THE HOME
DIVORCE-PART I
Eph. 5:22--I Pet. 3:1-7
1. The Home is the seat of Revival---If it fails, it is because we have too often, Husbands and Wives that are Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
a. The Bible says, “a house divided against itself shall not stand.”
2. It is important that our homes be right because of prayer-I Pet. 3:7
3. Are our Homes right? The latest facts I have. Every day:
a. 2,740 kids runaway d. 30 teenage suicides
b. 3,000 teenage pregnancies e. 67,000 new cases of venereal
c. 1,967 divorces disease
(1) Ascending divorce rates: 1920-1 out of 7, 1940-1 out of 6, 1960-
1 out of 4, 1972-1 out of 3, 1977-1 out of 2. It is now over one divorce for ever marriage in America.
4. The Home is Scriptural--Gen. 2:18-- “And the Lord God said, it is
not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet
for him.”
5. Divorce has no place in the home. In fact, Mal. 2:16 says that God
hates Divorce. “For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he
hateth putting away.”
a. Rom. 7:2-- “For the woman which hath an husband is bound by
the law to her husband so long as he liveth”
(1) When are they bound? Matt. 19:5-6-- “...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 not man
put asunder.” “Cleave”--glued together not taped--Permanent.
(2) “Joined together” is an aorist active indicative which
emphasizes the finality of the action.
(3) Prov. 2:16-18--God sees marriage as a Covenant Relationship
and God does not break Covenants (Lev. 26:40-45).
b. Matt. 19:8-- “He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness
of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the
beginning it was not so.” A Bill of Divorce was given by Moses to
protect the woman who could be put away for “every cause.”
(1) The School of Hillel says the man could divorce his wife if she
“spoiled a dish for him.” The wife would be divorced without
any recourse on her part.
c. Matt. 19:9-- “And I say unto you, Whoseover 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.” (You have to agree--Only One Exception)
(1) Fornication is translated from a Greek word “porneia” and can
mean “incest”, “harlotry”, or “sex before marriage” depending
on the context. In the case of Divorce as in Matt. 19:9, it means
“sex before marriage and not “incest” or “harlotry.”
(2) One Proof Text--Matt. 1:18-19--Joseph found out Mary was
expecting with Child when they got married. “Then Joseph her
husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick
example, was minded to put her away privily.” Vs. 24-25 “Then
Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had
bidden him, and took unto him his wife. And knew her not till she
had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS”
(3) Second Proof Text--If Mary had committed Adultery, Joseph
could not “put her away” (divorced her) but she would have been
stoned according to the Law. 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 (not “put away”). The
Punishment for Adultery was Death not Divorce. In fact,
Adultery is not mentioned anywhere in the matter of Divorce!!
(4) Adultery is translated from the Greek word “moicheuo” (the act)
“moichalis” (female adulteress) and “moichos (male adulterer).
The adulterer is a “paramour.” A paramour is “a person who
takes the place of a husband or wife.” The “place” is the part
occupied by a particular person, in this case the mate.
6. Adultery is a Wicked Sin--Heb. 13:4-- “Marriage is honourable in
all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will
judge.
a. Adultery is the hardest sin for man to forgive--Prov. 6:30, 32-35
“Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is
hungry: ...But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh
understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. A
wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be
wiped away. For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not
spare in the day of vengeance. He will not regard any ransom;
neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.”
b. Adultery is contrary to the Doctrine of Eternal Security. Eph.
5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, even AS Christ also loved the
church”
c. Adultery is contrary to the Doctrine of the Second Coming.
Hosea chapters 1 & 2 speaks of Israel as God’s wife which sins but
in the latter days, God will restore. Hosea 3:5--teaches God’s wife
will return, and seek the Lord their God.
d. Adultery is the Only Sin that disqualifies a man from being a
Preacher or Deacon--I Tim. 3:2-- “A bishop then must be blameless,
the husband of one wife (the number 1 qualification). If you don’t
qualify here, no use to name the rest of the list. Wuest’s Word
Studies in the Greek New Testament, Vol. III, Page 41, Article 16,
The Husband of One Wife says:
(1) “A” is an indefinite article, indicating that character is stressed.
The teaching is that a bishop can only marry once. To make sure
a bishop be blameless, his leading characteristic must be self-
control. He is a married man who, if his wife dies, does not
marry again. Alford’s Greek Testament says, “the words do not
mean that the bishop should have only one wife at a time, since
polygamy was unknown in the early Church.” Alford also says,
“to candidates for the episcopate (presbytery) St. Paul forbids
second marriage.” Again, Alford says, “the earlier Commentators
were unanimous for this view.” Page 322-Alford’s Greek testament
7. The Home is Worth Saving at any Price--Hosea 1-3--Hosea is
asked of God to marry a harlot, who becomes unfaithful but he loves
her so much that he buys her off the slave block for 15 pieces of silver.
a. Why Save the Home?
(1) For Jesus’ Sake--A Christian Home honors God
(2) For Others’ Sake--A Christian Home secures Children
(3) For Your Sake--A Christian Home brings peace of mind
