The Dangers Of The Exception of Fornication

There is nothing more dangerous to our soul than the sin of adultery. Adultery is such a heinous sin that it can take an otherwise faithful Christian straight to hell. Now, one might argue that any sin can carry one to hell, but not many sins require so much of us to escape its clutches as does adultery. Yet, when Jesus was speaking about divorce and remarriage he stated quite clearly that marriage was intended until death do we part, which startled his audience. Why? Because under the law of Moses a man could divorce his wife for any reason. Deut 24:1 A woman was not allowed to divorce her husband for any reason under the law of Moses, but if her husband divorced her she was allowed to be another man’s wife. Deut 24:2

Jesus at this moment changed the law of marriage and divorce back to its original intention, with one exception, and that being fornication. Notice what Jesus said about this one exception: “I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality (fornication), and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.” Matt 19:9 Contained in Jesus’ sermon on the mount Jesus echoed the exact same words when he said, “I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality (fornication) causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.” Matt 5:32 These are the only two verses in the new testament which deals with the one exception that so many Christians seem to flock to when they seek to be loosed from the bands of marriage.

The Dangers

If Jesus gave man the exception of “fornication”, wherein lies the danger? The danger is that fornication is an ambiguous term at best, and is often hard to prove. Most bible versions today have renamed “fornication” to “sexual immorality”. The danger of this definition is vast, for many things are immoral but fall short of the definition of “fornication”. Fornication simply means “consensual sexual intercourse between two persons not married to each other…Merriam Websters”. Sexual immorality is defined as “ the evil ascribed to sexual acts that violate social conventions.” The trouble with this definition is that social convention changes from one generation to another, and even varies from one region to another. There is not one commandment of God which varies from one generation to another. Yet, many are seeking divorces based upon this broad definition of the one exception.

Secondly, it’s harder than one might think to prove “fornication”. How many seek divorce based upon the idle gossip which may or may not be true of their partners infidelity. Unless one can actually prove fornication has occurred they are taking fatal chances with their own soul. If one divorces their wife and she hasn’t committed fornication he has caused her and her new husband to commit adultery. If he remarries, he has committed adultery and the woman who marries him as also committed adultery.

If a man catches his wife in the very act or has irrefutable evidence, and divorces her for committing adultery, he is free to marry whomsoever he will that is eligible for marriage. If he marries a woman who is an adulteress, he commits adultery.

Do Women Have The Same Exception?

Another danger of the one exception of “fornication” is self evident. Jesus nor his apostles removed the old testament ban for women to divorce their husband for any reason. Jesus’ one exception was given to men. Paul commanded not once, but twice that women were bound to their husband for as long as he lives, which also the law of Moses commanded. Notice what was commanded for all women, “The woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband.  So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man.” Rom 7:2-4 And again Paul wrote, “A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.” 1 Cor 7:39 Paul wrote that the Lord commanded that if a wife departs from (divorces) her husband she can never remarry, but can only be reconciled back to her husband. 1 Cor 7:10,11

Does Baptism Wipe Away Adultery?

Many sinners are taught that if they are living in adultery that baptism washes the sin away. They are correct, and they are wrong at the same time. Yes, Baptism washes away all sins, but the sin must be repented of before Baptism can wash it away. Peter said, “Repent and be Baptized… for the remission of sin” Acts 2:38 If one is an adulterer before baptism and continue in the adultery after baptism, they have not turned from their sin and back to God. Therefore, baptism can’t wash away an unrepentant sin of any kind, and this verily includes adultery. It can also be stated that baptized believers who then commit adultery can’t be forgiven of this sin unless they put away their fraudulent marriage.

Conclusion: God intended for man and woman to be married to one another for as long as both shall life. God hates divorce! Mal 2:16 If God hates divorce, why does so many think that God expanded the law of marriage to increase the number of divorces, as opposed to limit it to a minimum. Jesus made it clear that the divorce law which Moses gave to Israel was given to them for the hardness of their heart, but from the beginning this was not true. Matt 19:8 Christ gave one exception “fornication” for man to divorce his wife and prohibited any woman to be married to another as long as her husband is alive. Rom 7:2-4 f; 1 Cor 7:39 If she divorces her husband fraudulently, she can never be married to another man without being called an adulteress. 1 Cor 7:10,11

God gave marriage to both the man and woman that they avoid fornication. 1 Cor 7:2 Men, don’t fraudulently play around with the one exception of fornication, and lose your own soul, and that of a litany of others as well. Preachers and elders, don’t falsify God’s Word on the subject of adultery, and think that you won’t be held accountable for sending so many souls to hell. Remember the warning of the apostle James, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.” Jam 3:1 Don’t play with around with adultery, for it is lethal to your very soul!  Be content with such things as you have, for marriage is honorable among all, but whore-mongers and adulterers God will judge. Heb 13:4,5