The difference in this passage and the previous two, is that there is not even an exception clause. This is really the way God intended it to be. There should be no reason at all to divorce and marry again.
About the only difference in this reading that the previous two did not contain is the statement "against her". The thing to understand is that when adultery is committed it is not against yourself that you do this dastardly deed, it is against your spouse. As we will see later on, The sin of adultery is compared to the sin of idolatry. In many of the prophetical writings, God uses the term adultery to describe the feelings He has about His children honoring other gods. If you can understand how you would feel if your spouse honored others and gave their bodies to someone else, then you can understand how God feels when His children reject Him and turn and serve other gods.
As one does not commit idolatry against themself, so one does not commit adultery against themself either. The sin that is committed definitly will keep you out of heaven, the person who is sinned against is your spouse. God is also the one whom we sin against. The wife of Potiphar tried to seduce Joseph. His statement is a very important one. Joseph drew some conclusions and said that it was a sin against God (Gen 39:9). Any sin that is committed is in violation of God's laws(1 John 3:4). Some sins are against our own bodies. Some sins are against others. And all sins are against God. Just look at all the sins that one breaks when they commit adultery.
1. They did not keep their
vow.
2. They committed fornication.
3. The lust of the flesh, eye, and pride are all indicated.
4. The lying necessary to cover up.
5. In some cases, other sins are done to cover this sin. Look at what David did
to Uriah the Hittitite (2 Sam. 11).
6. They proved themselves untrustworthy.
7. They set the wrong example.
8. They participated in other peoples sins.
Had they reserved their sexual appetite for their own marriage bed, then none of these sins would have been to their account. So you see, that this sin is against someone in a relationship. Anytime you do something as a part of a relationship, your actions can cause harm to those in that relationship. You sin against them. If you are in a business partnership and steal funds; you have not only broken the law, but you have sinned against your partners. If you are in a military relationship and do not stand your post or watch; you have failed to protect your fellow soldiers and put them at risk. You have sinned against God and your fellow soldiers.
Sin is to our detriment. It will produce for us the second death. It will keep us out of Heaven. So we are hurting ourselves when we sin, but we do not just sin against ourselves. If you are in a relationship, you hurt those in that relationship. If you comply with a prostitute, you involve her in your sin. Do not just try to reason that because she is a whore, she does not have a soul, or that she is hell-bound anyway.
Another thing to keep in mind. The act of marriage of a third party is called adultery by our Lord. Adultery does not have to be the sex act. By entering a binding relationship that society or government recognizes, this act is committed. It could be that they never come together in a sexual way. But by just being recognized as husband and wife, they are guilty of adultery.
Note; the person who marries a person whose spouse is still alive commits the adultery. The person who marries again while their first spouse lives is guilty of adultery (Rom 7:3). The person who put away their spouse for unjust reason, causes them to commit adultery if they remarry. There are only two exceptions found in all of God's word that would allow a second marriage to be right.
(a) the first spouse dies. (b) the first spouse committed fornication or adultery and was put away for that reason.
Some will argue that if two people divorce without cause, and one of them marries years later, then the one who did not marry has a right to put them away and be able to marry without sin. That teaching cannot come from these passages. It must be one of emotion that prompts people to find ways to get married again without the guilt of sin. Furthermore, I do not believe that I can answer this question properly to the satisfaction of anyone involved in such a case. I do know of such cases.
Each person involved in a divorce must study God's word to determine their own situation. They must do so with the understanding that God's word will judge them. The passages of scripture that are involved here are very plain and simple to understand. I believe that they are sufficient to cover any marriage situation that anybody can think up.
If these people would remain
married in the first place and fulfill their responsibilities in their own
marriage, then we would not have these problems.
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index
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