Unlawful Marriages by M. E. Cornell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 19, 1861

Unlawful Marriages.

By M. E. Cornell

We are not of those that "forbid to marry." The marriage institution is divine. Christ honored a wedding with his presence in Cana of Galilee, and the apostle declares that marriage is "honorable." But there are certain restrictions upon this subject which should be observed as given in the Bible.

There is in the popular churches and the world almost an entire disregard of the instructions of Jesus Christ in respect to marriage and divorces. Even Adventists have not been entirely clear in this matter. It is an easy thing to conform to the low standard of morality in these degenerate times, and yet live in violation of the precept of Christ. When we see that divorces are often obtained for the most trivial causes, we are reminded of the words of the apostle, that in the last days they should be "truce-breakers" and destitute of "natural affection."

The Scriptures warrant a divorce for one cause only, and to marry one that had become separated for another cause would be unlawful. Christ, when interrogated upon this subject gave the following rule:

"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."

The apostle Paul instructs as follows: "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. But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath a husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with him, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife." 1 Cor. vii, 10-16.

The above testimony is unequivocal, and none need mistake his or her duty in this matter, and were these instructions generally heeded, a vast amount of human suffering would be saved. There can be no safety in departing in the least degree from these plain and wholesome rules. But there is another point in this subject to which we wish to call especial attention, namely, in regard to marrying unbelievers. In many instances where Sabbath-keepers have married unbelievers they have brought upon themselves much trouble. Some have been led away from the truth by such means, and are now without hope. Those who will presume to go contrary to the plain direction of God's word cannot expect to prosper. Moses directed by the Lord gave the following:

"Neither shalt thou make marriages with them: thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly." Deut. vii, 3, 4.

Joshua in his farewell address to Israel gives the following important charge:

"Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God. Else, if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you: know for a certainty that the Lord your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the Lord your God hath given you." Josh. xxiii, 11-13.

Although this had an especial application to Israel at that time, yet it contains a principle which applies with equal force to the present, when God has set his hand the second time to gather the remnant of his people. On this point the apostle says:

"The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth: but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord." 1 Cor. vii, 39. From this testimony we conclude that a believer is not at liberty to marry one that is not in Christ.

Unlawful marriages was one of the crying sins of the antediluvian world. They did not stop to inquire what was right, or would be for the glory of God, but after their own unholy desires "they took them wives of all which they chose." Gen. vi, 2. Let our young people beware that they do not offend in this matter. All must be done to the glory of God. The duty to be separate from unbelievers is plain. You have no right to keep the company of unbelievers. The first step toward a union with them is wrong. The following testimony, though applicable to all believers under all circumstances, has a double force when applied to the marriage relation. "Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?" 2 Cor. vi, 14, 15.

This text, though not spoken with direct reference to unlawful marriages, has a principle which will apply to them. If it forbids intimacy with unbelievers in general, it of course will apply to any particular case. If to associate with them is to be "unequally yoked," how much more so to marry them. These remarks cannot apply to those who are already married when they embrace the truth, but will certainly apply to those who would voluntarily place themselves in that unequal yoke. As a hint to the wise is sufficient I will only refer to the following:

"I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and I will not sit with the wicked. I will wash mine hands in innocence; so will I compass thine altar, O Lord: that I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honor dwelleth. Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men." Ps. xxvi, 4-9.

"Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away." Prov. iv, 14, 15.

"If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." John xv, 19.

M. E. CORNELL.