A New Relationship to the Law

Romans 7:1-6

Modern Christian society views divorce and remarriage as normal and acceptable. The non Christian world views marriage as obsolete. This is in exact contradiction to God’s law. Jesus stated God’s position in Mark 10:11-12. “And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.”

In Matthew 19, the Pharisees were questioning Jesus as to what were valid reasons for divorce. Jesus answered that marriage was a result of God’s action, and man had no authority over it. Any reason except sexual infidelity did not permit marriage to another. The only reason it was allowed at all under the Law was because man was so consistently wicked. Separation on other grounds were understandable, but the marriage was still in effect. God never approved the remarriage.

“And (Jesus) said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever 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.” (Matthew 19:5-9)

While God’s standard is more rigorous than most traditional beliefs about marriage, most of them still held that marriage was for life. Modern society views it as merely a human commitment and thus can be ended when it is no longer advantageous or convenient. Paul uses that traditional view to explain our relationship to the Old Testament Law.

“Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.” (Romans 7:1-3)

Only death ends the bond between husband and wife under God’s or most traditional standards. Adultery was grounds for execution. Death cancels any prior relationship. Baptism portrays the fact hat we have died in Christ. The standard of life prescribed by the Law is in effect on every living descendent of Adam, but we died, in Christ.

“Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” (Romans 7:4-6)

When a person’s mate dies, they are free to marry or not, as they choose. When they choose to remarry they demonstrate a belief in the sanctity of marriage, just as Paul says that by believing in Christ we confirm the Law. Romans 3:31 states, “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.” This is despite the fact that we are no longer living by the old standard of the law, just as the widow is no longer faithful to her first husband. It does not void the institution.