Not The Unpardonable Sin

More and more people seem to forget Henry Ford's sage advice when asked on his 50th wedding anniversary for his rule for marital bliss and longevity. He replied, "Just the same as in the automobile business, stick to one model." Christian Clippings, p. 27.

Ten, twenty years ago, we knew what sin was. Sin was sin and we called it by its right name. But in this day, in terms of modern pop psychology, sin is decreasing. What do I mean? A parent who kills their child is not seen as responsible because they themselves have been abused as a child. A drunkard who squanders his health and financial resources, and abuses his family is considered to be ill. We don’t use the words adultery and fornication anymore. We now talk about being sexually active.

 Matt 5:31-32
31 "It was said, "WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE';  32 but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. 

In a day and age where divorce touches just about every family, this was a hard sermon to preach. In some circles divorce is still looked upon it would seem as the unpardonable sin. I have always had a problem with this attitude, many time like in the case of my wife's first marriage; a person's marriage ends in divorce through no fault of their own. Does this make them a second class Christian, I don't think so. Remember there is no sin so great that Christ Jesus can not forgive it except the sin of unbelief.  That said here is a break down of Matt. 5:31-32

I. Biblical teachings on marriage and divorce.

1. Marriage is the one-flesh union of one man and one woman that is to be broken only by death (Matt. 19:4 – 5): And He answered and said, "Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said, "FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH'?

2. God’s ideal is that one man and one woman shall remain together in this one-flesh union (Gen. 2:18; 1 Cor. 7:10 – 11). (Rom 7:2) 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.

3. Since two people are joined together by God (Gen. 1:27 – 28), this union is not to be broken by man (Matt. 19:6): "So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate."

4. Moses did not command divorce, but he gave permission to divorce (Deut. 24:1 – 4; Matt. 19:1 – 8) because of Israel’s moral inferiority.

5. Christ Jesus granted the right of divorce only on the ground of marital infidelity (Matt. 5:32; 19:9).

1. Our Lord indicated that when a man divorces his wife without this ground, he may cause her to be corrupted morally, thereby causing her and any man whom she marries to share in adultery

2. (Matt. 19:9): "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."

6. Christ Jesus taught that marriage after divorce, without the ground of marital infidelity, is adultery.

7. Christ Jesus implied that the spouse of an adulterer has a right to remarry after divorce (Matt. 5:32; 19:9).

1. Our Lord said, “except for marital unfaithfulness” in these two passages. This phrase indicates that the “innocent party” in the divorce has grounds to remarry.

8. Christ Jesus taught that divorce was never in God’s original plan for marriage (Matt. 19:6).

1. He never really attempted anywhere to set forth a law concerning divorce, but He intended to emphasize that the marriage union can be broken only by adultery.

II. Some conclusions on divorce and remarriage. One might draw the following conclusions from a study of the Scriptures on this subject:

1. Any person who puts away his or her partner for any other reason than adultery, and marries again, commits adultery.

2. The “innocent party” in a divorce case is free to marry again.

3. While divorce is permitted by God in case of adultery, it is not commanded.

1. There is no evidence that one would be living in adultery if he or she continues to live with an adulterous mate.

III. Some suggestions for a happy home.

1. Before considering marriage, persons should be sure that their love is the everlasting kind.

2. Persons should be mature before they marry. The highest divorce rate is among teenage couples.

3. Persons should marry with the determination to make the union last.

4. One should recognize what really matters in marriage. Alfred Sutro once wrote a play called A Maker of Men, in which a bank clerk returns home after missing a promotion and says, “I see other men getting on; what have I done?” His wife answers: “You have made a woman love you. You have given me respect for you and admiration and loyalty and devotion — everything a man can give his wife except luxury, and that I don’t need. Still you call yourself a failure, who within these four walls are the greatest success!”

5. Persons contemplating divorce should count the cost to self, spouse, children, parents, relatives, church, and society in general. They should ask, “Can this divorce be justified from the Christian viewpoint?”

6. Persons already divorced must ask God for help in finding His will.

Conclusion: Shortly after a British jet crossed and recrossed the Atlantic in about eight hours, a cartoon was printed in the New York Times. It pictured a jet traveling at fantastic speed. The plane was labeled “Man’s Scientific Progress.” On the ground was a huge turtle moving slowly and ponderously. The turtle was labeled “Man’s Moral Progress.”

In a vivid way, this cartoon symbolized what could be the tragedy of the modern age and the most compelling reason for greater attention to the biblical principles for the Christian home.