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One flesh for life
The following
is a practical illustration of what the New Testament teaches on fornication,
marriage and adultery:
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Joe
and Lucy have sexual intercourse. Because neither Joe nor Lucy have
ever been married, they commit the sin of fornication. If they repent,
God will forgive them.
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Joe and
Janey get married and vow to love and cherish each other until death
do they part. Joe and Janey have sexual intercourse and the marriage
bed is undefiled. There is no sin in their sexual relationship because
they are married. It is their commitment to each other for life that
makes them married, not their having sexual relations. |
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Joe
and Janey obtain a divorce from the state. Later Rocky finds Janey, a
divorced woman. They make vows promising to love and cherish each
other until death do they part. Their "marriage" is legal
under the state, but God sees them as adulterers. Janey has already
made a lifetime commitment to love and cherish Joe. If she has sexual
relations with another, she violates her marriage covenant and commits
adultery.
Rocky
also commits adultery when he marries Janey because she is divorced
from her husband. Jesus says, "Whoever divorces his wife and
marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is
divorced from her husband commits adultery" (Luke 16:18).
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Through the
marriage vows, God has made Janey one flesh with Joe and what God has joined
together let no man tear apart (Matthew 19:6). Janey was not free to marry
Rocky. She is still married to Joe until Joe dies. If Janey and Rocky repent of
their adulterous relationship and sin no more, God will forgive them.
If Janey wants
to return to God's favor, she has two choices: remain unmarried, or be
reconciled to her husband (1 Corinthians 7:11).
If Rocky wants
to return to God's favor, he must separate from Janey. Assuming Rocky has never
been married, he is free to marry another because his marriage to Janey was not
marriage in God's eyes.
Background
When Joe and
Janey were married, they were young and foolish. Neither believed in Jesus
Christ. Yet they did make a solemn commitment to be faithful to each other
"until death do us part." There is a price to be paid on judgement day
if that commitment is violated by marrying another.
Joe and Janey
also bought a house and made a commitment to pay a 30-year mortgage. If the
terms of that mortgage are not met, there is a price to be paid. They cannot
just make the excuse that they were young and foolish and be relieved of their
commitment. No, they will have to uphold their commitment or lose the house.
When we get
married, it is not just a 30-year commitment. It is a commitment for life. As
the years go by, we may find our spouse less than ideal. Many problems arise and
we see other potential partners who are far better suited to our tastes. But
unlike the 30-year mortgage, we cannot close out the first obligation (marriage)
and step into a new one.
If you are
married to an unbeliever, but they are willing to live with you, you are not to
obtain a divorce (1 Corinthians 7:12-13). If the unbeliever departs, let them
go. You are not forced to live with them (1 Corinthians 7:15). However, nowhere
in scripture does it say that once they have departed, you are free to marry
another.
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