Adultery

There is perhaps no issue that has caused as much confusion as the question of what constitutes adultery.  In an effort to avoid the confusion, some have concluded that one is entitled to only one marriage in life.  This is an overreaction.  Others have come to equally erroneous conclusions which actually seek to justify adulterous circumstances.  All would agree that the issue is of eternal import because no one who practices adultery can inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Galatians 5:19-21).  Of course, those who repent of adultery (and who show forth fruits worthy of repentance, Acts 26:20) obtain forgiveness.  The impenitent adulterer, however, God will judge (Hebrews 13:4).  It is important, therefore, that we get the issue right.

The history of the word “adultery” begins in the Old Testament.  It is first found in Exodus 20:4, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”  It is stated without definition.  Leviticus 20:10 clarifies that adultery is something that is done “with another man’s wife” and “with his neighbor’s wife.”  Proverbs 6:32 says that adultery is committed “with a woman.”  Deuteronomy 22:22 sets forth the situation explicitly.  “If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.”  The original and non-metaphorical sense of the word adultery has reference to the sexual relationship.  I don’t know of anyone who disagrees on this point.  Any man or woman who is married and engages in an extra marital sexual relationship is guilty of committing adultery.

The situation becomes more complicated when one begins to include the concept of “divorce.”  Under what circumstances does one have the right to divorce and remarry and not be considered guilty of adultery?  In Jesus’ day, some were saying that one could divorce “for any cause” (Matthew 19:3).  To this Jesus did not agree.  Instead, Jesus made it clear that one could divorce only upon the grounds of fornication and remarry and not be guilty of adultery.  He said, “Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery” (Matthew 19:9).

What did Jesus mean by the word “adultery” in this verse?  Some say that Jesus was referring to the divorcing and remarrying itself.  Those who hold this view appeal to a sort of “common sense” reading of the passage.  They may also cite A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Early Christian Literature: Third Edition (BDAG) p.656.  Others say that Jesus used the original Old Testament definition of the word “adultery” indicating that one’s divorcing and remarrying is tantamount to the sexual act of adultery.  In support of this view they cite the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament by G. Kittel, Vol.IV., p.733.  It should be noted that both definitions have been used to justify remarriage after a divorce that does not occur upon the grounds of fornication.

Some argue that since “adultery” in Matthew 19:9 is only referring to the acts of divorcing and remarrying, as long as one stops divorcing and remarrying he may abide in a subsequent marriage even if his divorce was not for fornication.  Others, however, accept the premise that “adultery” in Matthew 19:9 is the divorcing and remarrying but hold that “adultery” also includes the subsequent relationship.  They argue that the relationship must be terminated in order to repent of adultery and further stipulate that only those who divorce on the grounds of fornication may remarry without entering into adultery as a relationship.

On the other hand, some argue that since “adultery” in Matthew 19:9 is referring to the sexual act, that the divorcing and remarrying is in name only and does not constitute a divorce and remarriage at all and that one may subsequently remarry after one has waited for one’s spouse to commit fornication in some subsequent relationship.  It is then claimed that one may divorce said spouse upon the grounds of fornication.  Others, however, accept the premise that “adultery” in Matthew 19:9 is referring to the sexual act but argue that the divorcing (not upon the grounds of fornication) and remarrying are binding and do not legitimate subsequent remarriages.  They argue that individuals who have divorced (not upon the grounds of fornication) and remarried must repent and put away their spouse because their presumed ongoing sexual relationship constitutes adultery.  If they are not having a sexual relationship, they argue that these must repent of other sins (such as lasciviousness, poor example, etc.) and separate.

It should be noted, then, that there are only two ends under consideration.  There is the one end where remarriage takes place subsequent to a divorce (not on account of fornication) and those who approve of such a marriage.  There is the other end where remarriage takes place subsequent to a divorce (not on account of fornication) and those who condemn such a marriage.  It is this second end that Jesus has in mind.  By using the word “adultery” Jesus intended to convey condemnation to those who would divorce (for reasons other than fornication) and remarry.  Any teaching that undermines this basic teaching must be rejected.  Only the one who has divorced his spouse upon the grounds of fornication may remarry.

It is folly to suggest that the act of marrying can be isolated from the marriage itself.  Surely if the act of marrying is unauthorized, the marriage is also unauthorized.  If the act of marrying is unauthorized, why would the consequences of that act, the marriage, be authorized?  It wouldn’t.

It is also folly to suggest that when one has been divorced for some reason other than fornication that one may “wait it out” and pursue some additional concept of divorce.  I’ll confess that I once privately held this belief, but I no longer accept it and I want to share why.

In Matthew 5:32, Jesus says, “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.”  The expression “causeth her to commit adultery” is important.  The causal aspect of her committing adultery is initiated from outside of her will on account of her husband’s having put her away on grounds other than fornication.  This entails the fact that one may be put away on grounds other than fornication without one’s consent.

It is not fair nor equitable for such a circumstance to occur because it precludes the one put away from obtaining an additional marriage without engaging in adultery.  The women of Jesus’ day had no recourse to the law to protest such treatment.  Could the women not “divorce” their husbands after their husbands contracted another marriage and committed fornication?  The text does not provide for such an option.  Jesus simply said that they were being caused to commit adultery.  There was no “mental” divorce; there was no appealing to elders; there was no judicial challenge available for them.  They were stuck with the prospects of living alone or engaging in a marriage that Jesus characterized as adultery.  Those were the only two options under their legal system.

The reality is that if the law permits divorce for some reason other than fornication, such a divorce is still considered by God as binding because the very character of the institution of marriage (and divorce) requires public acknowledgement and that necessitates human involvement.  There is no such thing as a secret marriage and there is no such thing as a secret divorce; such actions must be taken publicly by definition of the institution as God ordained it.  Under such circumstances, when the law is structured in such a way so as to permit (and even favor) divorces for some reason other than fornication, the Christian has no recourse but to submit to the law.  Such may take away a Christian’s right, but it does not cause a Christian to violate a command of God, because God has never commanded Christians to marry.  When a command of God comes in conflict with the law of the land, we must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).  However, when it is a matter of one’s right, the Christian is under obligation to sacrifice his right in order to be submissive to the law (Romans 13:5, Romans 15:1-3).

This issue has caused much contention in our brotherhood among individuals who profess that Jesus’ words condemn those who have divorced, (not on the grounds of fornication) remarried, and remain in that marriage.  Both sides of the polemic have either publicly or privately engaged in culpable rhetoric and pejorative attitudes.  While we may not agree upon the means by which we come to the same end, let us agree upon the same end and let this not be an issue that further divides us.

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A Soul from Death

James wrote, “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20). This passage was written to Christians and is concerned with Christians. Notice that first, a brother may err from the truth. Second, he may be converted or restored to the truth. Third, a brother converted from the error of his way is thus saved from death. Fourth, his salvation is attributed to the efforts of a faithful brother. Fifth, a multitude of sins is hidden by the conversion.

Perhaps, you dear friend, obeyed the Gospel of Christ sometime in the past but have since departed from the way of truth and righteousness. If so, consider seriously the end of your present course and the quickness with which your time and opportunities are passing. If you are a delinquent member of the church, please feel free to contact us (573-859-6616). It is the Christian’s desire and the Lord’s desire for you to be an active servant for Him.

“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.” (Hebrews 3:12-14).

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Son of God, Messiah, and Savior

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why you believe Jesus to be the Son of God and Savior of mankind? Is your belief based on anything concrete or is it merely a belief that has been passed down to you from your parents that you have simply come to accept without ever questioning why? Do you have a faith in Jesus that is a personally held faith? Or, is your faith an “inherited” faith – one that is borrowed from someone else?

These are tough questions that we each need to ask ourselves, because there will come a time when our faith will be tested and if our faith is not our own then it will fail the test. All too often, a young person has grown up “in the church” never having developed their own personal, evidence based, faith in Christ only to have their faith destroyed the first time they set foot in a college classroom. Sadly, this very thing has happened to many a young Christian in our day.

So my challenge to you is this: Take out a pen and paper or word processing software on your computer and write a brief essay “Why I Believe Jesus Is the Messiah.” Print it out, keep it in your Bible, and every time you run across any scripture that supports or strengthens your faith write down the citation on the bottom of your paper – or incorporate it into your essay. This will be a very challenging and thought-provoking exercise that will cause you to really examine yourself and what you believe. I believe that the end result of such a study will help you to develop a faith strong enough meet any test of faith head on. With this thought in mind, here is my essay:

Why I Believe Jesus is the Son of God

The reasons I believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Son of God are numerous. It begins with a belief in the reliability of the Bible, especially the New Testament. The Bible has been tested and tried by skeptics for centuries and no one has ever successfully argued against its accuracy and reliability. It is, without question, the Word of God! So, without going into great detail about the evidence for the Bible’s inspiration, I will examine my faith in Jesus from the scriptures based on three major points: Jesus’ fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, the fulfillment of His own prophecies concerning His death, burial and resurrection and the resurrection itself, including the eye-witness accounts of it recorded in scripture.

Old Testament Prophecy Fulfilled

There are approximately 300 Messianic prophecies fulfilled in the person of Jesus of Nazareth – far too many to be examined here! Let’s begin with the prophecies connected with His birth. Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” This prophecy is shown to be fulfilled in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 1:26-35. Lk.1:26-27 says, “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.” Also in Luke’s account the angel appeared to the virgin Mary and told her of her child, “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest…” (Lk. 1:31-32) That it was to be a virgin birth is clearly seen in Lk.1:34-35, “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?”

Isaiah’s prophecy was intimately connected with God’s promise to Satan made in Genesis 3:15 the “seed” of Eve would destroy his power, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” The seed of woman, not man, would triumph over sin and death. Galatians 4:4-5 “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law…”

Another prophecy concerning His birth is connected with the place of His birth – Bethlehem. Micah 5:2, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Lk. 2:4-5 records that Joseph took Mary with him to Bethlehem and that it was there she gave birth to Jesus.

Other Messianic prophecies fulfilled in the person of Christ are connected with His death. Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 both describe the crucifixion scene in great detail.  Read these two chapters and compare with the Gospel accounts of the crucifixion of Jesus found in Mat. 27:1-54, Mark 15:1-40, Lk. 23:1-47 and John 19:1-37. Notice Jn. 19:33, 36 “But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs… For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken…” – referencing Psa. 34:20. Also, compare Mat. 27:35, “And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.” referencing Psa. 22:18. These prophecies and many more like them prove Jesus to be the Messiah.

Jesus’ Own Prophecies Fulfilled

Jesus made several prophecies pointing to His death, burial and resurrection that later came to pass exactly as He had predicted. Notice Mat.16:21, “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.” Also, note Mat. 12:40, “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Compare these prophecies to what is recorded later in the Gospel accounts. Jesus went to Jerusalem was persecuted by the “elders and chief priests.” He also suffered “many things” such as His beatings and tortures at the hands of the Roman soldiers.  He was “killed” by the Roman soldiers when they nailed Him to the cross. He was “raised again the third day.” All of these things and more transpired according to how Jesus predicted they would.

The Resurrection

The single most compelling evidence that Jesus is the Son of God was powerfully demonstrated by His resurrection. In Romans 1:4, Jesus is “…declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” It is the power demonstrated in the resurrection that proves indisputably that Jesus IS the Messiah! All of our faith in the Gospel is based upon the fact of the resurrection – it is the corner stone of faith. 1 Corinthians 15:13-14 “But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.”

The fact that He rose again is proven in several ways. First notice the fact that the chief priests had to bribe the men who had guarded Jesus’ tomb so that they would say that Jesus’ body was stolen.(Mat. 28:11-16). The chief priests had ordered the tomb guarded, the guards had witnessed the resurrection (Mat. 28:2-4), and then they were paid to keep their mouths shut.

The resurrected Savior was witnessed by hundreds of people, beginning with Mary Magdalene in Jn. 20:15-16. Then He appeared to Peter and the other Apostles. (1Cor. 15:5); He was witnessed by a crowd of more than five hundred (1Cor. 15:6); He appeared to James and finally to Paul (1Cor.15:7-8).

The Resurrected Savior was not an illusion or “ghost” – He was real; He had a physical body; He ate with His disciples and they touched Him (Lk. 24:36-43; Jn. 20:25-28). The apostle John records in 1 John 1:1-2,  “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;  (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)”

John and the other apostles witnessed the resurrection, touched the Savior confirmed without a doubt that He was risen.

The apostles witnessed Jesus’ ascension up into Heaven in Lk. 24:51 and Acts 1:9-11 “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

We can see through the fulfillment of prophecy that Jesus is the Messiah – the Son of God and Savior of mankind. We must believe this – our salvation depends upon it! Jn. 8:24 “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” The resurrection is the key point of the Gospel – it proves without a doubt that Jesus is the Messiah. When we take into account the weight of all the evidence supporting the Messiahship of Jesus we cannot come to any other conclusion than – He is Lord!

We have not even made mention of the signs and miracles that Jesus performed. Jn. 20:30-31  “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” Jn. 21:25 “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written” Signs that were witnessed by an entire nation. Ac. 2:22 “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:”

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Gifts that Matter

“And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And…..they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Matt. 2:11).

If you were to ask them, I dare say that most children would say that the best part of Christmas is the presents.  It’s a lot of fun to receive gifts – especially when it’s a surprise.  Of all the gifts mentioned in the Bible, perhaps the most fascinating are the miraculous gifts given to the early Christians.  While we are assured that miraculous abilities through the hands of men have ceased (just as Paul said they would once the revelation of God’s word was complete – 1 Cor. 13:8-12), it is also true that (to those who obey His will) there are gifts that God still desires to give.  Romans 12:7-8 record gifts that do not require a miraculous ability to perform.

Whether ministering, teaching, exhorting, giving, leading, or showing mercy; these are truly gifts that matter for they will help us and others in receiving the greatest gift of all: eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (6:23).

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Someone Said…

The Danger of Overreacting When “ Someone Said ”

As the Jews entered the promised land, the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh were given permission to settle on the east side of the Jordan provided their men helped conquer all the land west of the Jordan. After many months, these soldiers returned to their families bringing great riches from the conquest.

Joshua chapter twenty-two tells how they built a great altar on the east side of the Jordan, but it was not intended for sacrifice. It was a replica of the altar at the tabernacle. Its purpose was so that future generations would know by this altar that those on the east side of the Jordan had equal access to the altar at the tabernacle with those on the west side of the river.

Then it happened. “The children of Israel heard someone say, ’Behold, the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh have built an altar on the frontier of the land of Canaan . . .’” There was an immediate response based on the information and wrong assumptions about the purpose of the altar. “When the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered together at Shiloh to go to war against them.” The whole congregation decided that those from Reuben, Gad and Manasseh were guilty of treachery, turning away from the Lord and rebelling against him (v. 16).

All of this was based on what “ someone said. ” So often problems develop in families, friendships, the church and neighborhoods based of the interpretation of what “ someone said. ”

Hear the wisdom of God about this. When there is conflict, the person with the problem is commanded to go directly to the other person. That person who hears that someone has a problem with him is commanded to also go directly to the other person (Matt. 5: 23-24; 18:15). The failure to do this often results in bringing outsiders into a matter that is not their concern.

Those on the outside of such conflict must remember the words of Solomon. “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him” (Prov. 18:13). When Israel reacted to incomplete information, major problems resulted.

Study Joshua chapter twenty-two. What was on the verge of creating war among God’s people was averted when those who disagreed sat down and discussed the matter. There is so much to be learned about the proper way to deal with matters created by what “someone says.”  Remember His words, “Blessed are the peacemakers . . .”

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