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A Review of the Osborne –
Sheridan Debate
By Dave Lytle
(1/15/02)
Below is a recent
exchange between Dave Lytle and myself which took place just after Stan Cox’s
posting of
“Honor in Controversy:
Revisited”
to
www.Watchmanmag.com.
It explains why I have removed the debate portion (from
the left-hand column) of brother Lytle’s review. The following are links to the
debate in it entirety as original listed on
www.Watchmanmag.com.
The reader is encouraged
to read this debate before reading the review.
Immediately
following these letters, Dave Lytle's review remains, beginning with his
introductory comments.
For the review, in its
original entirety, please contact Dave Lytle at
dllmll@msn.com. (jhb)
----- Original Message -----
From:
Michelle Lytle
To:
JeffBelknap@charter.net
Sent: Friday, February 01, 2002 10:23
PM
Subject: Just Read Stan's Article
Hi Jeff,
I hope all is well with you and your family, and
that you are getting plenty of rest.
I just finished reading Stan Cox's "Honor in
Controversy: Revisited."
Concerning his take on my review, I take full
responsibility for any "violations of copyright law." (If he hassles you on
this, please have him contact me). I don’t want you to get in trouble for
anything that I wrote. I do want you to know my intent was not to break any
laws, but rather to allow the full text to be read next to my comments to show
that I was not misrepresenting either disputant.
Frankly, putting the full text of the debate
also allowed the reader to expediently know where I was focusing, and thus saved
the reader a lot of time going back and forth between documents. To me, this
format best served the study of the topic. I suppose I could have done it
another way that would have been less offensive to brother Cox. I do welcome
sincere rebuke from brother Cox or brother Osborne if they find that my
conclusions are contrary to God’s word. This is what thoughtful Bible study is
all about.
I hope he also knows that you did not ask me to
write the review, but that I asked you if it would be worthy of posting on your
site. I wrote the review on my own accord without any prompting or coercion. I
say this just in case you are accused of some kind of conspiracy or evil
collusion….
Your friend and brother,
Dave
----- Original Message -----
From:
J Belknap
To:
Michelle Lytle
Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2002
12:24 AM
Subject: Re: Just Read Stan's Article
Dear brother Dave,
Thanks for sending me the information about the
Watchman article and for your good attitude.
I never even thought about your article
violating the conditions for printing of the debate. I, like you, looked at
your article as a review of the debate, pure and simple. But I can see where
they have a beef here, since the inclusion of the entire debate was part of your
article. I am going to apologize to Stan. To make things right, I will need to
take off the debate portion of the review.
I have tried to be above board with all of this
and hate to have something like this potentially interfere with a study of
truth.
I'd like to call and talk to you about this -
please send me your phone number and a convenient time for me to call.
In addition, I was wondering if I could post
your letter to the web site, so that others can see your excellent attitude and
lack of defensiveness under fire.
I now plan to post my private exchange with Stan
so that the readers can get the whole picture of what went on in the process
of setting up that debate. I wasn't planning to do it, but now that Stan has
published his version of the events behind the debate and its review, I think
it's necessary for others to get a picture of the missing pieces that show the
reasons behind what I wrote to Stan.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Brotherly,
Jeff
The purpose of this review is to mainly examine the
arguments of brother Harry Osborne. I primarily agree with brother Sheridan’s
conclusions, but like brother Jeff Belknap, I believe that the proposition does
not really get to the heart of the disagreements over this issue.
I would also like to state that I have no personal issue
with brother Osborne. Up until his “Applications” argumentation, everything
that I had read from his pen was wonderful. I defended his role in the “FC
Creation Controversy” to those who had sympathies with brother Jenkins and
brother Scott. I still believe his efforts to deal with the Romans 14
fellowship controversy (Hailey/Harrell issue) are to be applauded and promoted
as truth. His writings show him to be very intelligent and articulate. My
disagreement is with some of his ideas and possible practices, not with him as a
person. However, I still anxiously await his forthcoming commentary on Matthew!
Some of my comments concerning brother Osborne’s arguments
may seem like a broken record. This is because I perceive that he has exposed
himself with the same arguments over and over again. This does not mean that I
do not respect brother Osborne as an overall superior debater and thinker to
myself (I am quite sure that he is).
I would like this review to be considered as a continuation
of the on-going Bible study concerning this issue. Again, this is not a
personal attack on Brother Osborne or any other individual that holds his views
on this topic.
And now, let’s begin the review of the Osborne Sheridan
debate. I have included all of the text of both disputants so that their words
may be understood in their context. My comments are listed to the right. In
some cases I have underlined the text of the disputants in order that the reader
may know the specific portion of the text that is being specifically addressed.
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First Affirmative
Terence Sheridan
Sheridan's First
Affirmative as published on www.Watchmanmag.com
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My Comments
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I appreciate the fact
that both brother Sheridan and brother Osborne were able to deal with this
topic without attacking each other personally. I also appreciate Stan
Cox’s allowance to have this issue discussed in Watchman. Truth has
nothing to fear. |
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My Comments
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I
have learned much from reading this debate and am pleased that this
proposition was discussed, but I don’t think it cuts to the heart of the
disagreement associated with this issue. I believe the following
propositions would better root out the problems associated with this
issue:
“The Scriptures teach that the innocent party must put away (regardless of
the procedure) the guilty fornicator in order to have the right to
remarry.”
“The Scriptures teach that all put away people who remarry commit adultery
while their ex-spouse lives.” |
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My Comments
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In my mind, the “Putting Away” would be the sundering of the marriage.
God, who controls the status of the marriage bond, may or may not free one
party from the bond. God does free the innocent party from the marriage
bond (but not the guilty) when the innocent puts away the guilty for the
cause of fornication. |
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My Comments
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None |
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My Comments
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I
couldn’t agree more. Luke 16:18 reads: 18"Everyone who divorces his
wife and marries another commits adultery; and he who marries one who is
divorced from a husband commits adultery. (NAS). Notice, the divorced
woman commits adultery when she remarries, regardless of the
circumstances.
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My Comments
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Mental Divorce is practiced when the put away party later puts away their
spouse for fornication, regardless of whether the fornication occurred
before or after the divorce. Brother Osborne should realize that those
who oppose the mental divorce position as espoused by brothers Halbrook,
Warnock, Patton, Reeves, etc. do so because they sincerely believe that
those who follow the teaching will commit adultery and those who teach the
doctrine are false teachers who need to repent. It’s not personal, but a
matter of deep conviction.
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My Comments
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None |
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My Comments
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Does brother Osborne ever address this question? If the customary divorce
procedure is not necessary, and a verbal (and presumably mental)
repudiation is sufficient to put away, I presume that brother Osborne
would have to admit that the man in brother Sheridan’s example really did
put her away at the point he said, “I’m divorcing you!” If not, why not? |
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My Comments
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I
can’t find anywhere in this debate where brother Osborne addresses this
very important question. This scenario will ultimately arise if people
listen to what he is teaching (even if bro. Osborne doesn’t accept the
consequences). Now, in the scenario posed by bro. Sheridan, can you
imagine what little Britney’s parents might say? They would say, “No
Britney, you are not married to Jason, you only think you are.” But
Britney would cleverly reply, “No Mama, Preacher Osborne told us in church
that since God did not specify the procedure for how to get married or how
to divorce, I concluded that we can make up our own procedure just so long
as I don’t bind it on others.” At this point, Britney’s parents are going
to have a heated discussion with brother Osborne.
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My Comments
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If one does not go by the societal rules associated with marriage and
divorce, a major consequence will be that people will not be able to
determine who has the RIGHT to marry. If everyone has a different
marriage procedure, who is really married and who is pretending? If
everyone has a different divorce procedure, no one really knows the
marital status of others without asking them about the “procedures” that
they followed. THE CONSEQUENCE OF SUCH AN ARGUMENT: Let God sort it out
at the judgment. This is exactly what brother Foy E. Wallace advocated: “There
are some things that are not subject to the law of restitution, things
done in certain circumstances which cannot in later circumstances be
undone, which remain as matters between God and the individual, and
therefore reserved for the judgment.“ Does brother Osborne agree with
brother Wallace? I believe that he doesn’t. But the next generation that
applies his current “applications” doctrine will. |
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First Negative
Harry Osborne
Osborne's First
Negative as published on www.Watchmanmag.com |
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My Comments
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The real issue is this: Regardless of HOW one defines the “putting away”
procedure, can one who is put away later “put-away?” If the civil divorce
ruling is the putting-away procedure, then can the divorced spouse later
put away her former mate (even if the circumstances for such are very
narrowly defined)? If throwing-out-of-the-house is the putting-away
procedure, can the one who is put-away later put-away herself by throwing
her spouse out of the house that she has already been evicted from?
Brother Harry’s argument here is flawed. He tries to use the despised
“race to the court-house” argument to show his perceived fallacy in
Brother Sheridan’s thinking. Brother Sheridan argues that the customary
divorce procedure must be followed in order to put-away or divorce. Let
brother Osborne tell us his recommended divorce procedure (I’m not sure he
ever overtly does in this discussion). After he does, he knows that the
one to put-away the other will be the FIRST to execute his recommended
divorce procedure. “Simply put,” even Harry’s position ends with a “race”
to execute the divorce procedure, whether such a procedure involves the
civil government or not.
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My Comments
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The issue of fellowship revolves around the issue of put-away people being
taught that under certain conditions, they can put-away their former mate
and remarry. This results in adultery if we believe Matt 5:32, 19:9, Mark
10:11-12, and Luke 16:18. Brother Harry himself strongly believes that
unrepentant adulterers and those who promote adulterous practices should
not be fellowshipped. Therefore, though he may not agree with his
opponents on this issue (mental divorce and all of its peripheral
arguments), he should understand why they believe it is a fellowship
issue.
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My Comments
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Does this mean that Harry believes those that teach these doctrines are
false teachers? I would assume that Harry will be just as zealous to
debate brothers Warnock, Halbrook, and Holmes as he is brother Sheridan.
Maybe all of this rebuking is going on behind the scenes…I don’t know. I
do know that Harry seems to have issues with those that would dare rebuke
these brethren. If he believes these brethren are falsely teaching, his
opposition to the rebuke of Halbrook et al. seems inconsistent with what
he says he believes.
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My Comments
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If putting-away is defined as following the accepted societal customs for
divorce, then Harry admits that Terence’s proposition is correct. So, the
real issue is: How will brother Osborne define putting-away? |
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My Comments
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Brother Harry is saying that following through with the current societal
divorce custom is necessary AFTER the divorce has occurred, assuming that
Harry defines the putting-away procedure as repudiation. Of course, the
marriage scenario could work the same way. Billy and Sarah could define
their own marriage procedure in a fit of passion (e.g., verbally
committing to each other as husband and wife), enjoy the pleasures of the
marriage bed, and decide when they get a chance they will go to the
court-house and “formalize” the marriage. Here’s what can happen: Billy
decides the next day after they “verbally marry” that he was mistaken and
really just wanted to fornicate. Sarah is crushed, and truly believes
they are married. Billy believes in his mind that they are not married,
but merely fornicators. Brother Osborne, are they married? If Sarah
later falls in love with another and marries him according to civil law,
is she an adulteress? These are the consequences associated with everyone
doing that which is right in their own eyes. |
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My Comments
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This statement will turn out to be rather ironic as the reader continues
to read the debate. Harry will advocate THAT THERE IS NO PATTERN when it
comes to the divorce procedure (and consequently, the marriage
procedure). He will have to argue with the parents of the kids that take
him at his word!
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My Comments
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Brother Sheridan did argue that Romans 13 would incorporate such things as
marriage and divorce procedures. Harry may not agree with his
conclusions, but he did produce the passage.
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My Comments
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Most societal customs and civil laws would include the these actions. In
fact, the same actions would be similar in order to marry. (1) One must
declare intent (at least to the prospective spouse), (2) one must initiate
the civil action to marry (apply for a marriage license, etc.) and (3) one
must be judged by the state to be married. If one believes that we should
follow Romans 13:1-7 for accepted procedures of marriage AND divorce, then
brother Sheridan’s argumentation is just good common sense.
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My Comments
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Perhaps brother Osborne can enlighten us as to the PRACTICAL execution of
“putting-away” since he disagrees with Terence’s thinking. If
“putting-away” is not executed by the prevailing civil procedures for
divorce, then how is it executed? If Harry refuses to commit to a
procedure, then he must admit that we really cannot objectively know who
is really married and who is really divorced in a society! He may not
accept these consequences, but his rejection of the consequences doesn’t
make them go away. |
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My Comments
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Brother Osborne brings up an interesting point here. He is correct that
the focus is not on the procedure. I believe the reason is that the
PROCEDURE was not an issue of contention (as it is in this debate).
Whatever the procedure would be, the listeners most likely understood it
alike. The procedure was not the problem – the reasons WHY people were
carrying out the divorce procedure WAS the problem. However, if brethren
subscribe to Harry’s no pattern theology regarding marriage and divorce
proceedings, the PROCEDURE WILL BECOME A MAJOR PROBLEM in the 21st
century church (and in all societies – since aliens are under the law of
Christ).
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My Comments
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Again, we have no contextual reason to believe that there was any
misunderstanding about the procedure. We also know that in the book of
Matthew, Jesus was addressing all men in every culture, not just the
Jews. The procedure was not an issue with his listeners. Terence has
attempted to show from Romans 13 how there can be no confusion over the
procedure both in the first century and today. If Harry will tell us his
recommended divorce procedure today, perhaps we can judge its merits or
faults by inserting it into 1st century thinking.
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My Comments
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I
emphatically agree with brother Osborne’s underlined text. I hope that
brothers Halbrook, Warnock, Holmes, Reeves, and others are reading and
heeding brother Harry’s words. |
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My Comments
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Is Jesus speaking ONLY to the Jews here? Have we not told those that hold
to the Hailey view that Jesus words in Matthew 5:31-32, Matthew 19:3-9 and
Mark 10:2-12 were spoken for ALL men to heed, not just Christians? Now,
how are all men going to uniformly obey the teaching of Jesus? Following
the societal procedures is a way. Yes, the Old Law as doctrine was nailed
to the cross (Col 2:14). But the Jews were still amenable to Romans
13:1-7 (as are all men). Let brother Osborne tell us how all men can
understand the words of Christ alike, and maybe I’ll subscribe to his
view. As it is, just denying that there is no specified procedure (which
we all agree about) results in chaos and confusion. Until I hear Harry’s
affirmed solution, I agree with brother Terence that the marriage and
divorce procedures would be included in Romans 13.
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My Comments
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The argument being made here is: If you follow the divorce (and presumably
marriage) procedures of society, what happens when those procedures are
unfair to one of the genders? It is a good question and one that is
difficult to answer. If a woman knowingly married in a society that
prohibited her from the right to divorce, I suppose she would accept this
fact at the time of marriage. I’m not saying it is fair, but many have to
suffer injustices because of evil men in all phases of life. The liberty
to divorce may be denied, but the loss of this liberty will not cause the
faithful one to lose their soul (1 Cor 10:13).
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My Comments
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Again, Jesus was speaking to all men in his discourse on marriage and
divorce, not only the Jews (Jesus said, “Whoever”).
For argument’s
sake, let’s assume Harry is right and that the societal laws governing
divorce were not under consideration by Jesus. If Harry’s woman could put
her husband away even though civil government would not allow it, how
would she do so? By what procedure? Could her husband put her away by
the same method? If so, Harry still has his problem that the guilty
fornicator can still put away his innocent spouse, and by being the “put
away” of Luke 16:18, the innocent would not have the right to put away her
former spouse. Brother Harry still has the same dilemma.
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My Comments
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Again, HOW would she put him away if civil law did not allow her the
liberty of divorcing her husband? However this question is answered,
could the fornicating husband use the same procedure (repudiation,
releasing, whatever) to put away his innocent spouse? If so, then the
dilemma for brother Osborne remains. If not, then we are saying that the
innocent party CANNOT be put-away if she doesn’t want to be put-away.
That would clearly contradict Luke 16:18, which says that ANYONE who
marries the put-away woman (regardless of her innocence of guilt), commits
adultery.
Also, it IS important to note that the gospel of Mark WAS WRITTEN TO
GENTILES. They would be applying the teaching of this gospel to
themselves, not looking at how it impacted the Jews.
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My Comments
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Is brother Osborne suggesting a divorce procedure here? The innocent must
demonstrate to someone (who?) that the reason the marriage failed was
because of the guilty party’s fornication. Is he (the guilty party) put
away after this action is accomplished? What type of action must she
take? Tell someone? Tell the church? File legal papers? Mentally think
it (remember, mental thought can be an ACTION – consider repentance)? If
so, whatever the action is that she must take, can the guilty exercise the
same action to sunder the marriage? Can he do so prior to her doing so?
If so, we are again talking about a RACE. |
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My Comments
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Using the definition of apolou in conjunction with (not in
opposition to) Romans 13:1-7, let’s ask the following questions:
In our society, when is one RELEASED from the legal obligations of
marriage?
In our society, when is one legally able to permanently SEND THEIR SPOUSE
AWAY?
Answer – when they get the civil divorce, and not before.
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My Comments
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OK. If we ignore Romans 13 in this argument, and assume that the
putting-away procedure is defined by the root definition of the Greek word
apoluo, a true PUTTING AWAY is fully executed when one party
RELEASES or SENDS AWAY the other party. Could the guilty fornicator
RELEASE the innocent spouse prior to her RELEASING him? If so, then we
have the “race to the RELEASING” scenario. Could the guilty fornicator
SEND AWAY the innocent spouse prior to her SENDING HIM AWAY? If so, then
we have the “race to SEND AWAY” scenario. All of the injustices
associated with a small number of civil laws will not help brother Osborne
get around the fact that the one who is put-away cannot later put-away
(Luke 16:18). Define the procedure however you will, the guilty
fornicator can still do it FIRST, rendering the innocent party
“put-away.” This is the real issue! |
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My Comments
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Depending on how one defines the “putting-away” procedure, the words of
Jesus may imply and require that divorces should be according to
established societal laws and custom. The fact that Jesus did not have to
explain the procedure might imply that the procedure would be understood
by every people of every nation (and I think it was until all this mental
divorce stuff came up). |
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My Comments
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Brother Osborne is explicitly saying that no man can define the meaning of
the divorce procedure for another. Everyone can define it just so long as
one repudiates, releases, or sends away. Consequence – even husband and
wife could believe different things about putting away, with neither
having to adhere to each other’s definition! Example: Mary catches Randy
cheating on her and desires to put him away by divorcing him. Some time
after the fornication, she retains a lawyer and files the divorce papers
(believing herself that a civil divorce for the cause of fornication is
the true way to put-away Randy). Randy calls her and tells her not to
waste her time. You see, he read in Watchman Magazine where Harry Osborne
taught that Biblical putting-away does not have to be according to
societal customs, and therefore he was hereby sending Mary from the house,
releasing her from the physical marriage. He was putting her away
according to his own definition that he learned from brother Osborne. Can
Mary still put him away for fornication? Even if the court grants her the
divorce FOR FORNICATION, can she re-marry since according to Harry’s
definition, she has already been put-away? If everyone can define divorce
in any fashion that they fancy, this will be the result. I’m thankful
that most worldly societies have enough common sense to define the divorce
procedure according to established civil customs (Romans 13:1-7). Man
does not have to define it because God already did!
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My Comments
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Question – using the definition of “choridzo”, could the guilty fornicator
put asunder, disunite, separate, or divide from the marriage, leaving the
innocent party put away? If so, then this is the “race to choridzo”
argument. If not, then brother Osborne must admit that the innocent party
cannot be put-away if she does not want to be put-away. Jesus says ALL
put away people who re-marry commit adultery (Luke 16:18) while their
ex-spouse lives (Rom 7:2-3). |
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My Comments
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Question – using the definition of “aphiemi”, could the guilty
fornicator LEAVE his innocent spouse and then she is considered party put
away? If so, then this is the “race to aphiemi” argument. If not,
then brother Osborne must admit that the innocent party cannot be put away
if she does not want to be put away. Jesus says ALL put away people who
re-marry commit adultery (Luke 16:18) while their ex-spouse lives (Rom
7:2-3).
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My Comments
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Based on this
statement, it seems like Harry would want to let us know what he considers
to be an acceptable procedure. If he responds that he cannot say, then
truly he must concede that everyone can do what seems right in their own
eyes.
To the reader: If you’re waiting in line at the Post Office and overhear
two ladies in front of you chatting about their recently divorced friend,
what would you think they meant by “divorced?” Almost all (with the
possible exception of brother Osborne) would presume that she was divorced
according to the societal procedure (a civil divorce in this country).
Why? Because there has never been any confusion about the divorce
procedure until the mental divorce position was challenged. |
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My Comments
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Brother Osborne, regardless of how putting away is defined, MUST the
innocent party put-away the guilty party FIRST? Can the put-away later
put-away their former mate under any divorce procedure? A “no” answer to
the first question and a “yes” answer to the second question opposes the
text of God’s word (Matt 5:32; 19:9; Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18). A “yes”
answer to the first question and a “no” answer to the second question
admits some agreement with brother Sheridan. This is the real issue that
needs to be addressed. |
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My Comments
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Let brother Harry suggest some putting-away procedures for us (since he
does not like Terence’s), and then let him judge if everything hangs on
which spouse executes his procedure FIRST. If he says “no,” then he
admits that a put-away person CAN put away their spouse at a later date.
This is the classic mental divorce position.
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My Comments
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Brother Harry, please tell us how Betty SHOULD have put-away Bob in this
scenario. Then ask yourself if Bob could have put away Betty by the same
procedure. If not, then you seem to be advocating the position that the
guilty fornicator CANNOT (has no ability to) divorce without God’s
approval - a blatant contradiction of Luke 16:18, Matt 5:32; 1 Cor
7:10-11, etc.
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My Comments
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Alright. Under ANY OTHER DIVORCE PROCEDURE (Harry’s choice), would Betty
have the option to counter-file at all? If so, how? If Bob, the guilty
fornicator, RELEASES (apoluo) Betty from the marriage, how does she
counter-file or contest at all? If Bob, the guilty fornicator, SEPARATES
(choridzo) from Betty, thereby sundering the marriage, how does she
counter-file or contest at all? If Bob, the guilty fornicator, LEAVES (aphiemi)
Betty, thereby sundering the marriage, how does she counter-file or
contest at all? If Terence’s position is absurd because it does not allow
a person to counter-file (after the divorce has been granted), what about
Harry’s?
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My Comments
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Here’s a scenario: Betty knows that Bob is going to put her away in civil
court even though he cheated on her, so she is ready to publicly renounce
Bob before the elders and the church at the conclusion of Sunday morning
services (her decided upon divorce procedure). However, right before she
speaks, Bob stands up from the pew and publicly renounces Betty as a
terrible spouse and bad mother. Did Bob just “put-away” Betty? Careful
how you answer. If you say “no,” the church rejected Bob’s divorce (his
verbal repudiation), but accepted Betty’s, this puts the church in the
business of accepting and rejecting divorces (i.e., the Catholic
church!)!! Yes, the church at times must determine if there are members
that merit discipline (Matt 18:15-17), but granting and/or rejecting
divorces is NOT a work of the church (any more than marrying two
individuals is a work of the church)!
Also, if repudiating the guilty fornicator before the elders and the
church is Harry’s preferred divorce procedure, what will he tell a pagan
to do? Where should they go? To the local “church of Christ?”
One more thing. We must remember that God recognizes unscriptural
divorces (even though He does not approve of them). Now, consider this
scenario: Judy after Sunday evening services notifies the elders that she
is divorcing Kobe, her husband, after 5 years of marriage. She had
decided the right divorce procedure for her is to repudiate him in front
of the elders and the church. The congregation is shocked and asks Judy
why she had to put him away. She said he plays way too much basketball
and isn’t paying enough attention to her. QUESTION: Did Judy just divorce
Kobe? Would the congregation tell her to take her unscriptural divorce
elsewhere (like, to a civil court?)? If the innocent spouse of a guilty
fornicator can divorce using this procedure, why not allow unscriptural
divorces to be executed this way as well? Remember God recognizes both
scriptural and unscriptural divorces.
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My Comments
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Could one define the specific action needed to divorce as a MENTAL
putting-away (since Jesus left us without a specific procedure)? If you
say “no,” then you bind where the Lord did not (according to Harry’s
definition). If you say, “I suppose I could so long as I did not bind it
on others,” then you believe in the classic mental divorce position. I am
willing to leave the divorce procedure under the necessary inference of
Romans 13:1-7, lest chaos and disorder abound. I’m glad that the world
does not PRACTICE what Harry is preaching (ignore the societal divorce
procedure and make up your own).
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My Comments
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If Betty caught Bob cheating and decided to put him away, Betty could
obtain a divorce according to the prevailing societal customs for the
CAUSE of Bob’s fornication. It’s really not that hard to understand.
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My Comments
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Earlier in brother Osborne’s affirmative, he claims to oppose the classic
“mental divorce” position that is currently being taught by certain
brethren. So why does he ridicule others who oppose the same error? I
would expect this type of language from a mental divorce advocate.
WHY would Betty get the divorce? For the cause of Bob’s fornication. HOW
should she put him away? According to the prevailing civil government
that governs marriages and divorces (Romans 13:1-7). I don’t see WHY the
cause MUST be listed on the official divorce papers, if she put him away
for the correct CAUSE. She has the right CAUSE, and the right PROCEDURE.
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My Comments
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I
agree with brother Osborne’s invitation to unite solely on the teaching of
the Scriptures. However, various MDR “applications” that contradict
Scripture must be opposed. Examples:
FALSE APPLICATION #1: A man who is unlawfully married to another may keep
his current spouse (with God’s blessing) after he is baptized, because the
sin of the unlawful marriage was washed away (position of Hailey). Will
Harry unite with me and others to oppose this “application” that will lead
to the loss of souls?
FALSE APPLICATION #2: The spouse that has been put away for a cause other
than fornication may herself “put-away” (and remarry) at the time her
ex-spouse commits fornication (position of Warnock, Halbrook, and
others). Will Harry unite with me and others to oppose this “application”
that will lead to the loss of souls?
FALSE APPLICATION #3: One may lawfully divorce their spouse for
fornication, but also if their spouse does not pay his debts, for the sake
of physical and emotional heath, and in order to better serve God
(position of Mike Willis and Maurice Barnett). Will Harry unite with me
and others to oppose these “applications” that will lead to the loss of
souls?
Can we pick and choose which false MDR doctrines we will oppose? NOT if
we’re “united on principles plainly affirmed by Scripture.”
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My Comments
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We all agree that those demonstrating the divisive and sinful attributes
of Gal 5:20 are not pleasing to God. However, just because others
sincerely challenge our thinking does not mean that they are causing
needless fractures in the body of Christ. This is just crying wolf. Case
in point:
When Mike Willis tried to justify fellowship in the local body with one
who held to the teachings of the AD 70 doctrine, he made the following
word-for-word argument:
Even the most fundamental wrong belief
that one can hold, that Jesus is not the Son of God, is not
sin. Rather, that fundamentally wrong belief keeps one from receiving the
forgiveness of God, the medicine that will cure sin, but it is not itself
designated as a sin.
According to Mike’s position, wrong belief in the Deity of Christ is not
sin. The consequences of such a position: A Christian could suddenly lose
his faith in Christ (thereby opposing the plain teaching of Scripture,
resulting in calling God a “liar”), become agnostic, but STILL go to
heaven if he did not “sin” prior to dying! Atheists in heaven! Who can
believe it!?! The church at Danville where Mike worked didn’t. How did
Mike respond to those that opposed him? He claimed they were being
FACTIOUS. Opposing error is NOT being factious (Matt 10:34; Luke 12:51).
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Second Affirmative
Terence Sheridan
Sheridan's Second
Affirmative as published on www.Watchmanmag.com |
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My Comments
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None |
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My Comments
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I
agree if brother Terence means that one must renounce the physical
marriage. Only God can separate the marriage bond (Matt 5:32; 19:9; Rom
7:2-3; 1 Cor 7:39).
Please note: According to brother Osborne’s position, Terence’s step 1 is
ALL that would we needed to sunder the marriage. Steps 2 and 3 would be
legal formalities performed after the putting-away had already occurred. |
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My Comments
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None |
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My Comments
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Brother Sheridan has put his finger on the REAL issue behind this debate.
As has been asked time and time again, can a guilty fornicator put-away
his innocent spouse? Is this possible? The Scriptures don’t specify the
sins associated with the one who unlawfully puts-away (Luke 16:18). They
do teach that one CAN unlawfully put-away and that God will recognize
that the divorce has occurred.
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My Comments
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Again, I believe that the underlined text shows where brother Sheridan has
touched the real issue in this discussion (and the whole “mental divorce”
controversy as a whole). |
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My Comments
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Great question! I can’t find where brother Osborne ever addressed this
query in the text of his second negative. |
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My Comments
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I
agree with Terence here. How do infidels define BOTH marriage AND
divorce? They recognize the prevailing customs of society. All (both
aliens and Christians) can clearly understand this. When one marries, he
does so according to the Government that God Himself ordained. When one
puts-away (apoluo), he does so according to the Government that God
Himself ordained (Rom 13:1-7).
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My Comments
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None |
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My Comments
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Sometimes Christians must live under certain conditions that are unjust.
If we have an unreasonable employer, submit to him anyway, suffering the
wrong for God (1 Peter 2:18). We may lose the liberty of working in a
wonderful environment, but suffering for the Lord’s sake is good, and by
doing so we may win some to the Lord. Wives were to be submissive to
their disobedient (to God) husbands, that they might win them to the Lord
(1 Peter 3:1-2). So too, we should be submissive to civil government so
long as we are not commanded to sin (Romans 13:1-7; Acts 5:29). Giving up
some of our liberties (e.g., marriage, property ownership, etc.) will not
cause us to sin. We KNOW this because God will not allow us to be tempted
beyond what we are able to endure (1 Cor 10:13). God allowed some to
suffer death for the cause, but remaining faithful during the brief time
of injustice and suffering was worth an eternity of heaven (Rev 2:10).
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My Comments
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None |
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My Comments
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