THE MARRIAGE BOND

Are Married People Bound in Holy Matrimony? Many People in Modern Society No Longer Believe This to Be the Case! For Many, Marriage Lasts Until the Husband or Wife Meets Someone Else or They Can No Longer “Get Along.” For Many, Marriage Is No Longer Viewed to Be: “Until Death Do You Part.”

Many Married Couples Simply Do Not Understand the Significance of the Marriage Bond. DO YOU!?! Only Those Who Do and Respect That Marriage Bond Have Any Chance of “Going the Distance” in Marriage.

The Permanency of the Marriage Bond. Genesis 2:24 (NASB) For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

From the Beginning, God Intended Marriage to Be Permanent (Gen 2:24). The Married Must “LEAVE” Father and Mother (i.e., forsake or renounce rule, yet still honor them – Eph. 6:2; 1 Tim. 5:4). Husband and Wife Are to “CLEAVE” to One Another (i.e., to join, cling or stick together, to stay close together). Husband and Wife Are to Be as “ONE FLESH” (i.e., sexual union)

God is the One Who “Joins” a Man and Woman Together in Holy Matrimony God is the One Who “Joins” a Man and Woman Together in Holy Matrimony. Matthew 19:4-6 (KJV) 4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

God is the One Who “Joins” a Man and Woman Together in Holy Matrimony (Matthew 19:4-6). God’s Marriage Law Must Be Respected (Mat. 19:4-6, 9; 5:32; Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18; Rom. 7:2-3; 1 Cor. 7:10-15; 39) For the “Joining” to Take Place. Government Laws Must Also Be Obeyed for the “Joining” to Take Place (Rom. 13:1-4), Provided Those Laws Do Not Contradict God’s Laws (Acts 5:29).

What Does it Mean to Be “Joined” Together by God in Marriage? Man and Woman is Bound Together By the Law of God! (Rom. 7:2).

Romans 7:2 (NASB) For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband.

Malachi 2:14 (NASB) … she is your companion and your wife by covenant. The Marriage Bond is a Covenant Before God, Joining Man & Woman in Marriage (Malachi 2:14). Malachi 2:14 (NASB) … she is your companion and your wife by covenant.

God Himself Witnesses or Ratifies the Covenant Making it Binding for Life! Romans 7:2 (NASB) For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband.

Only in the Event of Death of Either Husband or Wife is the Marriage Bond Loosened (only one other exception – Mat. 5:32; 19:9). Romans 7:2 (NASB) For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. 1 Corinthians 7:39 (NASB) A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

Once Death Occurs, the Husband or Wife Who Still Lives May Remarry (Rom. 7:2):

Leaving a Marriage Unlawfully Does Not Dissolve the Marriage Bond. To Marry Another Person While Your Spouse Still Lives is Adulterous! Romans 7:3 So then if, while her husband is living, she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress, though she is joined to another man.

The Remarriage is Adulterous Because the Woman is Still Bound to Her First Husband.

Though a Man and a Woman Marry, They Are Not Necessarily “Bound” By God (Lawfully Married). Just Because a Couple is Married According to Civil Authority (Rom. 13), Does Not Mean the Marriage is Approved of God! A Couple May Be Married, but not “Bound” with Respect to God’s Law (e.g., Mark 6:17-18).

Mark 6:17-18 (NASB) 17 For Herod himself had sent and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." Heriod was married to Herodias according to civil law. Yet, their marriage was “not lawful” according to God’s law. They were not “bound” by the law of God.

Leaving the marriage unlawfully (Divorce in violation of God’s law) Does not dissolve the marriage bond. To Divorce for Any Other Reason Other Than the Cause of Fornication Will Not Dissolve the Marriage Bond. Matt 19:9 (KJV) And I say unto you, 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.

Fornication = unlawful sexual intercourse, incest, adultery, homosexuality, lesbianism, prostitution, bestiality.

There is No Other Cause for Divorce Permitted by God in His Word.

When Divorce for a Reason Other Than Fornication Occurs and Remarriage to Others Takes Place, ADULTERY is the Result (Mat. 19:9; 5:32; Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18).

Matthew 19:9 (KJV) And I say unto you, 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 5:32 (KJV) 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.

Mark 10:11-12 (NASB) And He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; 12 and if she herself divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery."

Luke 16:18 (NASB) "Every one who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and he who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery.”

“… marries another commits adultery…” (Luke 16:18)

Is Remarriage Ever Acceptable to God? When Divorce Takes Place for the Cause of Fornication, Only the Innocent Person (Who Did Not Commit Fornication) May Remarry (Mat. 5:31-32; 19:9).

Matt 5:31-32 (KJV) 31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: 32 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. – cf. Mt 19:9 * The Innocent Party Who Did Not Commit Fornication May “Put Away” (Divorce) His Mate Who is Guilty of Fornication.

Only When God’s Law is Followed for Divorce is the Marriage Bond Loosened, Allowing the Innocent Party to Remarry (Mat. 5:32; 19:9).

The Guilty Person Who Has Been “Put Away” (Divorced) for Fornication May Not Remarry (Mat. 5:32; 19:9).

Matt 5:32 (KJV) 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. Matt 19:9 (KJV) And I say unto you, 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. KJV

When Divorce Occurs for a Cause Other Than Fornication, Sin Has Been Committed. To Divorce for a Reason Not Authorized by Christ is to Break His Law Which is Sin (1 John 3:4). To Receive Forgiveness from God, Repentance is Required (Acts 8:22; 2 Cor. 7:9-10).

If Divorce Has Occurred without Lawful Cause, What Does Repentance Require? 1 Cor. 7:10-11 (NKJV) Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. 11 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. “Depart” (chorizo) (“Put asunder” – Mat. 19:6) = Divorce.

Compare to Another Conditional Statement: 1 John 2:1 (NASB) My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. * IF anyone sins (not by permission, but by mistake), There is a Way of Forgiveness Through Jesus Christ.

The Lord, through the apostle Paul, is not giving permission to divorce, anymore than he gives us permission to commit any sin! But if sin does occur, which unfortunately does (Rom. 3:23), then there are instructions we must follow to get right with God again.

Unlawful divorce (which is sin) requires true repentance which requires an honest and sincere attempt to reconcile(1 Cor. 7:11). One Cannot Choose to “remain unmarried” without even trying their best to reconcile!

1 Cor 7:11 (NASB) if she does leave, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband… True repentance will be demonstrated by our actions and not just what we feel in our hearts: “Therefore bring forth fruits in keeping with repentance” (Luke 3:8).

If Reconciliation is Not Possible (It Takes Both Husband & Wife to Want to Reconcile), Then They Must Remain Unmarried (1 Cor. 7:11). They Must Remain Unmarried, Though They are Still “Bound By Law” (God’s Law) (Rom. 7:2) to One Another.

How Can They Be Unmarried, Yet Still Be Bound!?! Remember Herod and Herodias? They were married according to civil law yet unlawfully married according to God’s law, therefore NOT bound (Mark 6:17-18). In This Case (1 Cor. 7:11), a Couple is Unmarried, Yet STILL bound to one another by God’s law.

Respect the Marriage Bond! Understanding the Permanency of Marriage Will Lead to Greater Commitment in Marriage. Recognition of the Marriage Bond Will Cause Couples to Work Out Their Problems Instead of Divorce. Keeping the Marriage Bond in Your Heart Leads to a Dedication to Obey all of God’s will on How Marriage Should Be Conducted (e.g., Eph 5:22-33; Col 3:18-19; Tit 2:4-5; 1 Pet 3:1-7; etc.).