The Authority of Marriage

It's been a while since I have written on my blog. It has been a busy summer and we have concluded our authority class. The impetus to write this article has to do with my visit to see my dying step-brother. He lives in adultery and yet refuses to obey God's commands. He and his current wife both left their spouses to marry one another. This passage clearly refers to this situation:

Mark 10:2 And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. 3 And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? 4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. 5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. 6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 10 And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter. 11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. 12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

They have both commited adultery since they put away their spouses for a cause other than fornication. They are guilty parties in the divorces and remain together. My brother stated that he is okay because he has asked for forgiveness publicly. However, for one to truly repent, he must not continue in the adulterous relationship. Just as a thief may steal and later repent, he must return the items to truly repent, i.e. to change his ways.

Sadly, his congregation and preacher have accepted his situation and other family members would never talk to him about his situation. How sad for someone to appear before God in judgment when they have heard the truth and rejected it...even on their death bed.

Our society is allowing more and more liberalities in reference to this subject due to the widespread practice of divorce and remarriage. The word of God has not changed and remains valid as it always has...no matter how unGodly our society has become.