Marriage As God Would Have It - (No. 6)
If is be true, as the marriage-theorists insist, that in baptism an adulterous union is made holy, we must conclude that God virtually has no marriage law. Law that may be set aside at will is no law at all.
As the teachings of Christ in Matthew 19 are set aside for the alien, upon the same basis it may be set aside for the Christian. For what more as respects sin does baptism accomplish for the alien that prayer does not for the Christian? The effect is the same; God forgives the penitent alien when he is baptized (Acts 2:38), and God forgives the penitent Christian when he asks forgiveness, prays. (Acts 8:22; 1 John 2:1-2; James 5:18) If "forgiveness" changes the adulterous relationship for the alien, why would not "forgiveness" change the adulterous relationship for the Christian? If the premise were correct, then it would follow that as the alien may live with as many as he pleases and remain with the last adulteress when baptized, even so the Christian could do the same and continue in the "previously illicit relationship" when forgiven. But, of course, neither baptism nor prayer has any such effect, and in both cases the theorist overlooks the fact that alien and erring Christian must be penitent, and repentance demands that the illicit one be put away!
VIII. Practicing What Is Preached
It is natural that in defending lawlessness the very outlook of the theorist in time will become lawless. The marriage relationship is considered but lightly, for after all, he may reason, it can be set aside so easily. And as the Lord taught, as one thinks in his heart so is he. (Matt. 12:35, 15:19) Too many of the theorists, who are not such because of previous violations already, soon become transgressors themselves. To the personal knowledge of this writer, more than one theorist has indulged in the works of the flesh. This is the fruit of the theory. It is to the shame of the church that preachers are discovered defiling women of the church and community, even putting away their mates and being married to the mates of other Christians, and other acts too nauseous even to mention. The height of all such folly is the blasphemous plea that this is our "liberty in Christ." The writer knows of places where members of the church have traded mates for a season...."liberty in Christ!" God forbid! "Use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh." (Gal. 5:13)
IX. Polygamy Finally, the marriage theorists are forced to accept polygamy. To this writer this "fruit" is so bitter that even to see it is enough to expose the entire movement for what it is — an attempt to justify sensualism in the church! Lest I be accused of falsely stating the position of the theorists, I now quote three "gospel preachers."
"Milligan and Scott both believe that there were actually members of the church then with more than one wife. They were polygamists."
"We must conclude many of those first converts were polygamists."
"It would appear that our social and civil standards are sometimes a bit different from God's. Our authorities who set these standards and write these laws would punish a case like David's with fine and possible imprisonment for having more than one wife. Yet, he could have a hundred and be accepted in the eyes of the law so long as he only had one at a time. In the eyes of the law, polygamy is a crime, but divorce and remarriage — successive polygamy — is right. Some of our creed-makers are little better. They would require David to put her away. God seems to have been more tolerant of polygamy than He is of those who have three or four wives, in succession and feel they are all right. Of divorce, He once said, 'I hate your putting away, saith Jehovah, the God of Israel.' (Malachi 2:16) I have yet to read where He said that about polygamy."
There you have it! To the theorist, it would be better to keep all your "loves" — practice polygamy! And now we ask, Does God have any law regarding marriage? According to the theorist, the alien may ignore Christ's teaching in Matthew 19, the Christian may ignore Him (because "love" is greater than any command of Christ!), and the polygamist may ignore Him. Brethren, I believe this is the trouble — too many are ignoring Christ!
X. The Movement Grows
Many of us are distressed by the growing evils within the church in the corrupting of the organization and work of the congregation and by the increasing worldliness transforming the church into a social club. No less of a threat is the growing menace of the adultery-licensing theories. Especially in the southwestern states there is a concerted effort of "spiritualistic interpreters" who are creating havoc in the church not only by reason of their marriage theories (the wedge driven to division) but with their general concept of the word of God. To them the Bible does not mean what it says, but is written in symbols. Hence, for example, the "widows" of Acts 6 are not widows, but "backsliders," and the "orphans" of James 1:27 are "aliens." The collections sent to Jerusalem from Macedonia, Achaia, etc., were not for indigents, but to preach the gospel to the spiritually starved church (with her apostles and teachers)!!
The modus operandi I have seen at work. In overthrowing a church, ousting the elders and seating preachers of the movement, its advocates work as do the premillennialists, underground and unobserved until the time is ready to strike.
I mention these facts as a warning to brethren everywhere. Of course not every brother teaching a marriage theory is a part of the seditious movement I have mentioned, but that such a movement is abroad is a fact. Whether a part of an evil scheme or innocently in error, the consequences of the doctrine are no less evil. There is, of course, one thing that stops this evil movement, and that is TRUTH.
Conclusion
To those involved in an illicit relationship, we have the greatest sympathy, but sympathy cannot change God's word. Only obedience to His will promises hope in a life to come.
— 1900 Jenny Lind Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark.