Truth Magazine

By Paul K. Williams

In recent years a new argument has been put forth by those who teach that a divorced person, regardless of the reason for his divorce, has the scriptural right to marry again without sin. Since these people have used several other arguments through the years, I am very suspicious of any new argument they come up with. They remind me of the Christian Church preachers trying to justify the use of instrumental music in worship. Every so often they come up with a “new” argument, usually from the Greek language, which is supposed to revolutionize our thinking about instrumental music. It is clear to me that they are motivated by a desire to justify their practice, not to find what the scriptures teach. They have been driven off of every argument they made in the past, but instead of abandoning their unscriptural practice they look for new arguments. Those who seek to justify remarriage for the unscripturally divorced person have been met on their past arguments, but instead of abandoning their false doctrine they have found a new argument! You can excuse me for being suspicious of it.

The New Position Stated

The arguments is found in the book Marriage and Divorce by John L. Edwards, first published in 1985 and a revised edition published in 1990.1 can paraphrase the position like this:

The Greek word translated adultery in Matthew 19:9 and Matthew 5:32 sometimes, in other places, means some practice other than sexual unfaithfulness to a marriage partner. The Greek verbs translated “divorces” and “marries” another are present participles, and that means the adultery in the verses must take place at the same time as those actions. Since the sex act comes after the second marriage, the word adultery in these verses cannot mean the sex act. Since it does not mean the sex act, it must mean the breaking of the marriage covenant. Therefore the act of divorce is adultery. You do not commit adultery by having sex in the second marriage. The only sin is the divorce, which you can repent of and receive forgiveness for. The second marriage is not a sin.

Here are some quotes from Edwards: “Therefore, the action of adultery is at the time of the divorce and the remarriage. It is the action of divorcing a faithful wife for the purpose of marrying someone else” (p. 52). (My comment: This is like saying forgiveness of sins comes before baptism [See Mark 16:16 and Acts 2:38]. Edwards makes the adultery take place at the time of the divorce and before the remarriage. In Matt. 19:9 Jesus makes both necessary to the committing of adultery. “Whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” Edwards cannot solve this contradiction.) Other quotes from the book say the same thing: “. . . it is the act of destroying the marriage that is adultery, according to Jesus” (p. 55). (My comment: Whatever “adultery” means in the first part of Matthew 5:32, it means in the last part. The last part says, “whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” This man had no part in destroying a marriage, yet he commits adultery. Edwards’ definition won’t work.) “Jesus was speaking against divorce for married people and not marriage for divorced people” (55). “Adultery is committed if one divorces a faithful spouse (this action is adultery)” (61). “To marry someone after they are divorced is not a sin in and of itself. THE SIN WAS GETTING THEDIVORCE.” (64) “WE CONCLUDE THAT ADULTERY IS THE BREAKING OF A COVENANT ” (56).

The Greek Lexicons Speak

There are many problems with this position. One of the greatest is that the new definition is contradicted by all the standard lexicons (dictionaries) of New Testament Greek. In the 1992 Hicks-Smith Debate, J.T. Smith showed that Thayer and Vine (the two best-known Greek authorities) both define “adultery” in Matthew 5:32 and 19:9 to mean the sexual act.

J.H. Thayer’s lexicon defines moichao to mean: “to have unlawful intercourse with another’s wife, to commit adultery with.” He then lists Matthew 5:32 and 19:9 under that usage. In fact, he lists every New Testament passage using the word as having that meaning. Later he notes that the word was used by Greeks in a figurative sense and gives some instances from secular writings. But the only usage of this word in the New Testament means to have unlawful intercourse with another’s spouse.

W.E. Vine first defines the noun moichos. He says it “denotes one who has unlawful intercourse with the spouse of another.” Then he says of moichao, “used in the Middle Voice in the N.T., is said of men in Matt. 5:32; 19:9; Mark 10:11; of women in Mark 10:12.”

Neither Thayer Nor Vine Hints That “Adultery”

Has a Figurative Use In Those Passages.

Hicks had no real reply to what Thayer and Vine said. He did not try to quote other Greek lexicons to contradict them. He simply said they were wrong because the tense of the Greek words “divorces” and “marries again” requires the action of adultery to be committed at the same time, not afterward. He and Edwards (who moderated for Hicks in the debate) are aligned against every reputable Greek lexicon. Their desire to justify the remarriage of unscripturally divorced people has caused them to brush aside these authorities, and even the standard English translations of the Bible. On page 51 Edwards quotes Matthew 5:32 as “. . . anyone who divorces his wife, except for fornication, makes her adulterated.” So he rejects the lexicons and the standard translations of the Bible!

The Figurative Use of “Adultery”

It is well-known that the word “adultery” is used figuratively in the Bible. Such verses as Jeremiah 3:8-9 abound. “And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a writ of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also. And it came about because of the lightness of her harlotry, that she polluted the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.” Such us-ages are easy to understand because they carry the basic meaning of sexual unfaithfulness to one’s spouse. Since Israel and Judah were in a relationship to Jehovah as wives to a husband, when they went after other gods they were acting the same as wives who go after other men. The stones and trees were idols. Judah was giving her love to idols instead of to God; therefore she was committing adultery.

It is easy to see that the basic definition given by the Greek lexicons, that adultery is sexual intercourse with the spouse of another, continues as the meaning even when the word is used figuratively.

When Edwards writes, “WE CONCLUDE THAT ADULTERY IS THE BREAKING OF A COVENANT” (56), he makes a crucial error. His definition is incomplete. Adultery is the violation of a covenant, of course, but of a specific covenant by a specific act. Adultery is the violation of the covenant of marriage by sexual intercourse with someone else. Figuratively, adultery is the violation of a covenant which can be paralleled to marriage by a relationship with a for-bidden party which can be paralleled to sex. In Matthew 5:28, adultery is committed in the heart with a woman. There the lustful desire is counted as the act completed as far as guilt is concerned, but there are two parties involved in the heart of the man. Figurative adultery, like literal adultery, requires two parties.

In the Old Testament instances where God’s people committed adultery against him, they did it by going after other gods. Mere disobedience to God’s covenant is not called adultery. It was adultery when they committed deeds which could be paralleled to an unfaithful spouse having sex with someone not their spouse.

The Meaning in Matthew 19:9 and 5:32

Therefore, Edwards’ contention that divorce alone is adultery violates the use of the word in the Bible, and is now what Jesus said. It requires divorce and remarriage to produce adultery because adultery is sex with another than your spouse. The man makes his wife an adulteress by divorcing her because when the next man marries her he commits adultery, obviously with her, which makes her an adulteress. J.W. McGarvey comments on Matt. 5:32  “the mere fact of divorce did not make her an adulteress, but it brought her into a state of disgrace from which she invariably sought to free herself by contracting another marriage, and this other marriage to which her humiliating situation drove her made her an adulteress.” McGarvey was being true to the meaning of “adultery” in his comments. He recognized that she cannot be an adulteress without committing adultery with someone else. This is true whether the adultery be actual sex or a figurative use of the word (Bro. McGarvey was a Greek scholar. He saw nothing in the tense of the words “divorces” and “marries another” which requires the action of “adultery” to take place before the man . goes to bed with his new wife.)

The adultery committed by the man in Matthew 19:9 required two acts: divorce for a cause other than fornication and remarriage. The product of that is adultery. Those two acts are not adultery. They result in adultery. The parallel with Mark 16:16 is obvious. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved. Both acts are necessary to the result. And the two acts are not salvation, but salvation is the result. Divorce is not adultery. Divorce and remarriage are not adultery. He who divorces and remarries commits adultery. Adultery is the result of divorce and remarriage. When an unscripturally divorced man marries another woman, he commits an unlawful sexual act whenever he has sex with her. This is what Matthew 5:32 and 19:9 clearly teach.

“Divorce is not adultery. Divorce and remarriage are not adultery. He who divorces and remarries commits adultery. Adultery is the result of divorce and remarriage. When an unscripturally divorced man marries another woman, he commits an unlawful sexual act whenever he has sex with her. This is what Matthew 5:32 and 19:9 clearly teach.”

GuardianofTruth XXXVIII: 7, p. 16-17
April 7, 1994

By Johnie Edwards

There is a great demand that gospel sermons be based on the concept expressed in the words of the apostle Paul, “For What Saith the Scripture?” (Rom. 4:3; Gal. 4:30) If folks are going to know and understand the truth, preachers just must get back to making their appeal to the Scriptures, in their preaching! I sometimes attend a gospel meeting and not hear over one or two pas-sages of Scripture mentioned in the entire sermon. No wonder we are having problems on a number of Bible doctrines, with so many being untaught. In the Preaching Training Program of the Ellettsville (Indiana) church of Christ, Johnie Paul Edwards and I try to impress our young men with these admonitions: Speak As the Oracles of God.

Every gospel preacher must learn to prepare every sermon with the admonition of the apostle Peter in the back of his mind, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Pet. 4:11). Just what does this mean? This means that when a preacher preaches, he must teach only that which is taught in the Scriptures. No more and no less! If the Bible teaches it, then teach it; but if not, leave it off.

Speak What’s Seen and Heard The attitude expressed by the early men of God is surely worth remembering as preachers preach and teach. When the apostles were “commanded . . . not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus, Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:18-20). Have you ever thought what it would do if every preacher only preached what he reads in the Word of God?

Obey God Rather Than Men

When the high priest charged the apostles “that they should not teach in his name . . . Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men” (Accts 5:28-29). There are just too many preachers who try to be men-pleasers rather than God-pleasers. Paul wrote the Galatians, “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10). When a preacher stands in the pulpit to preach, he ought not to have a friend in the audience! The word must be preached and let the chips fall where they may.

Boldly

There is a great demand for boldness when it comes to gospel preaching. The preaching of the apostle Paul was characterized by boldness. It is said about Paul soon after his conversion, “And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 9:29). Preachers must not be afraid to preach it just like it is. Yet, at the same time, our preaching must be done in the spirit of “love” (Eph. 4:15).

Smite and Stamp

Young preachers, as well as the older ones, need to be taught to put some life into their preaching. God charged Ezekiel, “Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot” (Ezek. 6:11). There is nothing that moves an audience to respond to the teachings of the Bible more than enthusiastic book, chapter, and verse preaching.

Conclusion

I have always been interested in assisting young men who want to preach. Dale Wilson, Gary Fiscus, Mel Myers, Tony Mauck, Carl Lungstrum, John Henry are all preachers who I have worked with over the years, and there are more.

Johnie Paul Edwards and I have talked about a four week summer training program for those who might like to come and stay here for four weeks and study five days a week, all day long! They would be afforded opportunities to preach in a gospel meeting, write bulletin articles, write newspaper articles, do radio preaching and learn some good skills for effective gospel preaching. We would be happy to hear from those who might be interested in such a program.

Guardian of Truth XXXVIII: 8, p. 1
April 21, 1994

By Johnie P. Edwards

Paul, speaking by inspiration, charged Timothy, an evangelist, to “preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:2). The Scriptures furnish us with all the information needed concerning a preacher’s work, his qualifications, and how to do the work of preaching the Word. Let’s notice some things the Scriptures say about preaching the Word.

Have Love, A Pure Heart, And Unfeigned Faith

The Scriptures say, “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned” (1 Tim. 1:5). The work of preaching the word requires men who have love from a pure heart and who have a sincere faith. Preachers who don’t love the Lord, His Word, the brethren as they should, and who don’t have a sincere faith, violate the teaching of the Scriptures and do more harm than good.

War A Good Warfare

Those who preach are charged to “war a good warfare” (1 Tim. 1:18). We must war the good warfare for Christ! Paul said, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses” (1 Tim. 6:12). Paul was anxious that Timothy should be faithful to his position and his responsibilities. If you are going to preach, “war a good warfare” and “fight a good fight.” Don’t just go about it half way!

Behave Thyself

It would seem that some have never learned to behave themselves properly in the Lord’s church. “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God . . .” (1 Tim. 3:15). This behavior has to do with one’s conduct in the church. Behavior is an every-hour sermon, and reveals what a man is. One of the first responsibilities that every gospel preacher has is to take heed to yourself! Paul said, “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (1 Tim. 4:16). The Scriptures tell us all how to “behave” ourselves and it behooves us to do what it says!

Be Without Prejudice And Partiality

“I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality” (1 Tim. 5:21).God is no respecter of persons and neither should gospel preachers be. James said, “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons” (Jas. 2:1) and “if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin” (Jas. 2:9). It is vitally important, as preachers of the word, that we do the Lord’s work without prejudice and partiality.

Keep Thyself Pure

We would all do well to heed Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 5:22, “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure” (1 Tim. 5:22). The emphasis in this text should be put upon the word “thy-self.” One can only keep himself pure, and keep himself pure he must! One keeps himself pure by not sharing in the sins of others. While others may be guilty of immorality and all sorts of unrighteousness, preaching the word demands that we keep ourselves pure!

Flee The Love Of Money

The Scriptures tell those who preach the Word, as well as all Christians, to flee the love of money and learn to be content. “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, 0 man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness” (1 Tim. 6:6-11). One’s love for money will only entangle him with the affairs of this life (2 Tim. 2:3-4) and will cause him to lose sight of his real work of preaching the Word. Many a good preacher has fallen because he did not flee!

Be Not Ashamed Of The Gospel

Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16). We must, instead of being ashamed of the “testimony of the Lord” (2 Tim. 1:8), show that its hopes and promises are our most precious treasure. Those who preach the Word must never be ashamed of that which they preach! It is God’s power to save!

Study

Paul commanded, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). There certainly is no substitute for Bible study. Paul told Timothy, “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (1 Tim. 4:13). Diligence must be given, by those who preach the Word, to rightly divide the word of truth. Time must be given to study God’s Word. I’m afraid that far too many are spending their time studying the wrong source. The Scriptures tell us to study the Word!

Don’t Strive

“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient” (2 Tim. 2:24). While some seem to love “a good fight,” the Scriptures tell those who preach not to strive. We must never engage in bitter strife! Yet, we must “contend for the faith” at the same time (Jude 3). For this reason, we must avoid foolish and unlearned questions (2 Tim. 2:23). These are things that are not taught by God and only breed strife and division.

Preach The Word

The work of an evangelist, in three words is, “preach the word” (2 Tim. 4:2). Paul said, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” When Paul told Timothy what to preach, he specified the Word. The Word and only the Word is to be preached! Nothing more and nothing less will do! Paul told Titus, an evangelist, “But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine” (Tit. 2:1). The sound doctrine that Titus was to preach, stood in contrast to the false teaching of the misleading teachers of their day. Sound doctrine is doctrine that is true; true to God’s Word. We need preachers who will preach the Scriptures, the Faith, the Truth! Preach it urgently and persistently. Preaching is not a seasonal or convenience activity! “Preach it when they like it and don’t like it!”

Exhort and Rebuke With All Authority

“These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority ” (Tit. 2:15). The exhortations and reproofs of all preachers must be characterized by authority. Otherwise, the preaching may be lightly regarded. He must speak with the authority which comes from a knowledge of God’s Word. The Word must be preached without compromise and without keeping anything back. A reminder of the kind of preaching that God told Ezekiel to do may be in order here, “Thus Faith the Lord God; Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say . . .” (Ezek. 6:11). Perhaps, only God knows just how desperately we need this kind of preaching today.

Guardian of Truth XXXVIII: 8, p. 6-7
April 21, 1994

By James F. Miller

The Christian life is a struggle. It’s not so much a struggle against the physical world but rather against principalities and powers of a spiritual nature. Somewhere along the line people got the idea that being a Christian was a life of ease but nothing could be farther from the truth. The Bible is filled with examples that contradict this popular idea and a close look at the scriptures will make the point clear.

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians in the sixth chapter he tells the Ephesians to put on the whole armor of God that they may stand against the wiles of the devil. Paul goes on to explain what they were going to fight against and then again he tells them in verse 13 to take up the whole armor of God, that they may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand. Paul’s description here clearly shows that the Christian’s life is not going to be one of ease. In the following verses he goes on to teach that we have the tools with which to fight. We have truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, and above all the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. This being said we can now get to the point of this lesson.

Time after time I have heard brothers and sisters in Christ say that they don’t want to keep hearing about this denomination or that and what this one teaches or what that one teaches. Some may even say, “What do I care what’s being taught by others? I have the gospel so I’m safe.” Others say, “Well, it’s not my job, that’s what the preacher is for.” Brethren, we need to remember Luke 9:62. But Jesus said to him, “No one having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God. If we are going to take our marching orders in Mark 16:15,16 seriously we must be willing to take a stand for God’s word.

With the attitude that I have seen on the part of most Christians, it’s no wonder that the church isn’t growing. Until each one of us comes to the conclusion that it is not only the preachers’ responsibility to see that the gospel is spread throughout our community, the church isn’t going to grow. Look around you. Those who would teach false doctrine are going from house to house. What are we doing? Peter knew the danger of such false teachers and warned us about them (2 Pet. 2).

Brothers and sisters, it’s time we put on the whole armor of God and return to the battle. Let us give up our excuses  “I’m too busy,” “No one listens,” “I’m too old” etc. Let our cry be, “If God is with us, who can stand against us?” I implore each one who reads this to stop and ask himself, where would I be if someone hadn’t shown me the gospel? Then take time to thank God that that person was willing to teach you; then you go give the good news that Christ gave his life for us to someone else.

Guardian of Truth XXXVIII: 7, p. 4
April 7, 1994