on the ground of adultery. (Matt. 19:9)a If a person obtains a divorce on any ground other than adultery (because no adultery has been committed), he is not free, according to God’s law, to marry again. Carrying this further, if a person with such a legal, but unscriptural, divorce then marries another person, this would be a serious violation of God’s law; it would be adultery. (On the other hand, if adultery has been committed, the innocent mate is not free to seek another mate until a legal divorce has been completed. The requirements of both God and the state must be met.)

So if a person in ignorance as to God’s law got a legal divorce on some unscriptural ground and then remarried, the requirements of the law of the land would have been met, but by remarrying the person would have committed adultery according to divine law. This adultery terminates the former marriage according to God’s law, but it does so by a serious violation of Jehovah’s own law. What is to be done in such a case?

Many persons committed sins prior to learning of God’s requirements. Before becoming Christians, some in the Christian congregation in ancient Corinth had been adulterers, fornicators, homosexuals and drunkards. But they changed! By the time they dedicated their lives to God and got baptized they were living in a clean moral condition. What about their past sins? Those sins were forgiven; the individuals were “washed clean” by faith in the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ.—1 Cor. 6:9-11.

Consequently, if a person today learns God’s law and realizes that in the past he committed the serious sin of adultery, he ought to go to God in prayer and seek forgiveness on the basis of the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ. As the apostle Peter declared: “Everyone putting faith in him [Jesus] gets forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:43; Eph. 1:7) Then he ought to prove the sincerity of his repentance. But how? He cannot go back to his former mate. He no longer has any claim legally or Scripturally on that person. Nor can he go back and live his life over again. But he can live in harmony with Bible laws and principles from this time onward. He can show that he now appreciates the sacredness of marriage by living up to the responsibilities that he now has as a married person, and he can move forward in learning God’s will and doing it.—Col. 1:9, 10.

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FIELD MINISTRY

Mankind today is imperiled. How so? Because of the destruction that Almighty God will soon bring upon this system of things and upon all who share in its bloodguilt. To escape being destroyed and to find security, one needs to put one’s trust in Christ’s ransom sacrifice and then to follow closely in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. Only then can one say with the psalmist: “You yourself alone, O Jehovah, make me dwell in security.” (Ps. 4:8) Jehovah’s witnesses want to show imperiled mankind God’s provision for security, and during September they will do this in their ministry by offering one of their latest books for Bible study, and then arranging to provide free home Bible instruction for anyone who wants to understand God’s Word.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES FOR THE WEEKS

October 13: “This Is the Land” of the Word of Truth. Page 553. Songs to Be Used: 30, 95.

October 20: Archaeology and the Land Support the Word of Truth. Page 560. Songs to Be Used: 69, 100.