First, I believe it is extremely important to understand that fornication and adultery are two different sexual sins. Always let us go to the Holy scriptures first.
I will use the A. V. 1611 because a lot of people may have a hard time understanding the Matthews or Coverdale bible.
Matthew
5:31 It hath beene said, Whosoeuer shall put away his wife, let him giue her a writing of diuorcement.
5:32 But I say vnto you, that whosoeuer shall put away his wife, sauing for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoeuer shall marie her that is diuorced, committeth adulterie.
Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart proceed euill thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnes, blasphemies.
Matthew 19:9And I say vnto you, Whosoeuer 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.
So, we see that Jesus clearly knew and taught there is a difference between fornication and adultery. Did the Pharisees know the difference between the two? Yes, they did. Jesus was telling them if Abraham was their father, they would do the works of Abraham. And Jesus continued to tyell them they do the works of their father which Jesus meant the devil, they took it as if they were born out of wedlock, i.e. fornication.
John 8:41
Ye doe the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not borne of fornication, we have one Father, even God.
Some claim that the Pharisees and Sadducees claimed that Jesus was born of fornication. Even Joseph at first thought Mary had committed fornication and was going to divorce her quietly until God sent the angel to him and told him no, that she was pregnant and was carrying the Son of God!
What does the 1828 Noah Websters dictionary say…
ADUL’TERY, noun [Latin adulterium. See Adulterate.]
1. Violation of the marriage bed; a crime, or a civil injury, which introduces, or may introduce, into a family, a spurious offspring.
By the laws of Connecticut, the sexual intercourse of any man, with a married woman, is the crime of adultery in both:such intercourse of a married man, with an unmarried woman, is fornication in both, and adultery of the man, within the meaning of the law respecting divorce; but not a felonious adultery in either, or the crime of adultery at common law, or by statute. This latter offense is, in England, proceeded with only in the ecclesiastical courts.
In common usage, adultery means the unfaithfulness of any married person to the marriage bed. In England, Parliament grant absolute divorces for infidelity to the marriage bed in either party; and the spiritual courts divorce a mensa et thoro.
2. In a scriptural sense, all manner of lewdness or unchastity, as in the seventh commandment.
3. In scripture, idolatry, or apostasy from the true God. Jeremiah 3:8.
4. In old laws, the fine and penalty imposed for the offense of adultery
5. In ecclesiastical affairs, the intrusion of a person into a bishopric, during the life of the bishop.
6. Among ancient naturalists, the grafting of trees was called adultery being considered as an unnatural union.
Noah Webster 1828
FORNICA’TION, noun [Latin fornicatio.]
1. The incontinence or lewdness of unmarried persons, male or female; also, the criminal conversation of a married man with an unmarried woman.
2. Adultery. Matthew 5:32.
3. Incest. 1 Corinthians 5:1.
4. Idolatry; a forsaking of the true God, and worshipping of idols. 2 Chronicles 21:11, Revelation 19:2.
Now let’s dig deeper into who is in adultery according to the Word Made Flesh, Jesus Christ.
Mark
10:1-12 And he rose from thence, & commeth into the coasts of Iudea by the farther side of Iordan: and the people resort vnto him againe, and as he was wont, he taught them againe. And the Pharises came to him, and asked him, Is it lawfull for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. And he answered, and saide vnto them, What did Moses command you? And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of diuorcement, and to put her away. And Iesus answered, and said vnto them, For the hardnesse of your heart, he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male, and female. For this cause shall a man leaue his father and mother, and cleaue to his wife, And they twaine shalbe one flesh: so then they are no more twaine, but one flesh. What therefore God hath ioyned together, let not man put asunder. And in the house his disciples asked him againe of the same matter. And he saith vnto them, Whosoeuer shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and bee married to another, she committeth adulterie.
Now, those who are in second, third, fourth marriages and their first spouse is still alive want to go and agree with Moses and say we divorced, we are free to remarry…but what did Jesus say?
Luke 16:18 Whosoeuer putteth away his wife, & marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoeuer marrieth her that is put away from her husband, committeth adultery.
Did Jesus say this is only for believers? Or did He say WHOSOEVER meaning to EVERYONE?
Okay so we have read what Jesus said, did Apostle Paul agree or did he give an “exception” clause?
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Know yee not that the vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdome of God? Be not deceiued: neither fornicatours, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselues with mankinde, Nor theeues, nor couetous, nor drunkards, nor reuilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are iustified in the Name of the Lord Iesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
According to some, the above scripture gives them the impression that since being born again and washed clean from the sin of adultery, it is no longer a sin, even though their spouse or the spouse of their partner is still alive. With that logic then that means even though two people are not married but living in fornication they can continue in fornication because God has now made that holy? So, when an effeminate is forgiven, they can continue in that lifestyle according to some because God has cleansed them? A thief can continue to steal. A drunkard can continue to get drunk. They completely bypassed the word WERE SOME OF YOU! You see when draw to the LORD Jesus it is by the Holy Spirit that reveals to us our sins, which then brings Godly sorrow, which then works repentance!
1828 Noah Webster
Real penitence; sorrow or deep contrition for sin, as an offense and dishonor to God, a violation of his holy law, and the basest ingratitude towards a Being of infinite benevolence. This is called evangelical repentance and is accompanied and followed by amendment of life.
Repentance is a change of mind, or a conversion from sin to God.
Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation. 2 Corinthians 7:9. Matthew 3:8.
Repentance is the relinquishment of any practice, from conviction that it has offended God.
So…God calls your marriage adultery reread what Jesus stated above but some claim that after being born again and confessing the adultery that God allows them to continue in that sin?
Let’s continue
1 Corinthians 7:1-2 Now cocerning the things wherof ye wrote vnto me, It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Neuerthelesse, to auoid fornication, let euery man haue his owne wife, and let euery woman haue her owne husband.
If you have been married before or your spouse currently has been married before then, they are not your own spouse according to God through the writings of Paul.
Romans 7:1-3 Know ye not, brethren (for I speake to them that knowe the Lawe) how that the Lawe hath dominion ouer a man, as long as he liueth? For the woman which hath an husbaud, is bound by the law to her husband, so long as he liueth: but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of the husband. o then if while her husband liueth, shee be married to another man, shee shalbe called an adulteresse: but if her husband be dead, shee is free from that law, so that she is no adulteresse, though she be married to another man.
Let’s continue to see if Apostle Paul put in an exception clause.
1 Corinthians 7:8-9 I say therefore to the vnmaried and widowes, It is good for them if they abide euen as I. But if they cannot conteine, let them marry: for it is better to marrie then to burne.
That is speaking of those who are unmarried and those who have lost their spouse through death, THAT CANNOT CONTROL THEIR FLESLY DESIRES..
1 Corinthians 7:10-11 And vnto the married, I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if shee depart, let her remaine vnmaried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
Huh? Did Apostle Paul just say that GOD COMMANDED THIS? He must be wrong?! Okay, the exception clause must be coming up, right?
1 Corinthians 7:12-15 But to the rest speake I, not the Lord, If any brother hath a wife that beleeueth not, and shee bee pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that beleeueth not, and if hee be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leaue him. For the vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified by the wife, and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified by the husband; else were your children vncleane, but now are they holy. But if the vnbeleeuing depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not vnder bondage in such cases: but God hath called vs to peace.
WAIT! IS THAT THE CLAUSE? NO LONGER UNDER BONDAGE NO LONGER UNDER GOD’S COMMANDMENT??
NO!
1828 Noah Webster
BOND’AGE, noun Slavery or involuntary servitude; captivity; imprisonment; restraint of a person’s liberty by compulsion. In ancient English law, villenage.
1. Obligation; tie of duty.
He must resolve not to be brought under the bondage of observing oaths.
2. In scripture, spiritual subjection to sin and corrupt passions, or to the yoke of the ceremonial law; servile fear. Hebrews 2:15. Galatians 2:4. Romans 8:15.
SUBJECTION, noun
1. The act of subduing; the act of vanquishing and bringing under the dominion of another.
The conquest of the kingdom and the subjection of the rebels–
2. The state of being under the power, control and government of another. The safety of life, liberty, and property depends on our subjection to the laws. The isles of the West Indies are held in subjection to the powers of Europe. Our appetites and passions should be in subjection to our reason, and our will should be in entire subjection to the laws of God.
No longer under bondage DOES NOT MEAN THEY ARE FREE TO REMARRY, it means they are no longer under the subjection of the departing husband, they are not obligated to the duties of a wife. They no longer have to take care and serve them or obey them! But keeping it all in context according to the commandment of God THEY ARE NOT FREE TO REMARRY!
1 Corinthians 7:17-25 But as God hath distributed to euery man, as the Lord hath called euery one, so let him walke, and so ordeine I in all Churches. Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become vncircumcised: Is any called in vncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and vncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the Commandements of God. Let euery man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Art thou called being a seruant? care not for it: but if thou maist be made free, vse it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, being a seruant, is the Lords free man: likewise also hee that is called being free, is Christs seruant. Ye are bought with a price, be not ye the seruants of men. Brethren, let euery man wherin he is called, therein abide with God.
Did you read anywhere in the above verses that states if God calls you while in adultery that you are to remain in adultery still? Did you read that if God calls and you are a thief you can continue to steal? I am not being facetious I am being very serious. If it is okay for adultery then it is okay for all. But it is not okay it is not okay for anyone to remain in sin. The verses 17-21 IS NOT talking about adulterous marriages, or fornication, or any sin whatsoever. Those verse are talking about if you were called and are uncircumcised stay uncircumcised, if you are a servant you stay as a servant stay in the calling wherein you have been called.
The next verses are about virgins so jump down to verse 39
1 Corinthians 7:39-40
The wife is bound by the Lawe as long as her husband liueth: but if her husband bee dead, shee is at liberty to bee maried to whom shee will, onely in the Lord. But shee is happier if shee sobide, after my iudgment: and I thinke also that I haue the Spirit of God.
IF Apostle Paul anywhere between verse 1 to verse 38 stated it was okay to stay in an adulterous relationship after salvation, please show me. This is straight forward, there is no confusion in these scriptures, sadly the confusion comes when people try and tweak them just a little to justify a sinful lifestyle.
Ephesians 4:22-32
That yee put off concerning the former conuersation, the olde man, which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts: And bee renewed in the spirit of your minde: And that yee put on that new man, which after God is created in righteousnesse, and true holinesse. Wherefore putting away lying, speake euery man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry and sinne not, let not the Sunne go down vpon your wrath: Neither giue place to the deuill. Let him that stole, steale no more: but rather let him labour, working with his handes the thing which is good, that he may haue to giue to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceede out of your mouth, but that which is good to the vse of edifying, that it may minister grace vnto the hearers. And grieue not the holy Sririt of God, whereby yee are sealed vnto the day of redemption. Let all bitternes, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and euill speaking, be put away from you, with all malice, And bee ye kinde one to another. tender hearted, forgiuing one another, euen as God for Christs sake hath forgiuen you.
What we as followers of Christ must understand and truly have it embedded within our hearts is, God says He has made two one flesh, and no man can tear them apart only death nothing else. A piece of paper from a secular court does not do away with the COVENANT OF MARRIAGE AND THE VOW WE MADE BEFORE GOD WITH OUR FIRST SPOUSE! It is better to NOT MAKE A VOW than to make one then say it was a mistake! This is why the disciples said to Jesus, “it is better then not to marry!” And Jesus said not everyone can receive this TRUTH! Even though the secular world accepts, celebrates, and embraces second, third, fourth even fifth marriages (I was married 5 times and divorced 5 times, but in God’s eyes married once and the others were adulterous relationships) God does not acknowledge any marriage other than your first one IF THAT SPOUSE IS STILL ALIVE! Just because you call your current partner your spouse but your first spouse or their first spouse is still alive then GOD DOES NOT CALL THE ONE YOU ARE WITH YOUR COVENANT SPOUSE.
NONE of this is my opinion or interpretation. It is laid out very clear and is holy scripture. You can accept it or reject it but you ARE NOT fighting against me you are fighting against God and His Word.
I love you all so very much.
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