How Can We Know God’s Will ?

1. How Can We Know God’s Will ? • 1Cor 1:26-31 - Not Many wise according to the flesh not many mighty • We don’t have to know every nuance of the Greek language to understand it • God uses the week things of the world to shame the wise • Christ became the wisdom of God that we might boast in the Lord • Acts 4:13 - ...understood that they were uneducated and untrained men • Peter and John were not men of learning that went to the best schools with the brightest minds • They were common fishermen given an uncommon mission • 1 Corinthians 2 - We have the mind of Christ through the Spirit • No one knows the thoughts of God save the Spirit of God who reveals them • We received the Spirit who is from God that we might know the things freely given to us by God • We have the mind of Christ • Ephesians 3:1-5 - And when you read you can understand my insight • God expects us to learn how the message of God was given by revelation • And also He expects us to know and understand what that reveled message is • James 1:2-5 - But if any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God • We all have the same facts given to us by revelation • But we don’t all assimilate the facts the same way therefore we have different understandings • As we go to God in prayer He gives us the wisdom to correctly apply the facts we have

2. God’s Plan For Marriage • A Covenant between the two people and God - Mal. 2:14; Matt.19:5 • No man can separate what God has joined together • What God joined together was intended to be permanent • Leave Mother and Father and Cleave to Wife - Gen 2:18-25 • Permanence - A man shall leave his father and mother • Commitment - And shall cleave to his wife • God’s Marriage Law was for life - Romans 7:1-3 • The law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives • Likewise the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living • Only if the husband dies is she discharged from the law of her husband • The exception clause would confuse his point about the law and its jurisdiction over man • God Hates Divorce - Mal.2:13-16 • To do so is to deal treacherously with the wife of your youth • “Who was a companion of a sacred covenant, who had borne children and shared his joys and sorrows” HH • God Sanctioned Only 2 Reasons For Man To Remarry - Rom 7:1-3; Matt 19:9 • Death of one’s mate • Because of fornication, the innocent one is loosed by God

3. Examples of God’s Laws That Spanned Ages • Prohibition against Murder • Predated Mosaic Law and God expected all to know - Gen 9:6 • Incorporated into Mosaic law - • Incorporated into the law of Christ - Acts 25:11 • More assumed than stated • Not 3 different laws on murder, but one law spanning ages • The Sacrificial System • Predated the Mosaic Law - Gen 4:3; Job 42:8 • Incorporated and expanded in the Mosaic law - Leviticus , Duet. • Incorporated into the law of Christ but changed - Rom. 12:1 • Our bodies are sacrifices which are to be living, holy and acceptable to God • The Marriage Law • Predated the Mosaic Law - Gen 2:18-24 • The divine plan was interrupted by God - Matt 19:3-8 • Caused by the hardness of man’s heart • God authorized and regulated divorce under conditions - Deut 24 • Jesus re-instituted God’s original plan - Matt 19:9-12

4. Things That God Allowed And Regulated That He Did Not Want • A Monarchy Instead of A Theocracy - 1 Sam 8 • They desired to be like the other nations around them - vs. 5 • “They have rejected me from being king over them” - vs. 7 • Warnings of the type of rule a king would bring - vs. 10-22 • They demanded what God did not want - vs. 19-20 • Divorce Instead Of Married For Life - Duet 24 • Because of the hardness of their hearts God allowed divorce - Matt 19:8 • God regulated it in the Mosaic Law – Deut. 24 • Re-Established the original law in Christ - Matt 19:8-9 • He made provisions for it but did not want it nor originally plan for it • God HATES divorce – Mal. 2:13-17

5. Fornication ( PORNEIA) - 4202 Noun • W.E. Vines Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words • In the physical sense- “is used of illicit sexual intercourse, in Matt 5:32 and 19:9 it stands for, or includes, adultery” • In the metaphorical sense - “of the association of pagan idolatry with doctrines of, and professed adherents to , the Christian faith, 1 Corinthians 5:9, 10, 11” • Halley’s Bible Handbook on page 443 • “Chapter 19:3-12. Question about Divorce. Jesus’ teaching about divorce is recorded here and in Matthew 5:31; Mark 10:2-12; Luke 16:18; and Paul discusses the subject in 1 Corinthians 7, One man and one woman married for life is God’s will for the human race. Christ seems to allow only one cause for divorce (9). • A Greek - English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Church Literature, by William F. Arndt and F. Wilber Gingrich: • “Prostitution, unchastity, fornication, of every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse...Of the sexual unfaithfulness of a married woman Mt. 5:32; 19:9” • Systematic Theology, by Charles Hodge • “The passages in the Gospels, referring to this subject, are Matthew 5:31, 32; 19:3-9; Mark 10:2-12; and Luke 16:18. The simple meaning of these passages seems to be, that marriage is a permanent compact, which cannot be dissolved at the will of either of the parties. If, therefore, a man arbitrarily puts away his wife and marries another, he commits adultery. If he repudiates her on just grounds and marries another, he commits no offence. Our Lord makes the guilt of marrying after separation to depend on the ground of the separation. Saying, ‘that if a man puts away his wife for any cause save fornication, and marries another, he commits adultery’; is saying that ‘the offence is not committed if the specified ground of divorce exists.’ And this is saying that divorce, when justifiable, dissolves the marriage tie.” • Wayne’s Definition - Nothing

6. Adultery (MOICHAO) 4298 - Verb • W.E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words • Defines the noun form as “denotes one ‘who has unlawful intercourse with the spouse of another’”...The verb form “is used in the middle voice in the NT, is said of men in Matt. 5:32; 19:9; Mark 10:11; of women in Mark 10:12” • Word Pictures in the New Testament, A.T. Robertson page 154-155 • “Except for fornication (PAREDTOS LOGOU PORNEIAS). This is the marginal reading in Westcott and Hort which also adds ‘maketh her an adulteress’ (POIIEI AUTEN MOICHEUTHENAI) and also these words: ‘and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery’ (KAI HO APOLELUMENEN GAMESAS MOICHATAI)... McNeile holds that ‘the addition of the saving clause is, in fact, opposed to the spirit of the whole context, and must have been made at a time when the practice of divorce for adultery had already grown up.’ That in my opinion is gratuitous criticism which is unwilling to accept Matthew’s report because it disagrees with one’s views on the subject of divorce. He adds: ‘it cannot be supposed that Matthew wished to represent Jesus as siding with the school of Shammai.’ Why not, if Shammai on this point agreed with Jesus? Those who deny Matthew’s report are those who are opposed to remarriage at all. Jesus by implication, as in 5:31, does allow remarriage of the innocent party, but not of the guilty one.” • A Greek - English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, by William F. Arndt and F. Wilber Gingrich 526 • “1. of a woman (Ezk 16:32) the man who divorces his wife causes her to commit adultery (if she contracts a new marriage) Mt 5:32; Mk 10:12 • 2. of a man, who marries a divorced woman Mt. 5:32; 19:9 or who marries again after divorcing his wife 19:9 commits adultery against her (his first wife) Mk 10:11. • 3. of a man or woman, whoever acts as the heathen do (ie., takes part in idol-worship), commits adultery (and it cannot be expected of the other marriage-partner to maintain marital relations). • Wayne’s Definition - Nothing

7. Divorce (APOLUO) 630 Verb • W.E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words • “To let loose from, let go free, (APO, ‘from’, LUO, to loose’), is translated ‘is divorced’ in KJV of Matt 5:32 (RV, ‘is put away’); it is further used of divorce in Matt 1:19; 19:3, 7-9. The Lord also used it of the case of a wife putting away her husband, Mark 10:12, a usage among Greeks and Romans, not among Jews. See Dismiss.” • A Greek - English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, by William F. Arndt and F. Wilber Gingrich • “1. Set free, release, pardon” as a prisoner, or a debtor. “2. Let go, send away, dismiss - a. divorce, send away one’s wife, or betrothed.”

8. Does MDR Belong In Romans 14 ? • Romans 13:11-14 - Preceding Passage in Context • V.12 Cast off works of darkness • V.13 Walk becomingly...not in reveling • v.14 Make no provision for the flesh • Moral sin condemned with strife • The context prohibits Romans 14 from teaching what it condemns - fellowship with sin • Romans 16:17-19 - Succeeding Passage in Context • V.17 Mark those that cause division and occasions of stumbling • V.18 By fair speech they beguile • Doctrinal sin condemned • The context prohibits Romans 14 from teaching what it condemns - fellowship with doctrinal sin • Romans 14 • V.1 Deals with the untaught and how to treat him • V2. Deals with the taught that he may eat all things • V3. Don’t let the strong or weak treat other with contempt • V.14 Deals with things that are not unclean in itself • V15 Deals with eating meats, a clean thing • V16 Deals with good things • V20 Deals with all things that are clean • Conclusion From The Context • Paul is only dealing with things that are pure and of indifference to God • Context will not allow placing sinful things in this context

9. Who May Remarry in Matthew 19? • “The Pharisees also cane to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?’ • And He answered and said to them, ‘Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female’, and said ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.’ • They said to Him, ‘Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?’ • He said to them, ‘Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I also say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.’ • His disciples said to Him, ‘If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” • But He said to them, ‘All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given; For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.”

10. Who May Remarry in Matthew 5 ? • Remove the exception clause • “But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.” • Here we have two independent clauses joined by a conjunction. An independent clause is a clause that is a complete thought, and if standing alone would form a complete sentence. Both clauses are independent clauses of each other, but joined by the conjunction. • This is straight forward and easily understandable. • Now Let’s add the exception • “But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.” • Here we have two independent clauses joined by a conjunction. An independent clause is a clause that is a complete thought, and if standing alone would form a complete sentence. • Whoever divorces his wife for ______ (now there is an exception to the statement) except it be for immorality causes her to commit adultery. So without the exception there is adultery and with it there is no adultery. • Now the next clause. And whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. There can be no sharing of the exception clause between independent clauses.

11. The 7 One’s Of Ephesians 4:1-6 • One Body - His church • One Spirit - That reveals the mind of God • One Hope - Heaven is our hope • One Lord - Jesus is our common savior • One Faith - One body of doctrine • One Baptism - Our common cleansing • One God - Who is over all

12. Not Under Bondage 1 Corinthians 7:10-16 • v 10. The Lord’s command to the married • A Wife is not to depart from her husband • If she does depart let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband • And the husband is not to divorce his wife • v 11-16. But to the reset I, not the Lord say • If any brother has an unbelieving wife who is willing to live with him, let him not divorce him • A woman who has an unbelieving husband who is willing to live with him, let her not divorce • This marriage produces clean children, otherwise your children would be unclean (not married) • But if the unbeliever departs let him depart, the brother or sister is not under bondage in such • Is Paul Standing In Opposition to God’s Command? • The word for the marriage bond in Romans 7:2 is (DEO) 1210. • It means to be under constraint or under compulsion to something • To bind as bound in spirit Acts 20:22. i.e. compelled by his convictions , under the constraining power of the Spirit of God to go to Jerusalem. A wife is said to be bound to her husband Romans 7:2 Vine’s. • This is the word used for the marriage bond but is not used in 1Cor 7:15 • The word for this bond in 1Cor 7:15 is (DEDOULOTAI) • It means slavery • One is not to be enslaved to one’s spouse to the rejection of Christ • One married to a non-Christian who wants to leave is not under slavery • This word is taken from the word DOULOO or DOULOS. It means to reduce to servitude, enslave to oppress by retaining to servitude Acts 7:6; 2 Pet2:19 Bagster’s Analytical Greek Lexicon

13. How We Can Be Divided Over MDR 1. 1850’s ACMS Controversy - Disciples of Christ Division Unity With Differences a. Support ACMS Independently, individually b. Consider the faith of dissenting brethren Division over practices - Philippians 4:14-18 a. ACMS was introduced into the church budget b. Forced acceptance upon every member treasury c. Those not wanting to violate their scruples can leave 2. 1900 Instrumental Music Controversy - Christian Church Division Unity With Differences a. Believe but practice at home b. Consider the faith of dissenting brethren Division over practices - Ephesians 5:19 a. IM was introduced into the worship service b. Forced acceptance upon every member c. Those not wanting to violate their scruples can leave 3. 1950 Institutional Controversy - Institutional Division Unity With Differences a. Support Institutions individually b. Consider the faith of dissenting brethren Division over practices - Acts 20:28-30 a. Institutions were introduced into the church budget b. Forced acceptance upon every member c. Those not wanting to participate can leave 4. 2002 Unity In Diversity / MDR Controversy - Division ?????? Unity With Differences a. Disagree but study the issue b. Consider the faith of dissenting brethren Division over practices - I Corinthians 5:1-5 a. Forcing church to fellowship those in sinful marriages b. Forces every member to accept immorality c. Those not wanting to fellowship error can leave