SCRIPTURE DOES NOT CONTRADICT SCRIPTURE

The only possible way to reconcile Mark 10:11-12 and Deuteronomy 24:1-2 is to agree that both are correct and valid. The only possible way to agree that BOTH are correct is to acknowledge that there is a difference between putting away (separation) and lawful writ of divorcement. Paul stated that there is a difference between a wife and a virgin, yet both are women. There is a difference between putting away and divorcement also.

Both putting away and divorcement involve the departing of the spouses but only one is recognized by God as an acceptable termination of marriage. Jesus states what the CAUSE for terminating a marriage is and why it cannot be conducted "for every cause" but one: namely, FORNICATION. No, we cannot embrace Mark 10:11-12 to exclusion of all other scripture. We must embrace the FULL BIBLE TRUTH - not partial truth. "Putting away" is not lawful divorce.

Now it is true that the woman is subject to the law of the husband for as long as the husband lives. Please read it the way that it is written: "...for as long as the husband (not former husband) liveth." The godly wife of a fornicating and ungodly husband is not subject to her husband's law of fornication and death... and sin... for as long as the husband "lives", but she is still subject to God's law unto life. Fornication is death and corruption. It is fleshly. It is not of God. If the fornicating unbeliever departs, let him depart. Scripture says that a sister or brother in the Lord is not under bondage in such cases but God has called us to peace. The unmarried (including the lawfully divorced as presented in the book of Deuteronomy) may indeed marry in the Lord. They have not sinned. Now those who do not marry in the Lord but "marry" otherwise, are still guilty of fornication. They marry only in the flesh and care not for the things of God. So-called “Civil Marriage�?and “Common-law Marriage�?are not necessarily godly.

We find all the scriptures listed in complete agreement with Deuteronomy 24:1- 5.

Luke 16:17-18 was reserved for the conclusion of this general presentation. Someone stated earlier that scripture will not contradict itself and they are correct. Luke 16:17-18 is definitely no exception. Once it is understood that the terms "putting away" and lawful "divorcement" are not the same, all doubts with respect to contradiction or conflict vanish instantly.

 

Deuteronomy 24:1 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. 2 And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery. Luke 16:17-18

If the "putting away" of a spouse were the same thing as divorcement then scripture would contradict scripture; but even Luke affirms that Deuteronomy 24 still stands firm by the word of our Lord and Paul affirms that the unmarried in the Lord may marry in the Lord.

DEUTERONOMY 24:1-5 is the LAW. There is no "putting away" to marry another. Neither will God recognize any bill divorcement without lawful CAUSE. Therefore there is a great difference between "putting away" and lawful DIVORCEMENT. Although the Pharisees desired to put away and to divorce for EVERY CAUSE, Christ stated otherwise.

When all of the scripture is embraced in full context the matter is clear: Jesus will not contradict His own law as it is written in DEUTERONOMY 24:1-5. Full Bible Truth is the only recourse we have to reconcile all of the scripture. We must receive all scripture in faith before we can even begin to truly understand it.

Now I will also address the following statements:

" What must be understood about sin is that while the act of the sin within itself can be forgiven by God, the natural consequences of that sin will still remain."

The natural consequences of sin are conditional and sin is a spiritual condition. Sometimes the Lord is gracious enough to heal us while we yet live in these mortal bodies of flesh and blood; sometimes even the consequences are alleviated. One thing is certain: The consequences of sin for the true believer are only temporary. The fornicator and unbeliever have nothing to look forward to while they remain in their sinful condition.

There is GOOD NEWS: In the world to come there will be no more consequences left for the godly to suffer and the sting of death will no longer be remembered. Jesus Christ will never give you a burden that is too heavy for you, who are saved, to lift or to carry and by this saying we do know where the rest of the weight comes from. Rejoice and give God the praise. This life is short. Jesus has prepared a better place for you without the natural consequences of sin. The natural consequences of sin do not remain forever for the true believer.

" For example, if a partner in a marriage commits adultery and an illegitimate child results, the guilty person can seek God's forgiveness.  However, the natural consequences of that sin, the illegitimate child, still remain."

I am very saddened by the suggestion that a child would be regarded as a "natural consequence of sin". That comment equates to calling a child an "accident", in my estimation. No, motherhood may well be a consequence, but a person... a human soul, this is no consequence. God formed you in your mother's womb and knew you before you were made. You are NOT an accident. Neither are you a consequence. You are a person. Moreover your soul is precious to Jesus. Jesus did not come to save your body. Jesus did not come to save your spirit. Jesus came to save your soul. There is not a single person on this entire planet who will ever love you more than Jesus. Remember: If your mother loves you, Jesus loves you more.

If your father loves you, Jesus loves you more. If NOBODY loves you... JESUS LOVES you even that much more! Prior to salvation all adults are illegitimate but my God is a just God and He loves all His little children and they are His. Make no mistake about it.

" If someone kills another person, seeks and finds God's forgiveness, the innocent victim is still no less dead.  AND if it was a heinous premeditated murder God has ordained government to hold the perpetrator of such a crime against humanity �?GUILTY, even though they have received forgiveness....They may be imprisoned for life.....  Therefore, the natural consequences of their sin remain."

Excellent analogy. It begs many questions: Is the thief who is repented and forgiven still a thief? Is the harlot who is repented and forgiven still an harlot? Is it possible that the fornicator who is repented and forgiven still a fornicator? What of the adulterer and the adulteress? Finally, is marriage a condition? or is it a consequence.

I do agree that it is important to not confuse the condition with the consequence. The senseless slaughter of unborn children is also the murder of the innocent; but to those who must answer to the law ordained of God, these are never innocent; but are either guilty or they are not guilty.

All the government is upon the shoulders of our Lord and Saviour. These are the last days and we can no longer look to the governments of any nation including our own nations, to champion us. (Could we ever?) No, we must surely look to Jesus alone. The natural consequences of sin remain to our worldly leaders and to all the nations. This is a cursed planet. There is an escape from all these consequences to God's people. The children of God will not suffer forever.

"Adam and Eve sinned against God in the Garden, even though we have been born again and redeemed by the 'Blood of the Lamb' we still have to die (short of the rapture) �?the natural consequences of the stain of sin continue....until Heaven."

Good News! If the son sets you free, you shall be free indeed.

"Marriage is until death."

Deuteronomy 24:1 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.

I agree. Once the marriage is dead... It's DEAD. Not that those true believers aren't capable of raising the dead, either. It has been known to happen on occasion. Even so�?dead is dead.

 

"If the spouse leaves then the other may be free of the marriage but they cannot remarry until the death of the spouse." 

2 And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife.

I had no difficulty in lining up this scripture (in blue) with the rest of biblical scripture on marriage and divorce, but I confess that I am having trouble lining it up with the interpretations in red. Perhaps if it were written in a fashion that actually distinguished the clean from the unclean, or the spouse from the former spouse, I might find it in agreement with Full Bible Truth.

"If one commits fornication the other may divorce them, but they cannot remarry until death....unless it be to their spouse."

3 And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand , and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; 4 Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. 5 When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.

I think a spouse can reconcile with a "former" spouse if all the conditions are met but personally, I would not advise it because it is very, very, risky. Former spouses are capable of deceit and eternity is too long to be wrong.

CONCLUSION

DEUTERONOMY 24:1-5 still stands in agreement with all other scripture.

The Holy Bible will ever contradict the flesh; for the spirit and the flesh are always at enmity with one another; but scripture,  will never contradict itself. Partial truth is not Full Bible Truth. We all have much to learn in this short lifetime. God is merciful and just to forgive us our trespasses if our hearts are sincerely toward Him. I know that God is good and faithful and true.

Iron sharpeneth iron. I would also like to thank someone for inspiring me to conduct a thorough examination of those scriptures provided and I feel that I benefited from this bit of work. I trust that other readers may also benefit from it and not just the married and the unmarried but the virgins and the widowed also.

It would seem to me that many today fail to grasp that marriage is often the next most important decision one can ever hope to make touching one's personal life once one finds salvation in the blessed name of our Lord Jesus. This is my reason the subject engages my passion so easily. When there is so much to gain there is always so much to lose. Marriage is precious.

For some here, marriage might well be until death and many marriages suffer untimely deaths indeed. I do not jest. In these last days I hope and pray that this exercise in faith has been as much a benefit to the reader as it has also been to the author; and that all the married and the unmarried will be blessed in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour with an everlasting love.

God has called us to Peace.