Divorce and Adultery

7/30/2019 Divorce and Adultery

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Divorce

andAdulteryA CRITICAL REVIEW

BYRONALD B. HARVEY II

Copyright 1997 & 2013

Forward by Author:

In 81 I met the most wonderful woman in the world. I wanted to marry her but drew flackfrom almost every minister I knew, save my pastor. I was quoted many passages of scripture bythem. Though each minister had a different opinion of what the verses meant, they insisted Iwould be committing sin and go to hell if I married her.

I knew nothing about the subject to speak of except that which I had heard preached. I told mywife to be that; "If they are right, we cannot marry." Thus began my research into this verydelicate subject. I knew if they were correct I would have lost a good woman. She agreed thatif they were right and the Bible did indeed forbid it, then we could not marry.

Within the following study, you will see what I found. I hope it convicts some hardheartedsaints and frees others from guilt.

The LAW of God is clear concerning this subject. How the subject became twisted through theyears is beyond me.


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Chapter 1

What do you mean: Sin?

I know of no other person in scripture that states the explanation to this question as plainly as theApostle John:

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression

of the law.

If the LAW is truly done away with, how can a minister DARE accuse someone of sinning? TheApostle Paul makes it plain when he says:

Rom 4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

I am sure that for the majority of "Christianity at large" this is all the proof they need to justifytheir sinful lives and tell you, "don't judge me." For them, nothing is sin. But I am persuadedbetter things of you dear reader, including things that accompany salvation.

SIN: Strongs: 266 hamartia (ham-ar-tee'-ah); from 264; a sin (properly abstract): KJV--

offence, sin (-ful).

264 hamartano (ham-ar-tan'-o); perhaps from 1 (as a negative particle) and the base of

3313; properly, to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize), i.e. (figuratively) to err,

especially (morally) to sin: KJV-- for your faults, offend, sin, trespass.

This is John's word, how else is it used?

2 Cor 11:7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because

I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be

healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Everywhere else it is translated SIN. There are so many different ways it is rendered in the OldTestament that we have to look at John's word (sin) and see if we can find a direct quote from theOld Testament and then, look up that Hebrew word:

Rom 4:7, 8 Saying, blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven,

Ps 32:1, 2 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,

Rom 4:7, 8 and whose sins are covered.

Ps 32:1, 2: whose sin (sin offering) is covered. e.g. (is covered by a sin offering.)


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Romans 4:7, 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin (266anoffence).

Psalms 32:1-2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity (5771

Punishment, Fault or Mischief).

The Hebrew word for sin here is:

2401 chata'ah (khat-aw-aw'); feminine of 2399; an offence, or a sacrifice for it: KJV-- sin(offering).

In Psalms 40:6 2401 is rendered: Sin Offering!

The word rendered SIN in Romans 4:8 is 266 but,

INIQUITY in Ps 32:2 is different from 2401:

5771 `avon (aw-vone'); or `avown (2 Kings 7:9; Psalm 51:5 [7]) (aw-vone'); from 5753;perversity, i.e. (moral) evil: KJV-- fault, iniquity, mischief, punishment (of iniquity), sin.

1. Punishment: Gen 4:13; Lev 26:41, 43; 1 Sam 28:10; Lam 4:6; Ez 14:10 (3 times)

2. Mischief: 2Kings 7:9

3. Iniquity: Many times; get out your Strongs and look.

4. Fault: 2 Sam 3:8; Psa 59:4

We can see here, at least, that the New Testament writers viewed the word (266) hamartia

(sin, fault, offence) to be equivalent to at least TWO different Hebrew words. However,both Hebrew words indicate PUNISHMENT or REMEDY as a result of the action againstthe Law. Example: You cry out, "he committed adultery!" the PUNISHMENT for this

crime was DEATH. It had no REMEDY under the Law. Everyone knew that.

Exodus 20:15

Thou shalt not steal.

Lets say you stole from someone, say a truck. When you were caught, if the truck was ok,you paid the owner back two trucks. If though, you sold or wrecked it; you paid the owner

5 trucks. If you died trying to steal it, you paid with your life. If you survived the night

you paid as though you got away with it and was caught with the truck in good shape. Ifyou had no money, you were sold for the value and the money was given to the owner. (Ex

22:1-4).


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Why was there no sacrifice provided as a remedy? The reason is; not all Law transgressionis against God himself. Sometimes it is ONLY against our fellow man! The Law of God is

BOTH CIVIL and RELIGIOUS in its content. Transgressions against God and Man are

included.

In both cases SOME ACTION (Judgment) is made to the injured one.

Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

(This verse is not a direct quote)

Heb 8:12

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I

remember no more.

Jer 31:33-34

But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days,

saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be

their God, and they shall be my people.

And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying,

Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them,

saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin (sin offerings)no more.

STRONGS: 2403 chatta'ah (khat-taw-aw'); or chatta'th (khat-tawth'); from 2398; an offence(sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation; also(concretely) an offender: KJV-- punishment (of sin), purifying (-fication for sin), sin (-ner,offering).

This word in intricately connected with the Sin Offering. To forget their sin in offerings

is to not remember their SINS! This word has no PUNISHMENT but only REMEDY. Torefuse the remedy is to invite death.

Heb 10:6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

Psa 40:6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burntoffering and sin offering (2401)hast thou not required.

Ask yourself:

1. Is the TRANSGRESSION between you and God OR Is the TRANSGRESSION between

you and Man?


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2. If it is between you and God, what is the JUDGMENT; Sacrifice, Death, or Restitution?

3. If it is between you and Man, what is the JUDGMENT; Sacrifice, Death, or Restitution?

Only if you know the Law of God can you know the answer.


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A man's wife commits adultery with another man against HER husband. This makes theother man an adulterer and the wife an adulterous. A wife is the PROPERTY of a man

under God's Law.

Four commandments are broken immediately in adultery

1. Exodus 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.(Doing so leads to the violation of 4 others, maybe even 5 other of the 10)

6 total commands of the 10 are violated in the act of adultery.

2. Exodus 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife(Unholy lust that leads totheft)

3.Exodus 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.(A wife is a mans living property joined to his own

flesh, adultery leads to the murder of this untied flesh)

4. Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not Kill (Adultery murders the ONE made of the two).

5. Exodus 20: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. (This is conditionalin adultery but circumstances can apply).

To covet is to lust:

Rom 7:7 for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Jesus said:

Matt 5:27, 28

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I

say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed

adultery with her already in his heart.

The term "in his heart" does NOT mean he only thought about it. It means he SET OUT

TO DO IT!

"In his heart"

Gen 8:21; 17:17; 27:41; Exodus 4:14; 35:34; Deut 29:19; 1 Sam 21:12; 27:1; 2 Sam 7:27

I Kings 10:24 ; 12:26 ; 1 Chr 17:25 ; 2 Chr 9:23 ; 32:31 ; Esther 6:6 ; 7:5 ; Ps 10:6,11,13 ; Ps

14:1

Ps 15:2 ; 37:31 ; 53:1 ; 55:21 ; Prove 6:14 ; 23:7 ; 26:25 ; Isa 10:7 ; 44:19 ; Ezek 14:4,7 ;

Dan 1:8


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Dan 8:25; Obad 1:3; Matt 5:28; 13:19; 24:48; Mark 11:23; Luke 12:45

You might even argue that Jesus did not say "a wife" but "a woman." The Greek languagedoes not contain a separate word for wife. The same word renders both wife and woman.

The only sure way to know in the text is if the Greek word for HUSBAND is present.

However, based on the precedent set forth in Lev 20:10 there is no reason to suspect thatthis "woman" is anything other than married or engaged to another man.

"Looketh on a woman" This term refers to a STAKE OUT and groups an adulterer with amurderer and thief.

Job 24:13-16 They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the waysthereof, nor abide in the paths thereof. The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor

and needy, and in the night is as a thief. The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the

twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face. In the dark they (Murderer,Thief, and Adulterer) dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the

daytime: they know not the light.

Psalms 50:18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been

partaker with adulterers.

Prov. 6:32But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he thatdoeth it destroyeth his own soul.

Some point to this verse as the man committing adultery with a harlot, read the next couple

verses, see verse 34? This raging man is HER husband.

Prov. 6:33-35 A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wipedaway. For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day ofvengeance. He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest

many gifts.

Prov. 30:20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth,and saith, I have done no wickedness.

NOTE: This woman is contrasted with a MAID (unmarried, neither engaged female) in

verse 19.


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CHAPTER 3

The Difference between Divorce and simple Separation

Jer 3:8, 9 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committedadultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sisterJudah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

God himself to Israel did BOTH PUT HER AWAY & gave her a BILL OF DIVORCE.

Now, the LAW says, she is FREE to marry another

Deu 24:1-4When a man hath taken (engaged) a wife, and married her, and it come topass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her:

then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his

house. And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife.

And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her

hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be

his wife;Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife,after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause

the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

[NOTE: The former husband CAN take her back IF she remained SINGLE.]

WHAT THEN ABOUT:

Matt 19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be forfornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which

is put away doth commit adultery.

Mark 10:11-12 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry

another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband,and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

Luke 16:16-19

The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached,and every man presseth into it. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittleof the law to fail. Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth

adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth

adultery.


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Matt 5:30-33And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it isprofitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body

should be cast into hell. It hath been said,

Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

But I say unto you,

That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her tocommit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced.

(Strong's 630 means to put away, not divorce) committeth adultery.

Q. Is not Jesus in Matthew 19:9 saying that if a man Divorces his wife and marries another

woman, that he is committing adultery against his FORMER wife?

A. No, notice that...

#1, He is ONLY putting AWAY his wife NO BILL OF DIVORCEMENT is issued.

#2, he is marring ANOTHER. Another what? The word is Strongs #243 which is another

in class. Meaning, he has married another woman who is a PUT AWAY WIFE and not

divorced.

Lest you misunderstand Jesus gives only ONE (1) cause for divorce; FORNICATION!

Not because you don't like each other or whatever dumb reason you want.

Rom 7:3

So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an

adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no

adulteress, though she be married to another man.

This verse in not referencing a DIVORCED woman, but rather a wife who is ONLY

separated from her husband. Else why would the Apostle Paul then tell the Church at

Corinth

1Cor 7:10-15

BELIEVERS:

And unto the married (IN THE Lord) I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife

depart from her husband; But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be


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reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. (This is NOT aDIVORCE but a SEPARATION).

A COMMAND TO BELIEVERS WHO HAVE UNBELIEVING SPOUSES:

But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and shebe pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.

And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwellwith her, let her not leave him. Note: "let her not leave him" divorce is not at issue here.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified

by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in

such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

What bondage? This word #1402 in Strong's is one being enslaved or making themselves a

slave. They are no longer in BONDAGE to their ex-spouse and THAT relationship. They

have NO command to reconcile with that one that left; they are free to marry "only in theLord."

1Cor 7:39

The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, sheis at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

Note: unbelievers are considered DEAD if they leave the relationship

"For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the (believing) wife, and the unbelieving wife

is sanctified by the (believing) husband: else were your children unclean; but now are theyholy."

If you do not know the LAW of GOD then you cannot understand the New

Testament when it references it.


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CHAPTER 4

A View To A Kill.

John 8:4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

Why did Jesus not condemn this woman?

Note, John says: in verse 6 "This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse

him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard

them not."

The LAW said

Lev 20:10

And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth

adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to

death.

Deut 22:20-30 If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall

both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put

away evil from Israel.

If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city,

and lie with her; Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall

stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; andthe man, because he hath humbled his neighbour's wife: (note: she was only engaged to aman and yet considered his wife) so thou shalt put away evil from among you.

Jesus COULD NOT judge her, they claimed she was found IN THE ACT, why then did not

these men bring the man also? The Law of GOD could NOT be served because it was NOT

followed!

These men therefore TOOK AWAY FROM THE WORD Deut 4:2 Neither shall yediminish ought from it.

Deut 4:1-2

Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach

you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God

of your fathers giveth you. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neithershall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your

God which I command you.


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James asks:

James 2:11For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou

commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

These men were transgressors of God's Law in that they DID NOT KEEP IT, both statutes

and judgments.

They made themselves FALSE Witnesses! This is another violation of God's Law, is it then

no wonder that Jesus ask them in verse 7

"So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is

without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."

Caught in their trap they could not fulfill the LAW in that they did not KEEP the Law.

This pamphlet only scratches the surface of this subject. Now that you are aquatinted with

the LAW on adultery and divorce you can understand the verses that deal with it.

Just remember the criteria for marriage:

If it is: YES: Can Marry OR NO: Cannot marry

If it is NO and one does marry it is adultery.

A.

Single man, Single female = YESB. Single man, Engaged female = NOC. Single man, unengaged female (was, now is not) = YESD. Single man, Married woman = NOE. Single man, Separated only (put away with NO divorce papers) female = NOF. Single man, Separated & Divorced female = YES

The above applies if the MAN is married.

Remember, adultery is contingent on the marital status of the woman, not the man.

Again, just remember the criteria for marriage: WHAT constitutes adultery and you willknow if your marriage plans are lawful according to God's LAW.

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