widow [Rt 4:10; 1 Sm 27:3; 30:5; 2 Sm 2:2; 3:3; 11:26; 12:9-10, 15]

• One who is “married” to another [Judges 15:1-2; 1 Sam 25:44; 2 Sam 3:14-16; Mt 14:3-4; Mk 6:17-18; Lk 3:19; 1 Cor 5:1]

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

Consider…

1 Corinthians 7:10-11

“Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband.But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.”

When a woman “departs” from herhusband – whatever the reason –she is “unmarried”, or divorced

“…let not man separate” [Mt 19:6]

A closer examination of

Mental Divorce

Consider…

Did Jesus Mean What He Said?[Matthew 19:9]

“And I say to you, whoever divorces [really? Not really?] his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries [really? Not really?] another, commits adultery; and whoever marries [really? Not really?] another, commits adultery; and whoever marries [really? Not really?] her who is divorced [really? Not really?] commits adultery.”

God condemns murder, but does not impede itGod condemns prostitution, but does not impede it

God condemns unlawful divorce, but does not impede itGod condemns people who are converted, but fall away; yet, he does not impede it

The Baptists have a similar argument, saying that a person can NEVER fall away once converted – that is, by God’s law, they are ALWAYS a Christian once converted

because “nothing can separate them from the love of Christ”!

Thoughts from Luis em Portugal

Can the “innocent party” remarry?

“Mental Divorce”

• The basic position stated: “Innocent” person is put away “for just any reason” The “unscriptural divorce” is not recognized by God, only by the “law of the land” “Guilty” person eventually marries someone else by “the law of the land”, which allows for such actions

− “law of land” nullifies God’s law: “innocent” is barred from obtaining a “scriptural” divorce because civil law says they’re already divorced [but not “in God’s eyes”]!

− “innocent” person who has not sinned must suffer life of chastity while the “guilty” person lives “Scott free”

This position must be true, or else: