by Paul L. Canner

(Ed. note:The following was
first published 15 years ago in Words of Truth. Given the times in which
we live, and the tendency of Christians to behave more and more like
non-Christians, it seems necessary to have the truth of God’s Word on this
topic brought afresh to our hearts and consciences. This article is a somewhat
condensed version of the original series of three articles. The complete set of
articles is included in a book, The Christian and Marriage, that can be
obtained for $2.99 plus postage from Moments With The Book, P.O. Box 322, Bedford, PA 15522.)

                  Two Fundamental Principles

Let us begin our scriptural
consideration of this very difficult and controversial topic of divorce and
remarriage with a statement of two fundamental principles from the Word of God:

1. God hates divorce.
"I hate putting away [or divorce], says Jehovah the God of Israel"
(Mal. 2:16 JND). "What therefore God has joined together, let not man put
asunder" (Matt. 19:6).

2. God loves forgiveness
and reconciliation. "Be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you" (Eph. 4:32).
"Let her … be reconciled to her husband" (1 Cor. 7:11).

In this age of great laxity with
regard to divorce as with all aspects of morality, there is a tendency for
Christians to approach the matter of divorce from a totally wrong standpoint.
The primary focus often is seeking to find scriptural reasons to justify
divorce and remarriage, trying to define the so-called "exception
clause," etc. However, it is the great responsibility of marriage
counselors as well as brothers and sisters in Christ of couples contemplating
divorce to attempt to get the couple to refocus their attention on the ways and
means of resolving problems and to the prospect of reconciliation. We need to
remind ourselves and one another of what God has done for us. He has
"reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 5:18). Also,
"God for Christ’s sake has forgiven" us (Eph. 4:32). Is it not His
desire that we in turn forgive one another (especially our spouses!) and be
reconciled to one another (2 Cor. 5:18; Matt. 6:14,15; 18:21-35)?

We shall now consider what the
Scriptures say about acceptable reasons for divorce and remarriage. But as we
consider such things as the "exception clause" of Matt. 5:32 and 19:9
and the "not under bondage" clause of 1 Cor. 7:15, we need to be
careful not to become like the Pharisees who tried to find ways and means of
interpreting Scripture to meet their own selfish desires. While there may
indeed be scriptural allowance for divorce and remarriage in certain prescribed
circumstances, we need ever to keep in focus the fundamental principles stated
above that God hates divorce and loves forgiveness and reconciliation.

                    The "Exception Clause"

"Whosoever shall put away
his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery;
and whosoever shall marry her who is divorced commits adultery" (Matt.
5:32). "Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication,
and shall marry another, commits adultery" (Matt. 19:9). It is clear from
these passages that divorce and remarriage are both permitted under certain
circumstances. We need now to define precisely those circumstances. Four
situations will be discussed:

1. A believer is divorced and the
former spouse remarries.

2. The believer’s spouse commits
fornication, but does not divorce the believer.

3. The believer’s spouse obtains
a divorce, but does not remarry and does not commit fornication.

4. The believer is deserted by
the spouse.

                 Divorce and Remarriage by the

                       Believer’s Spouse

If a believer is divorced and the
former spouse remarries, this might be considered as "fornication in the
extreme" on the part of the former spouse. Therefore, it may be inferred
from Matt. 5:32 that the believer in this situation is free to remarry without
being guilty of adultery. However, let it be added that the one divorced should
not feel compelled to remarry, but should carefully weigh before the Lord the
option of remaining unmarried (see 1 Cor. 7:8,27,32-34,38-40).

                Fornication but Not Divorce by

                     the Believer’s Spouse

If the spouse of a believer
commits fornication, but does not initiate a divorce from the believer, it
would seem, again on the basis of Matt. 19:9, that the believer is given
permission to divorce the unfaithful spouse and to remarry without being guilty
of adultery. However, for one who may be planning to initiate divorce from an
unfaithful spouse, there are some important questions and principles to
consider.

First, it is important to
consider the attitude of the so-called "innocent party" toward the
marriage and toward the sinning spouse. If a marriage has been floundering for
some time, one or both partners—instead of trying to take the necessary steps
of confession, forgiveness, and reconciliation—may be secretly looking for a
scriptural excuse to terminate the marriage. A single act of infidelity on the
part of one’s spouse, whether present or past, whether repented of or not, may
be seized upon as a justifiable reason for divorce. Considering the exception
clauses of Matt. 5:32 and 19:9 alone, one cannot argue against this reason. But
we must consider this matter in the light of the entire Word of God. We
must balance the tendency to seize upon any act of marital unfaithfulness as a
basis for divorce with the fundamental scriptural principles that God hates
divorce and God loves forgiveness and reconciliation. Certainly, if the
sinning spouse has confessed and repented of his/her sin to the spouse, there
is an obligation to forgive, just as God "is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins" when we confess them to Him (1 John 1:9; also Eph. 4:32).
Furthermore, God has forgiven us far beyond those sins we have consciously
recognized, confessed, and repented of. He is always seeking to draw His wandering,
sinful children back to Himself. Are we to be different from our heavenly
Father in this respect? Should we not patiently, prayerfully be seeking the
return and reconciliation of our errant spouse, however great or extensive the
sin (see Hosea 2:6-8; 3:1-3)? Let us remember too that very rarely is the fault
or failing one-sided. All behavior is caused, and there may well be reasons
within the marriage why one has looked elsewhere for gratification.

Thus, before divorce for
fornication is even contemplated, the "innocent party" should be
doing everything within his/her power (or, more properly, through the power of
the Holy Spirit) to bring about restoration and reconciliation of the sinning
spouse. If the spouse persists in unfaithfulness, scripture still seems to
advise the Christian to refrain from initiating a divorce:"Let not
the wife depart [literally, be separated] from her husband; but and if she
depart [or be separated], let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her
husband; and let not the husband put away his wife" (1 Cor. 7:10,11). (See
The Christian and Marriage for more details on this point.)

If the unfaithful one finally
initiates a divorce, according to the Matthew passages the "innocent
party" may remarry without being branded an adulterer. However, as final
as a divorce may seem to be, the desire and hope for reconciliation should not
cease once a divorce has been finalized. My own counsel to such a one would be
not to consider marriage to another person until there is indication that reconciliation
will never or can never occur. Thus, one who is divorced would do well to wait
either for the Lord to work the miracle of reconciliation or for the matter to
be resolved by the unfaithful one remarrying another person. This latter, as
pointed out above, is an extreme act of fornication or adultery, and renders
impossible recovery of the original marriage.

                Divorce but Not Fornication by

                     the Believer’s Spouse

So far we have considered the
question of divorce and remarriage of a believer when fornication or remarriage
of the unfaithful spouse has occurred. Let us now consider the status of the
Christian who has been divorced by his/her spouse but where there is no
remarriage and no evidence of fornication on the part of the divorcing spouse.
The crucial question in such a situation is whether there is freedom for the
divorced one to remarry.

The Lord’s teaching in Matt. 5:32
again appears to be very plain in this regard:"Whosoever shall put away
his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery;
and whosoever shall marry her who is divorced commits adultery."
Thus, if the divorced one remarries, both she and the one who marries her
become adulterers; apparently this is because the divorce is not recognized as
valid in the eyes of the Lord.

A passage in 1 Corinthians 7 is
often referred to in this connection and used to present instruction contrary
to that found in Matt. 5:32. Concerning a believer who is divorced or deserted
by a spouse who is an unbeliever, verse 15 reads, "A brother or a sister
is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace." This
is taken by some to be another exception clause to be added to the one in Matt.
5:32. That is, the believer is free to remarry not only if the divorcing spouse
is a fornicator, but also if the divorcing spouse is an unbeliever. The problem
with this teaching is that the second exception, rather than supporting and
extending the first exception, blatantly contradicts it. How can it be that the
believer divorced by an unbeliever is free to remarry when at the same
time "WHOSOEVER shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of
fornication, causes her to commit adultery"? The so-called exception
clause in 1 Cor. 7:15 cannot stand without altering the Lord’s teaching in
Matt. 5:32.

What then does 1 Cor. 7:15 mean?
Both the context and the original Greek will help us as we consider this
passage in some detail. In verses 10 and 11 we have a statement of the general
principle:"Let not the wife depart [or be separated] 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." This is a
restatement of the words of the Lord in Matt. 19:6, "What therefore God
has joined together, let not man put asunder [or separate; same Greek
word, chorizo, as in 1 Cor. 7:10,11]." Then in verses 12-16 the
apostle Paul considers a special situation not explicitly covered by the Lord
Jesus in His address to His disciples. "But to the rest speak I, not the
Lord, If any brother has a wife who believes not, and she be pleased to dwell
with him, let him not put her away. And the woman who has a husband who
believes not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, 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 thy
holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is
not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. For what do
you know, O wife, whether you shall save your husband? or how do you know, O
man, whether you shall save your wife?"

In the corrupt city of Corinth,
it was not uncommon for a new believer in Christ to have previously been an
idolater and perhaps also an adulterer, and to have an unsaved spouse still
taken up with the corrupt practices prevalent in that locale. Thus the question
no doubt was posed to the apostle Paul as to whether it was appropriate to
continue living with one’s unsaved spouse—to continue in that unequal yoke with
an unbeliever while now linked with Christ. In the Old Testament we read in
Ezra 10 of the Israelites putting away the wives they had taken from the
surrounding nations. Is this what the believers in Christ were to do with their
unbelieving spouses? No, the apostle gives instruction befitting the period of
grace in which we now live:If the unbeliever is willing to continue the
marriage, this is fine; do not leave or break up the marriage, "for the
unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife and the unbelieving wife is
sanctified by the husband." The daily prayers and Christian testimony of
the unbelieving spouse are of inestimable value to the soul of the unsaved one
and may result in the salvation of that one. Note that again the fundamental
principles of the permanency of marriage and God hating divorce are in evidence
in the instruction given here.

But what if the unbeliever is not
content to continue the marriage? What if he is ashamed or embarrassed to have
a wife who will no longer join him in his corrupt or worldly practices and who
would much prefer to spend her time reading the Bible, worshipping with other
believers, and serving the Lord? What if

he threatens her that unless she gives up her new religion
he will leave or divorce her? "If the unbelieving depart, let him
depart" (verse 15). In other words, although God’s desire for all is
permanency in marriage, He does not expect one to give up Christianity in order
to keep his or her marriage from disintegrating (see Matt. 19:29). While we are
enjoined to submit ourselves one to another in the fear of God, and while wives
are to submit themselves unto their own husbands (Eph. 5:21,22), this
submission and subjugation cannot be carried out at the expense of obedience to
the Lord (Acts 5:29; Col. 3:18).

This seems to be the setting for
the next phrase of our passage, "A brother or a sister is not under
bondage in such cases" (1 Cor. 7:15). "Under bondage" is a
translation of the Greek word douloo which means literally "brought
into servitude or subjugation." It does not say that a brother or a
sister in no longer under servitude or subjugation (the Greek word for
this is douleuo) but is not brought into this condition. (See
Acts 7:6 and Rom. 6:18 for examples of douloo and Acts 7:7 and Rom. 6:6
for examples of douleuo.) It is referring to a new kind of servitude—to
one’s marriage rather than to the Lord—that would be imposed upon the believer
if forced to give up the Christian walk to prevent the unbelieving spouse from
breaking up the marriage.

It is argued by some that
"not under bondage" means that the bond of marriage (referred to in 1
Cor. 7:27,39 and Rom. 7:2) is broken when an unbelieving spouse departs or
divorces, thus freeing the believer to remarry another. To some extent this
notion has been promoted by a misreading of the Greek words in the four
passages. In 1 Cor. 7:15, "bondage" is douloo, while in Rom.
7:2 and 1 Cor. 7:27,39 "bound" is deo. A number of prominent
Bible teachers have based their interpretation of 1 Cor. 7:15 at least in part
on the mistaken notion that the same Greek word is used in these four passages.
Deo means "to bind, as with a rope or chain," and is also
found in Mark 11:4 in reference to a "colt tied by the door,"
and in Acts 12:6 and 24:27 of prisoners bound by chains or other measures. Douloo
along with its companion verb douleuo, "to serve or be in
servitude," and noun form doulos, "servant," are
sometimes used in the New Testament to denote slavery to a human master (as in
Philem. 16). However, these words are used much more frequently to denote a
willing service by Christians to God or to one another. For example, "You
became the servants of righteousness … and … servants of
God" (Rom. 6:18,22); "I made myself servant unto all" (1
Cor. 9:19); and "By love serve one another" (Gal. 5:13). Deo
and douloo (and its companions) have distinctive meanings and are not
used interchangeably nor as denoting different degrees or stages of the same
condition. For this reason, along with the one given in the preceding paragraph,
we have no warrant for saying that "not under bondage" in 1 Cor. 7:15
refers to the breaking of the marriage bond.

Many people have another
misconception concerning "bondage" in 1 Cor. 7:15. They regard having
to remain unmarried for an indefinite period of time while hoping for
reconciliation to be a state of bondage. The believer is not able to enjoy
marriage with the original spouse, and neither is he or she free to remarry
another as long as the unbelieving spouse does not break the original marriage
bond by remarrying or committing fornication. It is thus argued that "not
under bondage" in 1 Cor. 7:15 means that there is freedom for the believer
to remarry under such circumstances. However, this interpretation does not fit
in with the context of the entire passage. The apostle Paul did not regard it
bondage to be in an unmarried state, but rather freedom (verses
7,8,27,32,34,37,38,40).

It may therefore be concluded
that while the believer is not required to give up his or her Christian
religion in order to appease the unbelieving spouse and keep the marriage
together, there does not appear to be any clear Biblical permission for
remarriage when one is divorced by an unbelieving spouse. In fact, according to
Matt. 5:32, as already noted, remarriage by the believer would result in an
adulterous relationship unless there were fornication on the part of the
unbeliever or the marriage bond had been broken by remarriage of the unbeliever
to another person. Thus, the general principle for separated or divorced ones
laid down in 1 Cor. 7:10,11—"remain unmarried, or be
reconciled"—seems to remain valid in this specific situation.

To those who may reject the
foregoing arguments and insist that "not under bondage" implies
liberty to remarry, I would urge two things:

1. The fundamental principles
that God hates divorce and God loves forgiveness and reconciliation
ought to be very carefully considered should such a situation of divorce by an
unbeliever occur. Thus remarriage, if it occurs at all, should be put off for a
lengthy period of time—perhaps years—to allow adequate time to see if the
unbeliever’s heart will be changed in response to the periodic reaffirmations
of devotion by the spouse and of the desire for reconciliation. Reconciliation with
the original spouse rather than remarriage to a new one should always be
uppermost in the mind of the believer.

2. The person who rejects these
arguments ought to be honest enough to write to the author of this article and
tell him where he has erred in his explanation and interpretation of the
scriptures concerning divorce and remarriage.

              Desertion by the Believer’s Spouse

We have considered the passage in
1 Corinthians 7 as applying to divorce by an unbelieving spouse. It might
equally apply to desertion by the unbeliever without formal divorce. By
"desertion" I refer to a person dropping out of sight—totally
disappearing—for an extended period of time. This is generally a very trying
situation for the believing spouse because of the uncertainty of it all. There
is no knowledge of whether he is dead or alive, whether he has remarried under
a different name, or whether there is any possibility of reconciliation.

Here, as in the other situations
we have considered, every provision for reconciliation should be made. I would
suggest that the minimum standard for the believing spouse should be to
fall back on state or local law concerning the presumption of death after a
person has been missing for several years. In most states this period is seven
years. Once a person is legally presumed to be dead, a marriage with that
person can be annulled or dissolved by the courts if the "surviving"
spouse so desires.

                    Further Considerations

Some may regard the instruction
given in this chapter to be overly strict, imposing an intolerable burden upon
those divorced or deserted. Indeed it is possible that a believer who is
divorced or deserted may be in a position where it is not scripturally
permissible to remarry for many years or perhaps the rest of his/her life. This
will be a very trying an burdensome situation for most in that position,
although not beyond the ability of the Lord to come in and provide the needed
strength and help and encouragement. "God is faithful, who will not suffer
you to be tempted [or tried] above what you are able; but will with the
temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it" (1
Cor. 10:13).

There may be a strong temptation
to go ahead and remarry in spite of scriptural prohibition, and hope that God
will forgive. Certainly God does forgive in such situations, but much blessing
is lost whenever we take matters into our own hands and move contrary to
Scripture. For those who may think their trial and burden is unique, it might
help to consider other calamities, some perhaps even worse than divorce or
desertion, that bring marriage to an end, for all practical purposes, and at
the same time make it impossible for one to remarry. There are those whose
spouses have been in a coma or have existed as a "vegetable" for
years following a stroke or heart attack or accident; those whose spouses are
in prison for life or perhaps in a prisoner-of-war camp in a foreign country;
and those with spouses who have become severely mentally ill and must spend
most of the time in an institution.

This leads into another important
point. What is the responsibility of the fellow-believers of those who
experience such trials? We must recognize that persons who have been divorced
or deserted—like those whose spouses have been taken away in death—will have
many needs, both material, emotional, and spiritual. And we must be willing to
put ourselves out, both as individuals and as assemblies of believers, to help
those fellow members of the body of Christ who are in distress.

In conclusion, it is most
encouraging these days to find one who takes seriously the truth that God hates
divorce and loves reconciliation, and is willing to forego divorce and/or
remarriage in order to persevere in prayer and expectation of reconciliation
with his/her spouse. Such a person will be richly blessed by the Lord and is
most deserving of all the financial, emotional, and spiritual support we can
possibly give.

                                             by H. A.
Ironside

"The marriage of the Lamb is
come and His wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she
should be arrayed in fine linen … the righteousness of saints" (Rev.
19:7,8).

In the original text, the word
"righteousness" in verse 8 is plural and should therefore be
translated "righteousnesses" or "righteous acts." It is not
imputed righteousness that is here in view, nor the believer being made the
righteousness of God in Christ. The fine linen sets forth the righteous acts of
the saints themselves while here on earth, which the judgment seat of Christ
will make manifest, and which will form the wedding garment of the bride on her
wedding day.

In the light of this scripture we
may well be exercised as to our own ways. Are you, dear fellow-believer,
preparing any fine linen for that coming day? You are familiar with the thought
of the prospective bride’s hope-chest. The engaged young woman prepares
beautiful articles of wearing apparel in view of her wedding day. May I say
that we too have a spiritual hope-chest to fill. Everything that is really done
for Christ is something added to that bridal chest. Some of us, I am afraid,
will have rather a poor supply. The wedding garments are to be prepared here on
earth, as the Spirit of God Himself works in us to will and to do of His good
pleasure. Let us not be neglectful of this, for the time is short, and the
night is coming when no man can work. It is true that even our very best deeds,
our most devoted service, all need to be washed and made "white in the
blood of the Lamb" (Rev. 7:14); but He will not fail to value aright and
to richly reward everything that was for His own glory in our poor straitened
lives. All that is done for self, all that springs from unholy motives, will
disappear in that day; while that which was the result of His Spirit working
within us will abide forever to His praise and glory, and for our own eternal
joy, as we see what pleasure we have given Him.

(From Lectures on the Book of
Revelation, used by permission of Loizeaux Brothers, Neptune, NJ 07756.)

                     Crossing the Red Sea

"By faith they passed
through the Red Sea as by dry land, which the Egyptians assaying to do were
drowned" (Heb. 11:29).

Shortly after escaping from Egypt the night of the passover, the children of Israel found themselves in a vise—between a rock
and a hard place as we would say today. In front of them was the Red Sea, behind were the pursuing Egyptians. "And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children
of Israel … were sore afraid, and … cried out unto the LORD. And they said
unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to
die in the wilderness? why have you dealt thus with us to carry us forth out of
Egypt?" (Exod. 14:10,11).

Yes, the people murmured, they
grumbled, they complained, they fretted. But when God opened up for them a dry
path across the Red Sea, they took it without a murmur. Many questions and
concerns might have been raised:"What if there is quicksand out
there?" "What if the wind changes direction?" "What if the
walls of water on the right and on the left collapse while we are going
across?" "We have never done anything like this before." But
they had faith that the powerful arm of the LORD their God which had opened the
way for them would keep that way open long enough for all of them to cross over
safely to the other side.

Was this a blind, unreasonable
faith? Not at all. The LORD had already given them many evidences of His
presence with them and for them. Each of the ten times the LORD sent a plague
upon the Egyptians, the Israelites had been spared. And now suddenly,
miraculously, a wide dry path had opened up from one side of the Red Sea to the other. Could this be anything other than the work of the LORD?

How about us? Are we ready and
willing to try new experiences, go places we have never been before, or enter
into new areas of service for the Lord? Or are we fearful of the unknown and
unwilling to venture into new projects or territories, even though we sense the
Lord leading us into new areas of service. The Lord often graciously leads his
people in small steps. Let us be faithful in taking these small steps with the
Lord and let us acknowledge His faithful help and care for us as we do so. With
this background and experience, our faith will increase and we will find that
we are able to take larger and larger steps of faith as the Lord opens up new
pathways to us.

Perhaps a lesson of faith here is
this:Faith is not surprised or fearful at God’s providential and sometimes
miraculous interventions on behalf of His people. Faith is ready to walk with
God in whatever path He may open up for his children.

                     The Battle of Jericho

"By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed about seven days" (Heb. 11:30).

After wandering in the wilderness
for 40 years, the children of Israel were finally led into the Promised Land,
the land of Canaan. The first obstacle to possessing the land was the walled
and fortified city of Jericho. Notice what the LORD did not say to
Joshua, the leader of the children of Israel. He didn’t say, "Well,
Joshua, I want you to send your troops against the city of Jericho. Do your
best and I will go with you." Rather, the LORD gave Joshua very specific
instructions including marching around the city a total of 13 times, blowing
trumpets, carrying the ark, being quiet, then shouting, and what to do when the
walls fell down (Josh. 6:1-20).

We learn two important lessons
here. The first is that God has a very specific will for His people. (See Gen.
24:14-27; Exod. 25-30; 1 Sam. 23:4,5; 2 Sam. 5:17-25; Matt. 4:1-4; Acts
8:26-28; 16:6-10; and 1 Cor. 14:26-35 for other examples; see also "The
Christian Servant" in the January 1993 issue of Words of Truth for
more details.) The second is that God sometimes tests His people by asking them
to do things that are socially, culturally, or religiously unconventional. He
may test us to see if we are willing to follow His instructions at all costs,
even at the risk of appearing foolish or being laughed at. We do not read what
the inhabitants of Jericho were thinking or saying when the army of Israel—instead of building ramps for battering rams—just kept marching around the city. But
Joshua and his army were faithful in doing exactly what the LORD told them to
do, and the LORD gave them a mighty victory. Just so, whenever we are faithful
in doing exactly what the Lord tells us to do, He will bless us greatly.

In summary, Faith looks to God
to reveal His will in detail and is diligent in carrying out His will to the
letter. Faith is not concerned with appearing foolish or with what other people
may think while we are doing what God wants us to do.

                             Rahab

"By faith the harlot Rahab
perished not with those who believed not, when she had received the spies with
peace" (Heb. 11:31).

Rahab was a traitor to her
country. She had heard of the wonderful works of the God of Israel, "How
the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea" and how He helped the
Israelites to destroy Sihon and Og, kings of the Amorites. She confessed to the
spies, "I know that the LORD has given you the land … for the LORD your
God, he is God in heaven above and in earth beneath" (Josh. 2:9-11). She
hid the spies from her countrymen, at great risk to herself and her family. In
return, she and her family were spared when the Israelites "destroyed all
that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old" (Josh. 6:21-25).

In many fundamentalist Christian
circles today one finds love of country placed almost on the same plane as love
of God. In Nazi Germany, the Christian Church as a whole, no doubt including
many truly born again believers, blindly went along with Hitler’s diabolical
program of conquering neighboring nations and exterminating entire segments of
the population. Are we prepared to put God’s Word and His interests ahead of
those of our country should circumstances call for it?

The lesson here is that Faith
is willing to be a traitor to one’s own nation or people if necessary to be
true to the God of heaven and earth.

"And the
king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to
you who are entered into your house:for they have come to search out all the
country. And the woman took the two men and hid them and said thus, There came
men unto me, but I knew not whence they were; and it came about the time of
shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out; where the men
went I know not:pursue after them quickly, for you shall overtake them"
(Josh. 2:3-5).

Rahab’s faith
in receiving "the spies in peace" is commended in the New Testament
(Heb. 11:31). Furthermore, her faith was manifested by her works "when she
had received the messengers and and had sent them out another way" (Jas.
2:25). But there is a bit of a black cloud hanging over this scene because in
her eagerness to protect the spies she lied to the Jericho police.

Rahab is
commended for her faith, but Scripture is careful not to commend her for her
lie. She is never openly condemned for her lie either, which shows the grace and
longsuffering of God toward His new disciple.

How could
Rahab have acted any differently without jeopardizing the lives of the two
spies of Israel? Had she lived in a later period of Biblical history, she would
have known the story of Elisha and his servant and the Syrian army. First his
servant’s eyes were kept from seeing the host of angels protecting him and
Elisha. Then the Syrian army was stricken with blindness (2 Ki. 6:15-20). In
the New Testament, the Lord Jesus, when threatened by a mob, passed through the
midst of them without being seen (Luke 4,29,30; John 8:59). Modern day
smugglers of Bibles into countries that outlaw the Bible report incidents in
which the authorities open their suitcases and look directly at the Bibles and
apparently do not see them. Probably some of our readers have experienced the
same thing:we have mislaid something, looked all over for it, and
finally—perhaps after praying about it—find it in a place where we had already
looked several times before.

Had Rahab been
more experienced in the ways of the LORD, she might have invited the king’s men
to search the house while praying that the God of Israel would blind their eyes
to the presence of the spies.

Rahab also had
the option of remaining silent and committing herself into the hands of God.
Christ is our example in this:"The high priest arose and said unto Him,
Answerest Thou nothing? what is it which these witness against Thee? But Jesus
held His peace … And when He was accused of the chief priests and elders, He
answered nothing. Then  said Pilate unto Him, Hearest Thou not how many things
they witness against Thee? And He answered him to never a word" (Matt.
26:62,63;

27:12-14).

Finally,
suppose you or I were to engage in a traitorous    act for Christ’s sake, as
did Christians who hid Jews from the Nazis during World War II. We would be at
high risk of finding ourselves in a situation where we might feel we had to lie
to preserve our lives and those of others. I suggest it would be most
appropriate to pray the prayer Jesus taught His disciples:"Lead us not
into temptation" (Matt. 6:13), and also, "Help me, Lord, not to
dishonor Thee by lying or in any other way, even if it costs me my life"
(Judg. 5:18).

We are so used
to our lives of ease and comfort that it is difficult to think in such terms of
giving our lives for Christ’s sake. The Lord exhorts us, "Be faithful unto
death, and I will give you a crown of life" (Rev. 2:10). And in contrast
to ourselves, the apostle Paul expresses the desire "that I may know Him,
and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being
made conformable unto His death" (Phil. 3:11). In the words of another,
"The knowledge of Christ in glory was the supreme desire of Paul’s heart,
and this desire could never exist without producing an intense longing to reach
Him in the place where He is. Hence the heart that longs after Him
instinctively turns to the path by which He reached that place in glory, and
earnestly desires to reach Him in that place by the very path which He trod.
The heart asks, ‘How did He reach that glory? Was it through
resurrection? And did not sufferings and death necessarily precede
resurrection?’ Then the heart says, ‘Nothing would please me so well as to
reach Him in resurrection glory by the very path which took Him there.’
It is the martyr spirit. Paul wanted to tread as a martyr the pathway of
suffering and death, that he might reach resurrection and glory by the same
path as the blessed One who had won his heart."

The topic of
Rahab’s lie has led us into some very solemn and far-reaching considerations.
Let us make "putting away lying" (Eph. 4:25) of all kinds a high
priority of our daily lives. (This may mean refusing to participate in a
surprise party that depends on people telling "little white lies.")
If we are in the daily habit of not lying in the smallest matter, then we will
be prepared to respond truthfully in situations where much more may be at
stake.

Let us also
develop a habit of self-sacrifice in the small matters of life. Only then will
we be properly prepared to offer the supreme sacrifice—the laying down of our
lives for Christ’s sake—should that be God’s will for any of us.

                                              by Andrew
Miller

Let us turn to the scene of the
second persecution under the reign of Roman Emperor Aurelius. It took place in France in A.D. 177. The information about this comes from a circular letter from the
Churches of Lyons and Vienne (France) to the Churches in Asia.

Blandina, a female slave, was
distinguished above the rest of the martyrs for the variety of tortures she
endured. Her tormentors urged her to deny Christ and confess that the private
meetings of the Christians were only for their wicked practices, and they would
cease their tortures. But no! her only reply was, "I am a Christian, and
there is no wickedness amongst us." The scourge, the rack, the heated iron
chair, and the wild beasts had lost their terror for her. Her heart was fixed
on Christ, and He kept her in spirit near to Himself. Her character was fully
formed by her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy
Spirit.

Day after day she was brought
forth as a public spectacle of suffering. Being a female and a slave, the
heathen expected to force her to a denial of Christ, and to a confession that
the Christians were guilty of the crimes reported against them. But it was all
in vain. In her greatest agonies she found strength and relief in looking to
Jesus and witnessing for Him. "Blandina was endued with so much
fortitude," say the letter from the Church at Lyons, "that those who
successively tortured her from morning to night were quite worn out with
fatigue, and owned themselves conquered and exhausted from their whole
apparatus of tortures, and were amazed to see her still breathing while her
body was torn and laid open."

Before narrating the closing
scene of her sufferings, we would notice what appears to us to be the secret of
her great strength and constancy. Doubtless the Lord was sustaining her in a
remarkable way as a witness for Him, and as a testimony to all ages of the
power of Christianity over the human mind. Still, we would say particularly,
that her humility and godly fear were the sure indications of her power
against the enemy, and of her unfaltering fidelity to Christ.

When on her way back from the
amphitheater to the prison, in company with her fellow-sufferers, they were
surrounded by their sorrowing friends when they had an opportunity, who in
their sympathy and love addressed them as "martyrs for Christ." But
this they instantly checked, saying, "We are not worthy of such an honor;
the struggle is not over, and the dignified name of Martyr properly belongs to
Him only who is the true and faithful Witness, the Firstborn from the dead, the
Prince of life; or, at least, only to those whose testimony Christ has sealed
by their constancy to the end. We are but poor humble confessors." With
tears they besought their brethren to pray for them that they might be firm and
true to the end.

Thus their weakness was their
strength, for it led them to lean on the mighty One. And so it always is, and
ever has been, in small as well as in great trials. But a fresh sorrow awaited
them on their return to the prison. They found some who had given way through
natural fear, and had denied that they were Christians. But they had gained
nothing there­by; Satan had not let them off. Under a charge of other crimes
they were kept in prison. With these weak ones Blandina and the others prayed
with many tears, that they might be restored and strengthened. The Lord
answered their prayers, so that when they were brought up again for further
examination, they steadfastly confessed their faith in Christ and thus passed
sentence of death on themselves and received the crown of martyrdom.

The noble and blessed Blandina
was at last brought up for her final examination. Like a mother who was needed
to comfort and encourage her children, she was kept to the last day of the
games. She had sent her children on before her, and now was longing to follow
after them. They had joined the noble army of martyrs above and were resting
with the Lord, as weary warriors rest, in the peaceful Paradise of God.

She was ordered to swear by the
gods; she firmly refused, but was calm and unmoved. The multitude was incensed
at her patience. The whole round of barbarities was inflicted on her again.
After she had endured stripes she was seated in a hot iron chair; then she was
enclosed in a net and thrown to a bull; and having been tossed some time by the
animal, a soldier plunged a spear into her side. No doubt she was dead long
before the spear reached her, but in this she was honored to be like her Lord
and Master. Bright indeed will be the crown amidst the many crowns in heaven of
the constant, humble, patient, enduring Blandina.

But the fierce and savage rage of
the heathen, instigated by Satan, had not yet reached its height. They began a
new war with the dead bodies of the saints. Their blood had not satiated them.
They must have their ashes. Hence the mutilated bodies of the martyrs were
collected and burned and thrown into the Rhone River, with the fire that
consumed them, lest a particle should be left to pollute the land. But rage,
however fierce, will finally expend itself; and nature, however savage, will
become weary of bloodshed; and so, many Christians survived this terrible
persecution.

(From Short Papers on Church
History.)

                                              by Samuel
Ridout

There are two clearly distinct
sacrifices in Scripture—those that typify the work of Christ for us and
those that God values from us. We need hardly say that these must not be
confounded. The sacrifice of our Lord for us stands out in its solitary
grandeur and all-sufficiency. To attempt to add to it, to mingle a few shreds
of our "filthy rags," would be an insult to divine holiness, a grief
to divine love. The sacrifice of Christ stands alone—all sufficient, eternally
the same. He came "to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself" (Heb.
9:26). It is "a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor" (Eph.
5:2). This once-offered sacrifice is the solid rest of our souls for eternity,
the fruitful soil from which springs a harvest of good works to the praise of
God.

For men, too, when once the Great
Sacrifice is seen and rested upon, there are sacrifices of which God takes
account. It is these that we shall consider now.

1. A Broken Heart.
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart,
O God, Thou wilt not despise" (Psa. 51:17). Man boasts in his pride; his
excellence of strength, knowledge, and righteousness are what he thinks he can
offer to God. However many have found, like Cain, that God does not accept such
sacrifices. "The proud He knows afar off" (Psa. 138:6).

But look at the woman in the
Pharisee’s house. She has nothing to bring that speaks of anything in herself
but her sin and shame. Low at His feet, she rains upon our Lord the hot tears
of her penitent heart. Does He despise such an offering? No, rather, He
welcomes it with tenderest words of pardon and peace.

2. Sacrifices of Joy.
"Now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies … therefore will I
offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing … praises unto the
LORD" (Psa. 27:6). This seems the exact opposite of the broken and
contrite heart, but it is in full accord. There can be no true joy that does
not flow from previous grief over sin. And how sweet is this joy of salvation!
"Your joy no man takes from you" (John 16:22).

Let us notice from what this joy
springs. "The Lord is my light and my salvation" (Psa. 27:1). With
that knowledge the heart is delivered from fear, although the enemy may come in
as a host. The great desire of the heart has been answered for faith—to dwell
in the house of the Lord, to behold His beauty and to learn of Him (verse 4).
Thus the head is lifted up with joy, and the happy spirit pours out in
thanksgiving "sacrifices of joy." How it delights the heart of our
blessed God to accept such sacrifices, the gladness of a heart set free from
self and from fear, which can pour out its thanksgiving before Him, with never
a thought of its own merit. So writes the apostle, "Rejoice in the Lord
always; and again I say, Rejoice" (Phil. 4:4). Christ fills the heart, and
joy dwells with Him.

3. The Sacrifice of Praise
(Heb. 13:15). This is but another aspect of the joy of which we have been
speaking. That praise is confession of His Name. Praise is not a subjective
state, but rather the outflow of a heart engaged with the one Object—Christ the
Lord. The sacrifice that is like the offering up of incense to God is the
varied and blended perfections of our Lord. We gather these fragrant spices
from His Word, and then present them in true worship to our God.

4. Sacrifices of Works.
"To do good and to communicate forget not, for with such sacrifices God is
well pleased" (Heb. 13:16). Our relationships with God are not formal, but
vital. They produce appropriate fruit. We might speak of them as intensely
practical. Thus praise and worship, which are Godward, produce a manward
activity of love. So it was at Pentecost; the believers not only rejoiced in
God, but gladly gave of their substance for the need of their brethren. This we
might call the Levite service which is closely linked with priestly worship.
Indeed it is spoken of as a sacrifice that is well pleasing unto God (Phi.
4:18). How this elevates all true service! It is done to the Lord, and He ever
appreciates it.

May our hearts enter into these
blessed aspects of sacrifice, and thus be engaged in this priestly service
which glorifies Him who is the Object of God’s delight, and our only true joy.

(From Help and Food, Vol.
47.)

                                           by Joseph S.
Butler

All of God’s people, since the
rending of the veil of the temple following the death of Christ (Matt. 27:51),
are priests of God (1 Pet. 2:5,9).   There are three sacrifices mentioned in
the New Testament, to which faith and love would respond, that are to be
offered by God’s people.

1. Ourselves. "I
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the compassion of God, to present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your
intelligent service" (Rom. 12:1 JND). "Do you not know that … you
are not your own? for you have been bought with a price:glorify now then God
in your body" (1 Cor. 6:19,20 JND).

2. Our Worship.
"Yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house,
a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by
Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 2:5 JND). "By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice
of praise continually to God, that is, the fruit of the lips confessing His
name" (Heb. 13:15 JND).

3. Our Possessions.
"But of doing good and communicating of your substance be not forgetful,
for with such sacrifices God is well pleased" (Heb. 13:16 JND).
"But I have all things in full supply and abound; I am full, having
received of Epaphroditus the things sent from you, an odor of sweet savor, an
acceptable sacrifice, agreeable to God" (Phil. 4:18 JND).

"What shall I render unto
Jehovah for all His benefits toward me? (Psa. 116:12 JND). "But who am I,
and what is my people, that we should be able to offer willingly after this
manner? for all is of Thee, and of that which is from Thy hand have we given
Thee" (1 Chron. 29:14 JND).

How beautiful to see the grace
that moves us and enables us to give to God that which is His own!