What is your stand on marriage, divorce, and remarriage?

Question:

What is your stance on marriage, divorce, and remarriage as taught by Ron Halbrook, Tim Haile, and others?

Answer:

I find the current controversy on marriage, divorce, and remarriage sounding much like what Paul warned against.

"As I urged you when I went into Macedonia -- remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm" (I Timothy 1:3-7).

"If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself" (I Timothy 6:3-5).

"Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (II Timothy 2:14-15).

"But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife" (II Timothy 2:23).

The teachings in the Bible regarding marriage, divorce, and remarriage are not that complex, but I find numerous brethren making them very complex. The reality is that marriage, divorce, and remarriage are three related but different topics. I know probably at least a half-dozen positions that people have taken on each of those three topics. I'm sure many more exist, but then someone will ask if I'm for or against MDR. Pardon me? How can you be for or against marriage? For or against divorce? Or for or against remarriage? Perhaps if we sat down and discussed what you currently believe, we might agree or disagree as to whether the Bible supports that position.

Unfortunately, there are people who have made a hobby out of marriage, divorce, and remarriage. It is about the only thing they ever write about or discuss. In trying to distinguish themselves from others, they have sought to pull passages apart to the nth degree. Far too many have made the passages say far more than what is recorded. Others are going around saying if you aren't with them, then you must be one of "them" -- seeking to divide the brotherhood. The problem is that some of those I have talked to haven't a clue over what they are dividing. They are simply following certain people or not following certain people, as the case may be. Instead of striving to unite the brethren under the common teaching of the Bible, they are seeking reasons to divide. Few are aiming for better understanding; instead, they are drawing lines in the sand to determine who they are not going to talk to.

If you would like to know what I teach in regards to any of those three topics, I am willing to answer any question you might have, but I really can't answer whether the answer matches or contradicts some other preacher's current point of view. I don't study preachers; I study the Bible.

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