Basic Truth #33 - Marital Sanctity Must Be Observed

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bejay

Basic Truth #33 - Marital Sanctity Must Be Observed

Post by bejay »

Basic Truth # 33 – Bible Laws on Marital Sanctity Must Be Obeyed

Jehovah is the recognized authority on marriage as He is the One who instituted it. It was His determination to provide a wife for Adam and He set the standard that would guarantee that this arrangement would be successful. He stated at that time this: “That is why a man will leave his father and mother and he must stick to his wife and they must become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24) The term ‘one flesh’ indicated the unity that must exist between these two people. The fact that he was to ‘stick to his wife’ indicates that neither he nor she would seek to bring another person into this arrangement to disrupt it. They must work together as one person in order to accomplish Jehovah’s purpose for marriage. Marriage is therefore an arrangement that Jehovah set in place and His commands in regards to its continuance must be given priority.

When Jesus was confronted with the question of divorce, he directed the people’s attention to the statement made by Jehovah in the Garden of Eden, quoted above, to emphasize the permanence of marriage. Under the law given to Moses, Jehovah did allow for divorce on various grounds to which Jesus did make reference. But he showed that this was only a temporary concession made only because the nation of Israel refused to be obedient to Jehovah.

In his discussion on this subject, Jesus emphatically stated that there was only one legitimate ground for divorce and that was immorality on the part of either mate. Jesus’ words are recorded at Matthew 19:3-9. This of course was a change from the Mosaic Law as adultery was not grounds for a divorce because it was a grievous sin committed against Jehovah and the persons involved were to be put to death. (Deuteronomy 22:22-24)

Unlike the concessions made under the Law Covenant mediated by Moses, those under the New Covenant mediated by Jesus would be allowed to divorce their mate only in the case of marital infidelity. Therefore Christians are given much admonition concerning the need to obey Divine law in the case of their marriages.

The general consensus among those who pay no heed to Jehovah’s laws at all is that there is nothing wrong with carrying on affairs outside of the marital arrangement. This attitude continues to be adhered to even though it can be proven without a doubt that these affairs tend to cause marriages to fail because of the loss of trust in one’s partner.
But Christians are spared this heartache when they follow the admonition given at Hebrews 13:4. It reads: “Let marriage be honorable among all, and let the marriage bed be without defilement, for God will judge fornicators and adulterers.”

Under the Christian Law, even when a Christian had an unbelieving mate, he was admonished to keep this marriage honorable. Paul counseled that as long as the unbelieving mate was willing to keep the marriage intact, they should stay together, but if the Christian decided to leave his mate, he could not remarry but had to remain single or else reunite with his mate. (1 Corinthians 7:10, 11)

At Corinthians 6:9, 10, those who would thumb their noses at Jehovah’s laws concerning marriage would be barred from entering God’s kingdom. These verses state this: “What! Do you not know that unrighteous persons will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be misled. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, not men kept for unnatural purposes, nor men who lie with men, nor thieves, nor greedy persons, nor drunkards, nor extortioners will inherit God’s kingdom.”

Those who choose to defile the marriage bed in spite of knowing God’s view on the matter will receive His judgment losing His spirit now as well as losing one’s hope of eternal life. Being loyal to one’s mate brings security and stability to the marriage but more importantly it brings honor to Jehovah, the originator of marriage.
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