2. What God’s Word says about Matthew 19:9 “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

3. What God’s Word says about Matthew 19:9 "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery." NKJV

4. “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” Gen. 2:18 “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” Heb. 13:4

5. 1. And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan; 2. And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.

6. 3 ¶ The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 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,

7. 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.

8. 7. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 8. He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

9. 9. 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. Any Person Christian / non-Christian Popular / unpopular Rich / poor

10. 9. 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. Divorce – release Dismissal – public Civil procedure

11. 9. 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. If and only if fornication Marital unfaithfulness All illicit sexual relations

12. 9. 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. Another person Another man or woman A new marriage

13. 9. 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. Present tense – continuous Keeps on committing adultery

14. 9. 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. Marrying one put away for fornication Keeps on committing adultery

15. All persons who shall put away their companions and shall marry another companion, except upon the grounds of fornication upon the part of the companion put away, are persons who keep on committing adultery.

16. All persons who because of fornication upon the part of their companions, put away their companions and form another marriage are persons who do not commit adultery.

17. “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.”

18. 9. 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.

19. “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.”

20. 1. To discourage divorce 2. To punish the guilty 3. To protect the innocent

21. Under the O.T. Law  Guilty party stoned to death  Lev. 20:10-16  Innocent party free to remarry

22. Under the N.T. Law  No death penalty for guilty  Forbidden to remarry  Innocent party free to remarry

23. Many theories trying to get around the teaching of Jesus on Marriage / Divorce / Remarriage Waiting Game Does not Apply to All people

24. Some say Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are part of the Old Testament Matt. 19:9 and Matt. 5:32 about divorce and remarriage Not repeated after Acts 2

25. When were the gospels written?  Matthew - - about 50 AD  Mark - - about 55 AD  Luke - - about 63 AD  John - - about 80 to 90 AD After the church was established

26. New era with John’s Ministry “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.” Lk.16:16  Law was in force until John  Three years of transition  Gospel was being preached

27. Jesus taught about a new law “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.” Matt. 4:23 15 timesBefore Acts 2

28. The Great Commission – Mt. 28:20 “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:” What Jesus taught during his three and half years of ministry was to be observed by those who obeyed the Gospel.

29. It did not apply to people under the law of Moses Cannot apply to us in Heaven

30. BookGodManWomanFleshLifetimeException

32. Sermon by Arthur Pigman Evans Church of Christ 515 Gibbs Road Evans, Ga. 30809 706-855-1249evanscoc@bellsouth.netwww.evansgachurchofchrist.org Sunday Evening Jan. 6, 2008