from the Gospel of Matthew chapter 19 verse 9. The words of our Lord Jesus. And I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, commit adultery. and whoso merrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. We continue our series in areas related to the family and begin this Lord's Day considering the topic of divorce and remarriage. Divorce has, in one way or another, most likely touched the lives of every person within the sound of my voice. Whether it be a divorce that has occurred in your own life, in the life of your spouse, your parents, your children, a relative or a friend, We have all been affected to a greater or to a lesser degree by divorce. I have witnessed the pain of divorce develop into an all-consuming preoccupation that results in hatred and bitterness, that eats away at the very soul of a man or a woman, or that results in depression and despair of life itself. Certainly a divorce, dear ones, even when it is lawfully obtained on biblical grounds, is not a time to rejoice and celebrate, but rather a time to grieve and mourn, for it signifies the death of a marriage. Dear ones, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is able to redeem lives that have been broken and shattered by divorce, and by all of the events surrounding a divorce. Although the Christian may be unjustly treated in this life, even by those within his or her own household, The Christian should never view himself or herself as merely a helpless victim that has nowhere to turn. In Romans chapter 8, the Apostle Paul makes it ever so clear that whatever we pass through in this life, we can never be separated from the love of Jesus Christ. Listen to the words of Paul. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long. We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loves us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Nothing, dear ones, can separate us from that love. And so I urge you to consider today, dear ones, in all trials that occur in this life, don't flee from Christ, flee to Christ. Do not despair of Christ, but rather repair to Christ. Over the next few weeks, I will be discussing and addressing the issues of divorce and remarriage. This Lord's Day, we will consider the teaching of our Lord from Matthew chapter 19, verse 9. My main points for the sermon this Lord's Day are as follows. First of all, the origin of marriage. Chapter 19 verses 3-6. Second, the origin of divorce. Chapter 19 verses 7-8. Third, a lawful reason for divorce. Chapter 19 verse 9. So first of all, the origin of marriage. Look with me if you will, chapter 19, verses 3 through 6. 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? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female? 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. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. Before we can consider the question put to Christ by the Pharisees and his response to that question, we should make sure we understand what a lawful divorce is. That was what they were asking. That's the nature of the question. Can we divorce our wives for any cause? So we need to understand what is a lawful divorce. Essentially, there are two different views of the nature of a lawful divorce. One of these views is unscriptural, and one view is scriptural. First of all, a lawful divorce, it is stated by some, a lawful divorce does not actually dissolve the marriage bond, but only separates a married couple from fulfilling their marital duties to one another. There is no dissolution of the marital bond, according to this view. Thus, according to this view, since the divorce does not dissolve the marital bond, Those who divorce can never lawfully remarry. If a couple lawfully divorce, according to this view, they must remain single until the husband or the wife dies. At the time of the Reformation, this was the view promoted and defended by the Church of Rome. A second view. A lawful divorce does indeed dissolve the marriage bond and does terminate the marital duties owed to the former husband or wife. Thus, according to this view, since the divorce dissolves the marriage bond, those who divorce can lawfully remarry. And at the time of the Reformation, this was the view promoted and defended by the Reformed churches. Let me simply note at this time that if the marriage bond is formally established in leaving father and mother, in cleaving unto husband or wife, and in becoming one flesh with husband and wife as taught in Genesis chapter 2 verse 24. Then the marriage bond is formally broken and dissolves when those duties are voluntarily and permanently terminated in a lawful divorce. To speak of a marriage bond continuing when there is no intention nor attempt to fulfill the conditions that established that bond in the first place is contrary to nature, contrary to reason, and contrary to scripture. Certainly there may be extraordinary situations when couples are separated and unable to fulfill all of their marital duties one to another. As in the time of a lawful war, when a husband is separated from his wife. As in the case of times of persecution, where husband and wife may be separated because they are fleeing for their lives. As in times of seasons of prayer and fasting, Or when a husband, for example, pursues a lawful calling. For example, a doctor who is seeking to minister to the sick. An epidemic is about. And he's separated from his family for periods of time in order to care for the sick. Or a minister in times of apostasy or persecution must minister to the flock that's scattered on a thousand hills. And he's unable to be with his family, with his wife, as he would love to be. He cannot fulfill all the obligations as he would ordinarily fulfill in those cases. Or in the time of an epidemic again, when husband or wife may be quarantined one from another due to the contagious nature of a disease. Or when husband or wife are in prison. Not because they have chosen to be in prison, because they want to go there, because they want to stay there, but because they have been in prison, there is something forced upon them. There are times, extraordinarily, when couples will not be able to fulfill their marital obligations one to another as they would in ordinary times do. But I would simply point out to you in those times Those are not voluntarily and permanently the case. But when there is a voluntary and permanent discontinuation of the duties that establish the marital bond, that is to dissolve that bond, which is exactly what a lawful divorce accomplishes. And because, dear ones, That marital bond is dissolved in a lawful divorce. Another marriage is permitted. Consider with me just another passage. We'll see this same truth taught in Matthew chapter 19 verse 9. But consider with me one other passage that teaches the same truth, that when a lawful divorce occurs, there is as well permission to lawfully remarry. 1 Corinthians chapter 7 verses 27 and 28. There the Apostle Paul says, Art thou bound unto a wife? Art thou engaged in a marital bond to a wife? The question. Seek not to be loosed from that bond. Seek not to be released from that bond. Art thou loosed from a wife? That is, art thou loosed or released from a marital bond to a wife? Have you undergone a lawful divorce with regard to a wife? What's the answer? Seek not a wife. Why does Paul say that? Well, he's arguing for the benefits of remaining in an unmarried state during times of persecution, affliction, in these kinds of extraordinary times. He's arguing that it's beneficial to not be bound if you are unbound. But, notice the next verse. But, and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned. That follows immediately upon the hilt of that particular verse. He says, if thou art released from a marital bond, he says, I advise, don't get married in the present times. But, if you do get married, you have not sinned. And I think it's important to note in that passage that immediately following that phrase that I just read, he's not speaking at that point to simply virgins, those who are unmarried, who have never been married, because in the very next phrase he says, and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. He's speaking to those in the previous phrase those who were one time married but now are lawfully divorced, that they have the lawful right and permission to remarry. Why? Because there has been a dissolution of the former marital bond. Well, let us now proceed understanding what the nature of a lawful divorce is Let us proceed to the question posed to Christ by the Pharisees in Matthew 19-3. Again, you remember the question. Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? It was not uncommon for the Jewish religious leaders to seek to entrap Christ by either leading him in their minds to speak contrary to the law of Moses or contrary to the prevailing opinion of Jewish rabbis on certain questions of the times. Many other occasions where they came. It specifically says they came tempting him, testing him. Why? So as to be able to bring an accusation against him before a court of law to try and catch him in some kind of conflict with the law of Moses. So likewise here in Matthew 19.3, the Pharisees seek to find that ground of accusation that could be used against Christ. So they ask, is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? The Pharisees were not asking here the question, is there a lawful cause or a lawful reason for a divorce? That the Lord answers in Matthew 19.9. What they were asking is this, can we lawfully divorce our wives for just any reason? Can we put them away for just any reason? That's the nature of the questions being asked. Now the Lord does not directly answer the question at this point whether they direct yes or no. In verses 4 through 6, the Lord Jesus takes the Pharisees back to the first book of Moses, that's the book of Genesis. And in Genesis chapter 2, he shows them that their interpretation of the fifth book of Moses, Deuteronomy, because they were appealing to Deuteronomy chapter 24, as we'll see, he takes them back to Genesis It says, now, if Moses was the inspired writer of Genesis, and Moses was the inspired writer of Deuteronomy, if we can establish what Moses was saying in Genesis, then he can't contradict himself in Deuteronomy. Otherwise, how can we claim the Scriptures to be inspired? And that would mean, the Lord says to the Pharisees, that your understanding of Deuteronomy chapter 24 is inerrant, is false, is inaccurate. And that's what the Lord sets out to do by even going into Genesis chapter 2 here at this point. Therefore the Lord indirectly argues in verses 4 through 6 that divorce for just any cause cannot be lawful. Now consider with me very briefly the Lord's reasoning in these verses. First of all, Christ demonstrates in Matthew 19.4 that since God alone created man and woman, He only has the right and the prerogative to address the matter of divorce. Man is not autonomous or independent. of God's lawful authority, whether it's in marriage or divorce, whether it's in worship or life in general. Thus the Lord directs the Pharisees to understand it's not up to man to decide what are lawful reasons for a divorce. But it is up to God alone to make those types of decisions. Because God alone created man and woman. God alone instituted marriage. No magistrate, no democratic majority of people within a nation, no minister, no priest, no church has the right to alter or amend the institution of marriage. For example, to treat sodomite unions as legitimate marriages. Man does not have the right to constitute on their own reasoning what a marriage is. That's up to God. Nor does man have the right to alter or amend the nature or reasons for a lawful divorce. For example, to tolerate divorces for irreconcilable differences. Man does not have a right to establish that as a lawful reason or a legitimate reason for a divorce. That's up to God alone. That's what the Lord is saying. Well, second, as we look at verse 5, Matthew 19, 5, the Lord takes the Pharisees to the fundamental duties that established that very first marriage and likewise formed the fundamental duties of all subsequent marriages. What were those fundamental duties? Leaving, summarize them in just the verbs that are used, leaving, cleaving, and becoming one flesh. Those fundamental duties that establish a marriage. The Lord says, a man shall leave his father and mother, and of course the same is likewise true for the woman, in order to form a new and separate family unit, wherein the husband now assumes responsibility to provide for and to care for this woman instead of the father. And the wife assumes the duty of being her husband's helper and being submissive to his authority within the home rather than her father's. You see, the Lord here says, that out of all the human relationships upon the face of the earth, that human relationship that has preeminence over all is that between a husband and a wife. More preeminent than that between a parent and a child, because a child is to leave his parents and to plead to his husband or wife. But in a marriage, God institutes and ordains. A marriage is intended to be until death do us part. That's God's intention. So the Lord insinuates here, how can this duty to a wife be fulfilled of leaving father and mother How can that duty be fulfilled if a husband can on a mere whim decide not to provide for or care for her any longer? It cannot happen. You can't reconcile divorcing your wife for any reason or any cause and yet maintain that God says from the very beginning that a man is to leave his mother and father. Second, A man shall plead to his wife, the Lord says, in verse 4. And, of course, she to him as well. And so, to be permanently glued one to another. You see, God did not create multiple women for Adam to marry, divorce, if he was unhappy for any cause, and then remarry. one of these other women. He did not do that as it was originally ordained and instituted. To the contrary, God created one woman for one man and commanded him to leave his mother and father and to cleave to that one woman. The Lord thus infers from this particular truth in Genesis chapter 2. How can this duty to cleave to one wife be fulfilled that the husband can, for any cause, simply put her away? It can't happen. Thirdly, from Matthew chapter 19 verse 4, they twain shall be one flesh. They twain shall be one flesh. Why is intimacy with another woman or another man forbidden outside of marriage. Why is it forbidden? Because it is only between a husband and a wife that a covenant, a contract, promises have been made in establishing marital duties and privileges. only due to that contract, to that covenant that's been made between them. Those with whom that covenant and contract have not been made, those relationships are absolutely forbidden. That is, when a couple is lawfully joined together in marriage according to God's institution, the Lord says, Be faithful till death do us part. Be faithful. You become one flesh with that wife or husband. Be faithful for all of your life. Thus the Lord teaches, to put away one's wife and to join oneself to another partner for just any cause, as was promoted by the Pharisees, is to deny the oneness, the one fleshness. that is inherent in the marriage bond. In verse 6, Matthew chapter 19, the Lord comes to this conclusion with regard to this appeal to Genesis chapter 2, the Lord's conclusion to the Pharisees' question that they ask in 19.3, which is now summarized in 19.6. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. That is, when a couple is lawfully joined together in marriage according to God's institution, let no man assume the right to terminate for reasons he himself has instituted or invented. Since God alone instituted marriage, only He can give a reason for dissolving marriage. The Westminster Annotations succinctly summarize this verse in the following words. Let no man put asunder on any other terms than God hath appointed. You see, dear ones, this passage does not forbid a lawful divorce. that we have just read. It simply makes the necessary qualification that a man cannot simply end a marriage for reasons he considers to be convenient, expedient. Thus in Matthew 19.6, the Lord directly responds to the Pharisees question, is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cost? And gives a very definite answer, no. It is not lawful to put away your wives for every cause, for what therefore God hath joined together in marriage, let not man put asunder for his own reasons. Let us consider then the second main point, the origin of divorce. Look with me at our text, verses 7 and 8. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses, because of the hardness of your heart, suffered you to put away your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. You can tell that the Pharisees clearly understood Christ's answer to their question because of the question they themselves asked in verse 7. This question that the Pharisees now ask harkens back to Deuteronomy chapter 24 verses 1-4 where it speaks of a husband issuing a wife a bill of divorcement. The Pharisees believed that Deuteronomy 24 justified a divorce for any cause so long as a bill of divorcement was given to the wife. As in other places, the Pharisees were only interested in an outward formal righteousness and not in true righteousness that comes from God by faith. A righteousness that affects the heart, literally. But simply going through the motions outwardly. Some kind of superficial conformity outwardly to the law. Taking what they liked, but not looking at the whole law of God. Taking and choosing what was convenient or expedient for them. Listen to the words of our Lord concerning the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Later on in Matthew, chapter 23, where he summarizes the problem with the Pharisees' righteousness. Matthew 23, verses 27 and 28. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Just because you've been raised in a Christian family, does not give us simply the right to go through the motions. Just because we are so-called Christian parents, we must be ever so careful that we're not simply going through the motions. That we should examine our hearts continuously as to whether we are simply being hypocrites and playing a role Not necessarily our entire Christian life, but even at every moment of our Christian life. Not that we're hypocrites with regard to faith in Jesus Christ genuinely, but that we can, even in a course of a worship service, have our mind entirely somewhere else. And we're just there in body. But we're not listening. We're not reflecting. We're not meditating. We're not communing with the Lord Jesus Christ. That's hypocrisy. That's the same sin that was condemned by the Lord in the lives of the Pharisees. That's pharisaicalism. God keep us from going through the mere motions of our faith being whited sepulchres. That's mere externalism. And the first step in that direction, and I warn you, For I've seen it so often in my own life. I warn you, the place where that begins is with an indifferent and an apathetic attitude to the things of God. When we slip into just kind of carelessness with regard to our faith, we're not taking God seriously. We're profaning Him, making comments. the name, the cause of Jesus Christ. That is when we slip into this kind of fair-sayfulism, mere externalism. We must continually look into our hearts, dear ones, and pray that prayer that David prays in Psalm 139. Search me, O God. Know my heart. Try my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me. And lead me in the way everlasting. Note that the Lord, here in Matthew 19 verse 8, the Lord does not allow the word that was used by the Pharisees, they used the word command, Moses commanded. Note that he does not allow that word to stand in his response, but changes it to suffer. That is, Moses, by God's direction, allowed you, suffered you, to put away your wives for a time under that dispensation of the law, although the original law, given in Genesis chapter 2, condemned the very reasons you used in divorcing your wives. Because your hearts were so hardened against your wives, that for the sake of preventing further cruelty to your wives, God did not stop or prevent you from divorcing them. Christ makes it clear that God never approved of the many reasons their forefathers gave for divorcing their wives. Thus it would appear that the Bill of Divorcement was authorized by God not to show His approval of all their reasons for divorce, but to help slow the process down so that men did not act so hastily and rashly, and to protect a helpless wife from further cruelty, to provide her with some lawful protection against the hardness of their husband's hearts. And we may legitimately, I believe, assume, that the Bill of Divorcement in Deuteronomy chapter 24 was not issued to the wife for having committed some sexual sin with another man, for that would have, in Deuteronomy chapter 22, verse 22, led to her death. If she had committed some sexual sin with another man, or with another person, it would have led to her death. not to a divorce. So this particular passage, which we will look at in greater detail in the subsequent sermon, must address other reasons. We'll look at how we reconcile that with what Christ says. But for the time being, so that we can focus our attention upon this particular issue, in Matthew chapter 19, Verse 9, you'll have to hold your questions until we get to that passage. We can't say that these divorces in Deuteronomy 24 were for reasons other than the reason Christ here gives in Matthew 19.9, which the reason Christ gives in Matthew 19.9 is for fornication. That's not the reason contemplated apparently in Deuteronomy chapter 24. Where did divorce originate, then, according to the scripture? Well, we're not told where it originated. We certainly do not hear of any of the patriarchs divorcing their wives, but it would appear that divorce was already being practiced by the time we reach Deuteronomy 24. For it is first mentioned in Leviticus 21, verse 7. And not as something that was being instituted for the first time at that point, but rather as something that had already been instituted. It's almost mentioned very casually, just in passing, with regard to a priest. He's not to marry a divorced person. Thus the Lord, in Matthew 19, verses 7 and 8, does not defend the right of a husband, or a wife for that matter, to divorce for a cause not appointed by God himself. The third and final main point then. A lawful reason for divorce. Matthew 19, 9. Listen again to the words of the Lord. 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." Here the Lord gives a lawful reason for a divorce, namely fornication, that is sexual sin with another party. Next week we shall consider a second reason for a lawful divorce given by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 7.15. But in so doing, The Lord also condemns here all man-made reasons for divorce. For the Lord states that man-made reasons for a divorce will actually lead one into an adulterous relationship if there should be a second marriage. Why is that the case? If there's not a lawful reason for a divorce, why will it lead to an adulterous relationship in a second marriage? Because a man-made reason for a divorce does not in and of itself dissolve the first and lawful marriage. That marriage has to be dissolved lawfully, but there is no permission for a second marriage, and if it is not for a lawful reason, It is an adulterous relationship, the Lord says. As we compare this particular verse, Matthew 19, 9, you may want to turn to the parallel passage just to take a peek at that in Mark chapter 10, verses 11 and 12. Mark 10, verses 11 and 12. Because, interestingly, in Mark 10, 11 and 12, there is something missing that is mentioned in Matthew 19, 9. See if you can spot it. It's red here. Mark 10, verse 11. 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 committed the adultery. You see, what's missing there is, except it be for fornication. That's omitted in Mark chapter 10, verses 11 and 12. Now, are we forced to choose one gospel account against the other as if one account is more inspired than the other account? Not if we believe in the inspiration of Scripture. Of course not. We affirm, therefore, that both accounts are equally inspired by God. How do we reconcile them, therefore? Well, we simply say that Matthew 19 That account provides us with more information than Mark chapter 10. And as we look at this issue, we want to have the most information available to us to be able to understand the nature of marriage, divorce, and remarriage. You see, what we find in Mark chapter 10 is the general rule concerning divorce and remarriage. That is, we are not to divorce our spouse and marry another for it's a lifelong covenant. That's the general rule. But in Matthew 19.9, we find the exceptional rule concerning divorce and remarriage. We are not to divorce our spouse except it be for fornication and marrying another. Even in that case, however, even when there is that exception, I need to mention, divorce is not absolutely required, but it is lawfully permitted. It may be that the innocent party may choose to be reconciled and to live with the repentant guilty party. But when we look at these two different passages, I would ask you a question. If anyone would say that we have to look at the Mark passage and base our particular view of divorce and remarriage upon that passage to the exclusion of the Matthew passage, I would ask a question. And you might want to, again, look at two parallel passages here in your spare time. Matthew 8.28 and Mark 5.2. But as you look at those accounts, the Lord casts this legion of demons from either two demoniacs, according to Matthew 8.28, or one demoniac, according to Mark 5.2. And I would ask, how many demoniacs were there? So you have this particular question arising with things that you find in the parallel accounts, sometimes more complete in one parallel account, sometimes less complete in another. There's not a contradiction in that particular case. The scripture is simply focusing upon in Mark's account there, focusing upon the life of that one demoniac. In some way it was particularly exceptional. And so we realize that if the question is asked how many demoniacs were there, there were two, even though Mark only says that there was one. There were actually two. And so we say the same thing with the divorce and remarriage questions. Is there an exception? Yes, there's an exception, even though Mark convinced it. That's the general rule. The exception rule is found in Matthew. Now some have objected that marriage is not in view in this particular verse in Matthew 19.9, but simply an engagement, a betrothal. says the Lord uses the word fornication. Now that's based upon the false assumption that fornication, the word fornication, can only be committed by one who is unmarried. It may be used that way sometimes in legal jurisprudence. But the scripture does not exclusively use the word fornication for the unmarried. It is a word that is used for both the married and the unmarried. It simply refers to sexual sin. For example, in 1 Corinthians 6, verse 18, this command goes out to all. This is not something that is simply given to those who are unmarried. Nothing in the context would indicate that this is the case. flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body, but he that committed fornication sinneth against his own body. What, know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. So I would submit that fornication, the word fornication, does not merely refer to sexual sin that a single person commits, but to that type of sin which married people commit as well. But furthermore, even more obvious and conspicuous from the text is that Jesus has not been discussing engagement or betrothal throughout the whole text with the Pharisees. The question that is asked from the very beginning which Jesus responds to and goes back to Genesis chapter 2 to give an answer for, has to do with marriage, not betrothal and engagement. One other question that is asked as we come to the end, near the end of the message, this Lord's Day, there are also those who would argue that the exception clause except it be for fornication. That exception clause applies only to divorce and not to remarriage. That is, that one may lawfully divorce for fornication, but not lawfully remarriage. However, I would submit to you that one cannot disconnect a lawful divorce from a lawful remarriage in this passage or in any other passage of Scripture. I've already alluded to and had you turn to 1 Corinthians 7, verses 27 and 28, where if there is a lawful divorce, Paul says, you sin not if you're remarried. If the one is granted a lawful divorce, so is the other a lawful remarriage. The Lord says, a man commits adultery not simply by divorcing his wife, but if he marries another, except the divorce occur due to the fornication of the wife. You see, the particular location of the exception clause, except it be for fornication, can occur anywhere within that particular phrase. For example, look closely at the text there in Matthew 19.9. If Jesus would have placed the exception clause at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of that particular conditional part of the sentence, it would not make any difference to the understanding of what's being said. The Lord said, I say unto you, except it be for fornication, whosoever shall put away his wife, and shall marry another, committed adultery. Or, leave it exactly where the Lord has it. Whoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committed adultery. Or put it at the end. Whosoever shall put away his wife, and shall marry another, except it be for fornication, committed adultery. You see, there's two parts of that particular sentence. There is the conditional part. There is the hypothetical part, which begins, whosoever. It's like a conditional sentence, like saying, if anyone should do this and this, then this is what qualifies. Those two conditional parts of the sentence being whosoever shall put away his wife, that's the first part of the condition, is joined by an and, and shall marry another. That's also in the same construction. We could literally translate it this way, if we were to carry through the same idea. Whosoever shall put away his wife, and whosoever shall marry another. Two aspects to that conditional part of the sentence. They're connected by anus. The exception clause applies to both of them. It's not limited to one of them. The conclusion follows, commit adultery. That particular exception applies to either of those cases. But if that exception is removed, the person commits adultery. Listen to this. trying to just give you a very clear understanding of this. Remove the exception. Whosoever shall put away his wife, and shall marry another, committed the doltry. That's what Mark said. That's the general rule. But, add the exception, and then the conclusion changes. Add the exception. Accept it be for fornication, then He does not commit adultery. The exception changes the conclusion. Therefore, dear ones, here in Matthew 19.9 As we look at this passage, the Lord not only condemns divorce and remarriage for any man-made reason, contrary to the position of the Pharisees, but he also approves divorce and remarriage, a lawful divorce and lawful remarriage for a God-ordained reason. namely fornication. That, I believe, is the teaching of the Word of God. That is what the Lord Jesus is teaching here in Matthew 19.9. In conclusion, dear ones, we've been talking about divorce and re-marriage. extremely painful, heart-wrenching subject as it affects our lives. But I want to remind you in conclusion that there is a marriage in which a divorce or a remarriage is impossible. It is that marriage to the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no one, nothing in heaven, on earth, or in hell, that can cause a divorce in that marriage to Jesus Christ. Jesus said in Hebrews 13, 5, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. Once that union is established with Jesus Christ, there is and will forever be communion with Jesus Christ. Whether in this life or in the life to come, in heaven, dear ones, there will be no pain or sorrow over divorce. No more tears over divorce and the pain and the heartache that is caused in the lives of millions. For the former things will be wiped away, and we will forever be united with our Heavenly Husband. I ask you, dear ones, do you earnestly love the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ, when we will be forever united, body and soul, with Christ, never ever to shed another tear about divorce in this life? You look forward to that time. Is your heart set? Are your affections set on the Lord? And a bond is coming. Stand with me in prayer. Our gracious Father, We do give Thee thanks this day for instructing us in the ways of the Lord, for giving to us the mind of Christ, for granting to us Thy gracious Spirit. We pray, Heavenly Father, that our minds would be enlightened to such a degree that our love would be made to grow that Thou would increase it and stir it up, that we would fulfill all that we have heard. That we would not be like the Pharisees or a Lord who simply went through the motions of their faith, but that, Father, we would be like Christ who obeyed Thee, not only outwardly in even the details of the law, but, O Father, whose heart was knit into Thine. whose righteousness, Father, was evident in his heart as well as in his body. We ask our God that Thou would forgive us of all of our sins. We thank Thee, Lord, for the gracious truth, for the covenant of grace that's been established with us in our Savior. We thank Thee, Father, that that covenant cannot be dissolved with Thy people. We thank Thee, Father, that, Lord, it is not within us to keep that covenant. But Father, it is within Christ who has kept it all for us and whose righteousness is forever imputed unto us by grace. We ask our Lord that in our pain, in our heartache in this life, that Thou would turn us to our Savior to reflect upon His amazing grace and to see that the afflictions of this life are short and brief in comparison to the eternal glory of heaven. That, Father, that would give to us the grace to pass through these times of affliction and heartache and pain, looking always to Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen. This Reformation audio track is a production of Stillwater's Revival Books. You are welcome to make copies and give them to those in need. SWRB makes thousands of classic Reformation resources available, free and for sale, in audio, video, and printed formats. It is likely that the sermon or book that you just listened to is also available on cassette or video, or as a printed book or booklet. Our many free resources, as well as our complete mail-order catalog, Thank you at SWRB at SWRB.com by phone at 780-450-3730 by fax at 780-468-1096 or by mail at 4710-37A Avenue Edmonton that's E-D-M-O-N-T-O-N Alberta abbreviated capital A capital B Canada T6L3T5. You may also request a free printed catalog. And remember that John Kelvin, in defending the Reformation's regulative principle of worship, or what is sometimes called the scriptural law of worship, commenting on the words of God, which I commanded them not, neither came into my heart, from his commentary on Jeremiah 731, writes, God here cuts off from men every occasion for making evasions. Since he condemns by this one phrase, I have not commanded them, whatever the Jews devised. There is then no other argument needed to condemn superstitions than that they are not commanded by God. For when men allow themselves to worship God according to their own fancies, and attend not to His commands, they pervert true religion. And if this principle was adopted by the Papists, all those fictitious modes of worship in which they absurdly exercise themselves would fall to the ground. It is indeed a horrible thing for the Papists to seek to discharge their duties towards God by performing their own superstitions. There is an immense number of them, as it is well known, and as it manifestly appears. Were they to admit this principle, that we cannot rightly worship God except by obeying His word, they would be delivered from their deep abyss of error. The Prophet's words, then, are very important. When he says, that God had commanded no such thing, and that it never came to his mind, as though he had said that men assume too much wisdom when they devise what he never required, nay, what he never knew.