TOPICS: FOREVER MARRIAGES CROSS CULTURALLY, FORMAL AND INFORMAL CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE, COMMON LAW MARRIAGE, CHRISTIAN DIVORCE, CHRISTIAN REMARRIAGE, CHRISTIAN CONCUBINES, CHRISTIAN POLYGYNY (POLYGAMY), RACISM, ETHNOCENTRICITY, AND THE SWEARING OF OATHS TITLE: DIVORCE, REMARRIAGE, CONCUBINES, & JESUS; Another Look for Christians. COPYRIGHT © JANUARY 14, 1995 All rights reserved. Copyright © 01/14/'95; 01/12/Õ96 (Revised) This file, in its entirety, may be posted on or copied off of computer networks like Internet or WWW by anyone so inclined. This is an ASCII text only copy of a Macintosh MicrosoftWord5 file made for non-Macintosh folks, so it is very plain and basic in its form (footnotes, indentation and page layout). The document is 6" wide and Palatino 12 plain font in the original. So when your text only version comes up with Palatino 14, just select all and change it to Palatino 12 or 10. There are no bold or underline options. The distinctions between footnotes of sources and footnotes of reference are lost. So please be patient with the footnote numbering. The footnotes are put at the end of the paragraphs instead of in the text itself, making it more readable. You may find extra >Õs and some >Õs where rÕs should be. DidnÕt get to proof that far yet. Please be patient. By L. Tyler P.O. Box 620763, SanDiego, CA 92162-0763 polyboy@delphi.com The error of swearing , oaths, solemn promises and swearing oaths. It is obvious that certification can be comprised of oaths, swearings, covenants and contracts. For example government documents requiring certification consist of at least an assertion about the future, if not a promise or prediction about the future. A Calif. Highway Patrol ticket has the statement, "Without admitting guilt, I promise to appear at the time and place checked below. Signature___________". The promise or assertion about the future is made binding by the maker's signature. In legal terms, the signature functions as an oath, making the promise/agreement binding on the maker, so the entire statement becomes a sworn statement (a solemn promise made binding by an oath). Phrases like "I promise that I will . . . .", "I agree that I will provide . . . .", "I will also cooperate . . . .", "I agree that I will inform . . . ." are all predictions or promises about one;s future behavior. When certified or signed with one's signature, the signature functions as an oath, making them binding and the maker punishable for failure to fulfill his predictions/ promises. The signature, or witnessed statement, is that which (1) attests to the credibility of the predictions and promises, (2) makes the promises or predictions binding on the applicant/ recipient/maker, and (3) enables the courts to punish the applicant/recipient/ maker if he fails to fulfill his words. According to almost all legal and college level dictionaries, those three characteristics of such a signature makes that signature an oath that completes and confirms the swearing (promises or predictions) that precede it. Almost all legal and college level dictionaries define swearing as promising or predicting with an oath. The government's Loyalty Oath is a perfect example, i.e. promises or predictions made with a witnessed raised right hand and/or a witnessed signature (i.e. name). Arndt & Gingrich Greek Lexicon render the word "swear" (Mt. 5:34) as "swear, take an oath w. acc. of the pers. or the thing by which one swears . . warning against any and all oaths as early as Choerilus Epicus[V BC]">.26 ; and the word "oath" (Mt. 5:33) as "swear to someone with an oath . . . perform oaths to the Lord . . . guarantee by means of an oath . . .">27. Thayer's Greek Lexicon renders "swear" (Mt. 5:34) as " to swear; to affirm, promise, threaten, with an oath: . . . .in swearing to call a person or thing as witness, to invoke, swear by . . .">28; and renders the word "oath" (Mt. 5:33) as "an oath . . . that which has been pledged or promised with an oath; plur. vows . . .">29. That this is the definition of swearing and oaths in the HolyBible is obvious from the following scriptures: Gen. 21:23, 24 (19th Cent. BC); Gen. 31:44, 52, 53 (18th Cent, BC); Josh. 2:12, 13, 14, 20; Josh 9:11-20 (14th Cent. BC); Judg. 21:1 (11th Cent. BC); 1 Kg 1:29,30 (10th Cent. BC); Ezek. 17:12-19 (6th Cent. BC); Luke 1:73,74,75 (1st Cent. BC); Matt. 5:34-37 & 14:7,8,9 (1st Cent. AD); Acts 7:17 (1st Cent AD); Acts 2:29-31 with 2 Sam. 7:11-16; Heb. 3:10,11 with Num. 14; Heb. 6:13-17 with Gen. 22:16,17; Heb. 7:20,21 with Psa. 110:4; and see also Isa. 62:7; Jer. 44:6,26; Matt. 23:18; Heb. 3:18. [Footnote: >.26 Arndt & Gingrich Greek English Lexicon; p. 568ff. >.27 Arndt & Giungrich; p. 585. >.28 Thayer Greek Lexicon; p. 444. >.29 Thayer; p.453.] Passages, like Mt. 26:74, lead people to think that 'swearing' means profanity or cussing or "taking the Lord's Name in vain", i.e. that Peter was using profanity to deny that he knew Jesus. Instead of that Mat. 26:74 means "in swearing to call a person or thing as witness, to invoke" where Peter called on God to curse him/his if what he was saying (that he didn't know Jesus) was untrue. The cursing was invoking God's curses on him if what he was affirming under oath was untrue, that he did not know Jesus. Jesus is not talking about cursing, profanity, cussing or taking the Lord's Name in vain in Matt. 5 or James 5. Some of the oaths people swear by are God (Gen. 24:3), one's self (Ex. 32:13), God's holiness (Amos 4:2), the raised or unraised right hand or arm (Isa. 62:8; Rev. 10:5,6), one's name (Jer. 44:26; Lev. 19:12; Deut. 6:13), something greater than you (Heb. 6:16), and some swear a curse on one's self if what one says isn't true or if one fails to do what one swears you will do, like Peter when he swore - invoking curses on himself -- while denying Jesus (2 Sam. 3:35; 13:35; 1 Kg 2:23; Matt. 26:74). I see my signature attesting to/vouching for and guaranteeing (certifying) promises and predictions as an oath, just like swearing by my name or swearing by myself. Today the "curse" you swear on yourself if you are lying or fail to do what you promised is jail (perjury, fraud) or civil suit. The fourth century AD Church fathers Jerome, St. Ambrose and Basil all agreed with this definition of swearing (promises or predictions confirmed with one's signature, name or hand)>.30 , that it is not profanity, cussing or using the Lord's Name coarsely. [#>30The Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, 1954, Erdman's Publish Co.' pp. 63, 386, 248.] The Holy Bible in Matthew 5:33-37, James 4 and James 5:12, declares that we don't know our future, not even tomorrow or even the next hour. Therefore it is a presumptuous assertion to say that we will do this or that in our future. He tells us to recognize and admit our finite knowledge and our mortality by saying, "If the Lord wills and we live, we also shall do this or that." To make presumptuous assertions about your future is prideful boasting and contrary to His will. See James 4:13,14,15 and Prov. 27:1. This is not an attempt to be dishonest or evasive since this same God of Truth commands us to be honest, to give that which is due to others, and to conscientiously submit to the civil authorities (Romans 13 and 1 Pt. 2). While He wants us to be honest and give that which is due, he takes into consideration our human frailty, finite knowledge and mortal nature and so holds us liable only for our intent, will and expectations about the future. From James 4:13-17 & 5:12 we see that there is nothing that we can give that will honestly and absolutely attest to the credibility and fulfillment of our promises or predictions about our own future. We have absolute and perfect control or authority over not one thing. To give the idea to the recipient of such promises, oaths or predictions about our future --- that we can be expected to perfectly and completely fulfill such statements is to give the recipient a false expectation of (and false confidence in) our fulfillment of such swearings/oaths. Such dishonesty is contrary to the Truth of the word since or life is like a vapor or a blade of grass and disasters, disabilities, incapacities, death or etc. could keep us from fulfilling our sworn oaths. People who give their signatures, handshakes, property and etc. as oaths in promissory notes of indebtedness, or contracts or other such documented promises or predictions not only fall into the condemnation of man when they fail to fulfill their sworn promises or predictions, but they face the double condemnation of God for swearing (promising/ predicting with an oath), and then for the failure to truthfully keep their promise (the covenant breaking of Rom. 1:31,32). The God of Truth does not want His followers to suffer for doing wrong, or to keep on doing that which is wrong. Truth, Who was revealed as Christ, declares that all I can give to promises or predictions about my future is simply "If the Lord wills", or a simple "Yes", i.e. an affirmation of my will, a declaration of my intent, an expression of my expectation, an evidence of my good and honest intentions and an expression of my optimistic hope for the future fulfillment of my intentions or expectations. No oaths. Such an affirmation attests to and is confirmation of nothing but that described in this paragraph's first sentence. It is proof of my sincere desire and intention to fulfill the declaration/affirmation/intention. The recipient of such an affirmation knows that he has been given no profound absolute and mighty guarantee. Such an affirmation is a reflection of our finite, mortal and frail human nature. Laurence Geller, a Calif. Administrative Law Referee/Judge ruled against San Diego County and Calif. and for my petition, on 8/5/'75, stating: "It is the claimant's conviction that before he may affix his signature to any document, his signing must b e qualified by a religious preface such as ÔIn case Christ wills and I live.Õ Claimant testified that his desire to so qualify his signature is in no way an attempt or subterfuge to not meet his reporting responsibilities. Claimant simply desires the qualification so that the placing of his signature would be in conformity with his religious convictions which appear to require an affirmation of the finite nature of the claimant's existence. . . .San Diego County shall rescind its July 1, 1975 denial . . .Further, the county shall permit the claimant to sign his application and qualify his signature with the religious statement.Ó In A COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPELS>31 we read "The citizen of the New Kingdom . . .is also too frank and truthful to need the use of oaths; his word is his bond." In THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW>32 we read the following: "Matthew 5:33-37 . . . This passage concludes with the commandment that when a man has to say yes, he should say yes, and nothing more; and when he has to say no, he should say no, and nothing more. The ideal is that a man should never need an oath to buttress or guarantee the truth of anything he may say. . . Clement of Alexandria insisted that Christian must lead such a life and demonstrate such a character that no one will ever dream of asking an oath from them. . . ." [>.31 By Ronald Knox, 1952, N.Y. Shed and Ward, Imprimatur, Richard J. Cushing, Archbishop of Boston. >.32 Vol. 1, Barclay, Professor of Divinity at the Univ. of Glasgow, Westminister Press, 1958; p. 158.] In A COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT MATTHEW>33 we read the following: "Since in all of life man is dealing with God, he is always obligated to complete integrity in word and act. Therefore the use of oaths is misleading; swear not at all; simply say "Yes" or "No" . . . The use of solemn-sounding oaths instead of simple, truthful speech is a concession to a double standard and comes from the Evil One, Satan, the "Father of Lies" . . . and dishonesty (Jn :44)." [>.33 Filson, Dean and Professor of N.T. lit.and Hist.; McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, Harper and Bros. Prss, 1960; p. 89.] In the THEOLOGICAL DICTIONARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT>34 we read the following: ". . . oaths and vows had to be kept. . . . Attempts have been made to limit ["swear not at all"] of Jesus, e.g. to promises rather than affirmations.. . . . . . Hence the ["Swear not at all"] applies to all oaths, whether in daily life or in judicial cases. . . The Essenes rejected the oath unconditionally. . . Jesus does not merely attach the misuse of the oath; He rejects it altogether. . . He who already belongs to the kingdom . . . must be truthful in all things; hence he stands under the requirement not to sear at all. . . ["swear" Mt. 5:34] means to swear, to affirm (confirm) by an oath. . ." In THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW>35 we read that "Jesus would abolish oaths altogether as unnecessary for those who habitually tell the truth as his disciples are expected to do. This radical rejection of oaths is paralleled in the Damascus Document of the Dead Sea Scrolls (XIX, 1). [>.34 edited by G. Friedrich G. Kittel, Eerdmans Publishers, 1967, Vol. 5; pp. 176ff and page 183. >.35 Argyle, Cambridge, 1963; p.52.] The Holy Bible in Matthew 5:33-37, James 4 and James 5:12, declares that we don't know our future, not even tomorrow or even the next hour. Therefore it is a presumptuous assertion to say that we will do this or that in our future. He tells us to recognize and admit our finite knowledge and our mortality by saying, "If the Lord wills and we live, we also shall do this or that." To make presumptuous assertions about your future is prideful boasting and contrary to His will. See James 4:13,14,15 and Prov. 27:1. This is not an attempt to be dishonest or evasive since this same God of Truth commands us to be honest, to give that which is due to others, and to conscientiously submit to the civil authorities (Romans 13 and 1 Pt. 2). While He wants us to be honest and give that which is due, he takes into consideration our human frailty, finite knowledge and mortal nature and so holds us liable only for our intent, will and expectations about the future. From James 4:13-17 & 5:12 we see that there is nothing that we can give that will honestly and absolutely attest to the credibility and fulfillment of our promises or predictions about our own future. We have absolute and perfect control or authority over not one thing. To give the idea to the recipient of such promises, oaths or predictions about our future --- that we can be expected to perfectly and completely fulfill such statements is to give the recipient a false expectation of (and false confidence in) our fulfillment of such swearings/oaths. Such dishonesty is contrary to the Truth of the word since or life is like a vapor or a blade of grass and disasters, disabilities, incapacities, death or etc. could keep us from fulfilling our sworn oaths. People who give their signatures, handshakes, property and etc. as oaths in promissory notes of indebtedness, or contracts or other such documented promises or predictions not only fall into the condemnation of man when they fail to fulfill their sworn promises or predictions, but they face the double condemnation of God for swearing(promising/ predicting with an oath), and then for the failure to truthfully keep their promise (the covenant breaking of Rom. 1:31,32). The God of Truth does not want His followers to suffer for doing wrong, or to keep on doing that which is wrong. Truth, Who was revealed as Christ, declares that all I can give to promises or predictions about my future is simply "If the Lord wills", or a simple "Yes", i.e. an affirmation of my will, a declaration of my intent, an expression of my expectation, an evidence of my good and honest intentions and an expression of my optimistic hope for the future fulfillment of my intentions or expectations. No oaths. Such an affirmation attests to and is confirmation of nothing but that described in this paragraph's first sentence. It is proof of my sincere desire and intention to fulfill the declaration/affirmation/intention. The recipient of such an affirmation knows that he has been given no profound absolute and mighty guarantee. Such an affirmation is a reflection of our finite, mortal and frail human nature. There have been laws passed at various levels of government, as well as written policies made by creditors as part of their loan agreement, that acknowledge human frailty and the uncertain future of any human. Legal bankruptcy is offered to and available for debtors who are unable to pay what they had bound themselves to pay. Bankruptcy laws protect the debtor from the creditor, but also warns future creditors of the debtors behavior. The law and the courts can release the debtor from his debt to the creditor and protect him from a creditorÕs legal actions, but it cannot release the child of God from the responsibility before God to honor and fulfil his/her word/promise/pledge/contract with the creditor. So even if it is ÒpenniesÓ a month repayment of the money/service owed, the child of God should make every realistic effort to honor his/her word/signature/hand-shake and pay/do that which was agreed upon or promised-------even if released by bankruptcy court or by human law. It would appear that if a creditor/contractor would accept your signature/ word/hand-shake as binding but with the acceptance/recognition of your finite human nature, with its possibilty of failure to be able to do what was promised/ contracted,----- then you would appear to have a James 4:13-17contract instead of the forbidden James 5:12 type of contract. Just a thought.Marriage by covenant. If you have decided that Mat. 5:33-37, James 4:13-17 and James 5;12 don't allow you to use the traditional wedding vows and covenants because they involve swearing and/or oaths , then you might be interested in using and adapting the following to your own needs. Also these covenants are suitable for legal weddings, common law weddings, and a wedding in concubinage. None of them have the "forsaking all others" clause that precludes polygyny. A WEDDING AFFIRMATION********************************** (Your name), will you have this (man, woman) to be your (husband, wife) and will you , before God and these witnesses, solemnly affirm and declare your marital intentions and expectations to (him, her), in all honor and love, in all service and duty, in all faith and tenderness, to live with (him, her), to comfort, keep (him/her), and cherish (him/her), according to the ordinance of God, in the holy bond of marriage? (Answer, "I do" or "Yes"). I, (your name), take you, (the other's name), to be my wedded (husband, wife); and I do solemnly affirm and declare before God and these witnesses that I intend and expect to be your loving and faithful (husband, wife) to love and to cherish each other; in plenty and in want; in joy and grief; in health and infirmity; as long as we both shall live. All that I own and have is now ours. In token of our solemn affirmations and declarations, with this ring I wed you; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit who lives and abides in us. Amen (both repeat in unison) I now pronounce you husband and wife. Do you have something to declare to us? (in unison) We covenant before God and all of you present, that we are husband and wife bound together to be one flesh in the Lord until death part us. We covenant before God that it is our responsibility to compassionately cherish each other according to His Word, the Holy Bible, to His glory and honor. Pray for us. _________________________ The Couple's Signatures and Date ______________________________ ______________________________ The Witnesses' Signatures & Date ANOTHER WEDDING AFFIRMATION************************** ________, do you accept and acknowledge ______ as your husband? Yes/I do_______ Do you accept your responsibility to be faithful to him, in all virtue and honor, in all duty and service, in all faithfulness and tenderness, to live with him and compassionately cherish him according to the Word of God, in the holy bond of marriage? Yes/I do______ initials Do you leave your parents and loyally bond with him to be one in marriage submitting to each other in reverence to God, sharing in common all that you have and own? Yes/I do_______ initials Do you, ____________, commit yourself to him with all your heart, to follow ________'s lead as unto the Lord in all matters showing honor and respect? Yes/I do______ initials __________, do you accept and acknowledge ___________ as your wife?_Yes/I do______ initials Do you accept your responsibility to be faithful to her, in all virtue and honor, in all duty and service, in all faithfulness and tenderness, to live with her and compassionately cherish her according to the Word of God, in the holy bond of marriage? Yes/I do_______ initials Do you leave your parents and loyally bond with her to be one in marriage submitting to each other in reverence to God, sharing in common all that you have and own? Yes/I do ________ initials Do you ________, commit yourself to her with all your heart to live wisely with her;respectfully, compassionately and sacrificially cherishing her, feeding her the Word, taking care of her and leading her by your example? Yes/I do_______ initials _____________________________ The Couple's Signatures and Date ______________________________ ______________________________ The Witnesses' Signatures & Date ANOTHER WEDDING COVENANT***************************** I, ___________________, make a covenant with you this day. I take you, ____________________, as my wedded husband before God and these witnesses. I acknowledge my fervent desire and responsibility to faithfully cherish you as my husband, to love you and honor you in plenty and in want, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, all the days of my life. All that I have and own is now ours. I make this covenant, not boasting of or counting on my own ability to keep it, but trusting in God for His Spirit's enabling and motivating, and His gift of length of days to honor Him in the keeping of this covenant. I, ____________________, make a covenant with you this day. I take you, _______________________, as my wedded wife before God and these witnesses. I acknowledge my fervent desire and responsibility to faithfully cherish you as my wife, to love you and honor you in plenty and in want, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, all the days of my life. All that I have and own is now ours. I make this covenant not boasting of or trusting in my own ability to keep it, but trusting in God for His Spirit's enabling and motivating, and His gift of length of days to honor Him in the keeping of this covenant. ______________________________ The Couple's Signatures and Date ______________________________ ________________________________ The Witnesses' Signatures & Date What makes a wedding &/or a marriage? From many passages in the Bible (including Ezekiel 16:8, Exodus chapters 19 & 20, and Malachi 2:14,15) it appears clear to me that marriage of a couple is based on their covenant/solemn agreement to be husband and wife to each other in a relationship of marital/ sexual intimacy, - - whether or not they do it legally or officially. Adam and Eve had no formal or official wedding and exchanged no formal vows but they accepted each other as husband and wife and lived accordingly. There is no wedding formula in the Bible and there is no wedding ceremony prescribed in the Bible. When you study how they married in the Old Testament you see that the basis was either their covenant to be husband and wife to each other, or they accepted their parentsÕ covenant for them to be married. The strongest statement I know of is the one in Matthew 1:18,19,20 where, based on their covenant/betrothal (v.18), the Holy Spirit callED Joseph her husband (v.19) and the angel called Mary his wife (v.20) before (Luke 1:26,34) their official wedding and cohabitation (v.24). God and His messengers call Mary and Joseph wife and husband before their wedding and solely on the basis of their covenants to be husband and wife to each other. This agrees with the great weight God gives our solemn word in such passages as DBY PSALM 15: Jehovah, who shall sojourn in thy tent? . . . 2 He that walketh uprightly, . . .who, if he have sworn to his own hurt, changeth it not; . . . YLT ECCLES 5:4 ¦ When thou vowest a vow to God, delay not to complete it, for there is no pleasure in fools; that which thou vowest--complete. 5 Better that thou do not vow, than that thou dost vow and dost not complete. 6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger, that `it [is] an error,' why is God wroth because of thy voice, and hath destroyed the work of thy hands? All of this is to say that if you and your mate have agreed seriously to be faithful to each other in and for marital/sexual intimacy as husband and wife, then I believe that makes you husband and wife. Even if you havenÕt used the magic words Òhusband, wife, marriageÓ, if you two have agreed to be faithful marital/sexual partners to each other, to me thatÕs the same thing as Ezekiel 16:14 where God shows that marriage is by covenant. In Malachi 2 God shows again that a woman becomes a wife by covenant, and to break that covenant is to deal treacherously with you mate. Sexual intimacy>m with anyone else besides your mate is fornication, sexual sin. If you are maritally committed to each other and then you yourself --- but not your mate----- genuinely received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Ruler to be obeyed and as Savior to deliver you from the penalty of your sins- - but your guy hasn't, then I believe you find yourself in the situation described in 1 Corinthians 7:12,13,14,15, the saved mate of an unsaved person. [>.m see footnotes on breast pressing, petting,caressing and/or genital contact (Ezekiel 23:3,8,21; Prov. 5.)]