Questions & Answers
Questions 91 (COD Page 401)
Matt-... (Let’s see.) Brother Bill, what is the difference between fornications and adultery, Matthew 19:9?
185 Jesus said in Matthew 19:9, “Whosoever putteth away his wife and marries another, except it be for the cause of fornications, commits adultery.” The difference between fornications and adultery, the word could be applied either way. But to make it clear what he was talking of there, that-a woman that’s unmarried cannot commit adultery, because she has no husband to commit adultery against. It’s uncleanliness for her. She has to confess that to her husband before they are married if she’s did that. If not and her husband finds it out later, he has a right to put her away, because she took a false vow. For the Bible said, “Be it well... ” or ritual says. “Be it well known to you (I have it in mine) if any couples are joined otherwise than God’s Word does allow, their marriage is not lawful. I will require and will charge you both as you’ll surely answer in the day of judgment when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, if either of you know any impediment why you should not be lawful joined together, do you now confess it.” There you are. See?
186 So fornication is what a girl, when she lives unclean, that’s fornication, ’cause she has no husband. But when she’s married, and then when she lives like that, she commits adultery against her husband.
187 A woman come not long ago, and she said, “Oh, I’ve confessed all that.” She was nervous, and had a breakdown, and said, “I’ve confessed all that to God.”
188 I said, “You have to confess it to your husband. It wasn’t God that you committed adultery against; it was your husband.” That’s right.
189 And if a man marries a woman and she has lived unclean before she marries him, and then she comes to him, if they’ve been married ever so long, and then she comes to him and says, “Honey, I want to tell you something. I did run out with another man, I never told you,” Jesus said he has a right to put her away and marry another, because they’re not married in the beginning, ’cause she falsely told a-a lie against him. Now, there’s another thing here... Thank you.