MATTHEW 5:32, C. H. Cayce “But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. “What is true with reference to the husband is also true with reference to the wife. If it is wrong for the wife to put away the husband, it is also wrong for the husband to put away the wife. If the Scriptures allow the wife to put her husband away and marry again, it will also allow the husband to put away his wife and marry another. Now, remember this, that what is admissible in the one is admissible in the other, for “they are no more twain, but one flesh.” Then, the question is simply this, Can a man for any cause, expressed in Scripture, put away his wife and marry another, and he not be an adulterer?
In the text quoted above the Saviour tells us that if a man shall put away his wife for any other cause than that of fornication, he causes her to commit adultery. If she has committed fornication, and for this cause be put her away, he does not cause her to commit adultery. If she has been put away for any cause, and then marries another man, the man commits adultery, in marrying one who has been put away.
Now, notice the Saviour’s language recorded in Matt. 19:9, “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.” If the wife commits fornication and the husband puts her away on this account, and marries another, he does not commit adultery. If the husband puts his wife away for any other cause except fornication, and marries another, he commits adultery. If the Saviour had said, “Whosoever shall put away his wife, and shall marry another, committeth adultery,” then a man would have no Scriptural reason whatever to put away his wife and marry again. But the Saviour gives only one exception to this universal rule, and that one exception is, “except it be for fornication.” So that if the wife commits fornication, and the husband puts her away on this account and marries another he is no adulterer. If the wife commits fornication she becomes dead to her husband, and if she thereby becomes dead to him, he may marry again and be no adulterer.
In Luke 16:18 the Saviour says, “Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.” In this place it is laid down as though it was a universal rule with no exception, but the Saviour expresses the exception, and the only exception, in Matt. 19:9, as quoted above.
If the husband commits fornication, and the wife puts him away on this account, and then she marries another man, she is no adulteress. Neither is the man an adulterer whom she marries. To try to make it plainer: B. commits fornication; on this account Mrs. B. puts him away; then Mrs. B. marries Mr. C. In this case Mrs. B. is no adulteress, and Mr. C. is no adulterer. This is true, by reason of the fact that Mr. B. is a fornicator, and thereby becomes dead to Mrs. B., and this gives her a Scriptural right to marry again. This is clearly the exception to the rule, as laid down by the Saviour, and none have this right, except for fornication.
The language of the apostle in 1Cor. 7:15 does not contradict the Saviour’s teaching. He says, “But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. “If the unbelieving husband or wife departs, let them go; you are under no obligation to follow them. But the believing one should not help the unbeliever to go; but if they will depart, let them go. But if they do go, this does not release the marriage bond. It does not give the one left the privilege of marrying another, for the apostle says in verses 10 and 11, “And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: but and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.” It is plainly taught here that if one departs the other has no right to put them away on this account, but they should remain unmarried — hold themselves in readiness at all times for a reconciliation.
If the wife puts the husband away for any other cause than for fornication and marries another, she becomes an adulteress, and the man she marries becomes an adulterer, and to continue to live in this state is simply to continue to live in adultery.
The woman who was brought to the Saviour, having been caught in the very act, is no example to resort to as an excuse, in our judgment. She was brought before the Saviour by those who were seeking to entangle and condemn our Lord. This lesson teaches us that the Saviour’s mission was not to administer the law, neither was He to sit as a judge to pass sentence on those who violated it. This was not His mission, which is clearly taught in this circumstance. His work was to fulfill the law, to render satisfaction to it.
These are our views on this subject. We do not propose to give them as a standard for our people, but we feel it is a safe position. We trust our brethren everywhere will study the matter carefully and prayerfully. Then may the Lord enable us to go in the right way, knowing no man after the flesh, but to have a true regard for the right, and give us Christian fortitude to walk in that way, and help us to always do that which is well pleasing in His sight. The Primitive Baptist, May 7, 1907