65-02-21M MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE:[Rev.William Marrion Branham]

220.  Now let us, in view of these vindicated Truths of God, search a little further, if you want to. [Congregation says, "Amen."—Ed.] All right.

Now this may hurt just a little bit till we get down to the bottom of it, but I'm just going to show you the Truth of it.

MINISTER & HIS MARITAL STATUS REGARDING ISSUES ON:

 (i). virginity of wife        (ii)-Remarrying;        (iii)- Divorce; and        (iv)-Reconciliation:

221. There is NO MINISTER that can marry a widow. Did you know that? You want to read that? All right, you get in the Leviticals, [Leviticus 21:7] and [Ezekiel 44:22,] and It'll show you that THE PRIESTHOOD was not to marry a woman that's been touched by man. This type is of the virgin Bride of Jesus Christ, because they handled the Fire of God, THE PRIESTS DID, Aaron's sons. We haven't got time to read It all, and get out by noon, we got twenty minutes yet. And THEM IS AARON'S SONS that handled the  Fire of God, so THEY could not marry a woman that had been touched by another man. THE UNCHANGING GOD SAID SO.

They could not marry another woman, and a woman been touched by a man, showing in type here, if you want to see it, that the Church of the living God is purely, unadulterated, the Word of God, and not a denomination that's been handled by man.

222. Note, let's read this here. I want to get this to you. [Matthew 5, ]Jesus spoke here of something that's really of a vital importance. We want to see it, [Matthew 5.] I wrote on my…

223. I marked out some of the things I was going to say just to the men, so had quite a little time saying it just before our sisters. But I want to—to go out here now before…

224. NOW, SISTER, I want to put you to the place where God's Word promised you, and you see then you stay in that place, too.

225. [Matthew 5:32]. I want you to notice here, to support this same idea of "one" and "many." Matthew, thirty-… I think it's [Matthew 5:32, 31] to begin with.

It has been said, whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

226. That's Jesus speaking, the One said, "from the beginning." Now watch.

But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving… the cause of fornications, causes her to commit adultery; see, whosoever shall put away his wife, saving… the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery: (why? she'll marry again) and whosoever marrieth her that is divorced committed adultery.

227. See, she has got a living husband, so no man can marry her. Care what she does and who she is, she's got a living husband, there is no grounds for her at all. But, it's not, for him. "Causes her," not him. Get it? You have to make the Word run in continuity. See, nothing saying he couldn't, but she can't. See, "causes her," not him. That's exactly what the Bible says, "causes her." It is not stated against him to remarry, but "her." Why? Christ in the type.

228. Notice, it is stated that he cannot remarry, only a virgin. He can remarry. He can, he can remarry again if it's a virgin, but he can't marry somebody else's wife. No indeedy. And if he does marry a divorced woman, he is living in adultery, I don't care who he is. The Bible said, "Whosoever marrieth her that is put away, liveth in adultery." There you are, not no divorcees.

229. See that original back there, "from the beginning," now? Remarrying, now notice, he can, but she can't. Like David, like Solomon, like the continuity of the whole Bible, now, same as David and the rest of them.

230. Now you notice in [First Corinthians 7:10,] notice, Paul commands the wife that is, that divorces her husband, to remain single or be reconciled, not to remarry. She must remain single, or to be reconciled back to her husband. She cannot remarry. She must remain single, but, notice, he never said about the man. See, you can't make the Word lie. "From the beginning," the sex law by polygamy. Now, the Word of God runs true with nature of God, runs in to continuity.

231. See how there is one school went east, and the other one went west, on it? You got to come back to the Truth, to find out what it is.

232. It's always been that way, that's the regular covenant with God from the beginning.

A QUESTION ON A DIVORCED AND REMARRIED CASE:

61-1015M - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: [Rev. William Marrion Branham]
168.  159. Brother Branham, I was married to a woman that had been married before. We divorced, and she has been married twice since. The Bible states that if we desire to marry—if we desire to marry, to turn to… first wife. Now, could I turn to her who has been married before or could I be free?

Well now, my brother, here's the only way that you could do it. Now, this is a great subject, and someday I want to if the church ever gets organized and straightened up into the place where it should be, or… I say this with reverence. There’re two factions of this marriage and divorce in the churches: one holds one faction and one the other. And to my opinion, with grace in my heart before God and His Bible, they're both wrong. See? But there's a truth lays there.

169.  If you notice what Jesus said… Now, here, I got a brother, My Own Blood Brother, that's fixing to marry a woman. And my brother has been married before and got a child by a good woman. And he comes to me to marry him. I said, "Not at all."

Jesus said in [Matthew 5, ]"Whosoever puts away his wife and marries another, saving the cause of fornications (which she had to do before she was married and didn't tell him about it), causes herto commit adultery: whosoever marries her that is put away liveth in adultery."

So don't do that. No, you cannot go back to your first wife if she's been married again. But if you—she divorced you and put you away…

171.  Then you said, "Am I free?" Let me read it again.

"I was married to a woman that had never been married before. We divorced, and she has been married twice (I suppose this person has remained single.) The Bible states that if we desire to marry to turn to… first again." No, sir.

Get over in the [Levitical laws.] You go back to that woman, she's somebody else's property. You've defiled and made yourself worse off than ever.

No, you should not take a wife back who's been married to somebody else.

Now, "Could I turn to her who has been married before or should I or should I be free?" You are free. Stay free. Yeah, you don't go back again.

 No, sir. She's married to somebody else; stay away from her. That's right. Don't… That defiles…?… You understand. If we had a little more time, I won't get into that, but just for your question, my brother, whoever you are: No, sir. Don't you go back and take that woman when she's been married two or three times since she married you. That's wrong.

HERE IS AN ACCEPTABLE EXAMPLE OF A COUPLE COMING TO RESTITUTION

174. I married a couple here not long ago that'd been married before, and they divorced and went away, and—old couple. Oh, it was Brother and Sister Puckett; that's exactly who it was. They just couldn't get along and had a little spat between them; they divorced. She lived just as true and single as she could be, and he lived the same way.

 And after while, they seen how silly they was, and they come back and wanted to be married.

I said, "Sure." See? "That's all right, that's what you should be." So they… Well, they were married all the time. They never had been divorced; just give them papers to live together as husband and wife; that's all, 'cause they was married in the beginning.

THE CASE OF A COUPLE WHERE THE BELIEVING OR THE UNBELIEVING PARTNER WANTS TO LEAVE:

 62-0527 - Questions And Answers: [Rev. William Marrion Branham]
“But if the unmarried; [Edit unbelieving] depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such a case: but God has called us unto peace.”

29. 169. Now. [First Corinthians, 7th chapter, 15th verse.] Now, the question they asked:

BROTHER BRANHAM, DOES THIS MEAN A SISTER OR A BROTHER IS FREE TO REMARRY?

No. See, you don't get his question there and what he's saying. They're not free.

See, that would make a contradiction in the Scripture, and the Scriptures doesn't contradict themselves at all. See?

Now, let's… You see, like you can make the Scripture, just by reading one verse, say anything you want it to say to fit your thought. But you've got to take the thought that they're talking on.

AN EXAMPLE OF MISUNDERSTOOD; MISPLACED; MISINTERPRETED; MISCONSTRUED & DISLOCATED WORD:

Like if I was talking to Brother Neville and you heard me say the word "board."

And then you'd go away, you'd say, "You know what he's talking about?We bored him tonight." See?

"No,"the other fellow would say, "that's wrong; it meant that he owed a board bill, he was going to pay it."

The other one say, "Oh, no, he didn't mean that,he meant the board on the side of the house."

And the other fellow say, "No, I'll tell you what, I believe he was talking about boring a hole."

See, see? You got to find out the conversation, then you know what you're talking about, 'cause Paul here sometimeis answering back their question.

33.   Sometimes they saythe Bible contradicts Itself. I want to find it. I'm thirty-two years behind the pulpit; I've never seen a contradiction yet. See? It doesn't contradict Itself. It's so… It's you that's contradicting It (See?), and not understanding It. The Holy Spirit is a Revealer, the Revelator of the Word. Therefore, the contradiction…

See, Paul is writing them people, saying, "You asked such-and-such a thing." Only he isn't just saying you asked it; he's just saying that.

Then here he turns around and answers them back, which is contrary to what they asked.

They asked,  "We do so, and so, and so."

And Paul turns around and says something else (See?), looks like it's a contradiction. It's not.

If you'll just read the whole verse, the whole chapter, you find out that he's trying to explain what they've wrote him.

36. Now, right here that would look like it would give… And that's the way you get contradictions in the Bible, but it isn't so.

IS A BROTHER OR SISTER IN THE LORD, CAN MARRY OR REMARRY AND BE FREE, IF THEY LEAVE THEIR COMPANIONTO REMARRY AGAIN?

NO. Now, let's begin at the 10th verse:

“… unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord,… (See?)… Let not the wife depart from her husband: (See?)

But… if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. (That's the Commandments of the Lord. See?)

But to the rest speak I, not the Lord:... (See?)… if any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.

(That's, not because of marriage; that's because of unbelief. Not "remarry"again. See, stay with her.)

 And if the woman which hath a husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. (That's right. See?)

 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 they holy.

But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart…

Now, if the unbeliever says, "I'm not going to live with you any longer; you've become a Christian."

A man tells his wife, "Because you've got saved, and going to get out of the world where we was once in, I'm going to leave you."

Now, there ain't nothing you can do about it; let him depart. See?

40. Or the woman say to her husband, "I'm not going to mix up with that bunch of holy-rollers. I'm not going to do this. I'll separate and leave you."

Don't you leave the church, you let her leave. See? A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such case, that is, if your companion is putting you away and wants to depart for it. You don't have to just hold onto them.

If they're wanting to leave you and they're going to leave you for the cause of Christ, let them leave. But you can't remarry.

N.B: [Cases of couples who were already living together as Husbands and Wives]

"But God has called us unto peace." See? Now, not that you can remarry again; he's already stated that, but you don't have to live with an unbelieving husband or an unbelieving wife if they are not willing.

42. If they're willing, say, "Now, you go on to church. Now, if you want to go down there, that's your business. You want to go to your church, you go ahead.

For me, I don't believe It. And I'll do anything for you; I'll not stand in your way, you go ahead," then you just remain there, knowing not that your sanctified life will sanctify that unbeliever, cause them to believe. See?

Either side, man or woman… See? You… But now just to say, "I…

BROTHER BRANHAM, I GOT MARRIED and MY WIFE'S AN UNBELIEVER, and HERE'S A SISTER OVER HERE I CAN MARRY. I'M GOING TO LEAVE THIS ONE and MARRY THAT ONE."

Oh, no. No, indeedy. Your vow is until death you separate, and there's nothing else in the world will permit you to marry in the Bible until your companion is dead. That's right. The only grounds… There's no remarrying nowhere at all, EXCEPT A DEAD COMPANION. That's all. See?

62-0527 - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:[Rev. William Marrion Branham]
44.  You can't make It contradict Itself. So just read the verses before and after, and you'll catch then what he's talking about.

THE WORD FREE& BEING RECONCILED ARE CLARIFIED

DOES THIS MEAN A SISTER OR A BROTHER IS FREE TO REMARRY?

NO, SIR. See, he explained that first. 

UNTO THE MARRIED I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not THE WIFE depart from her husband: But and if she departs, LET HER REMAIN UNMARRIED, or BE RECONCILED to her husband:… (See?)

There's no such things as any believer everbeing reconciledto remarriage again, with a living companion.

BELIEVING WIFE; IS SHE STILL SUBJECT TO AN UNBELIEVING HUSBAND WHO MAKES HER DO THINGS AGAINST THE WORD?

64-0823E - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS #2: [Rev. William Marrion Branham]

78.  285. ALSO, BROTHER BRANHAM, I BELIEVE A WOMAN SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO HER HUSBAND. BUT IF A CHRISTIAN WOMAN HAS A SINNER HUSBAND WHO DOES NOT EVEN COME TO ONE OF YOUR SERVICES AND WANTS HIS WIFE TO BE DOING THINGS, CUTTING HER HAIR, WEARING SHORTS, AND GOING TO UNGODLY PLACES, IS THIS WOMANSUPPOSED TO BE SUBJECT TOTHIS MANIN THIS WAY? PLEASE EXPLAIN THIS MORE CLEARLY, AS THIS IS A QUESTION THAT IS ASKED OFTEN.

NO, SISTER, you are not subject to such a person. No indeedy. For this cause you'll leave everything and cleave to God. Now, if that man wants to live with you, and you stay a

Christian...and cleave to God. But if he's going to make you wear shorts, cut your hair, and do all these other things, and ungodly places, you seek first the Kingdom of God and His

righteousness.

You're not bound to such a person as that. "But as long," the Bible says, "as she is pleased and he is pleased to dwell together (You remember that?), let them…"

And now, these, I didn't put the Scriptures down, 'cause I just picked them up (You see?)

79.  But Paul said that as long as they—unbelieving husband has a believing wife or so forth, let the believing wife remain with the believing husband, as long as it's not contrary now to God.

If he's pleased to dwell with her:" Go ahead, honey, if you want to go to church, that's all right; but I ain't going. I don't believe in it; don't have nothing to do with it. But you go ahead; that's all right."

HOW ABOUT THE MARRIED; DIVORCED & REMARRIED? CAN THEY MAKE IT IN THE RAPTURE?

64-0823E - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS #2: [Rev. William Marrion Branham]
207  316. BROTHER BRANHAM, IF A MAN HAS BEEN MARRIED AND DIVORCED —HAS BEEN MARRIED

(Isn't that awful?See?So many… Now, I'm not saying nothing against the people; just that's on the people's mind. Sure, they're troubled. The rapture, people used not to think so much about that; it wasn't so much of it. But now, it's just plastered the world. And the people read these things in the Scripture. And people, elected, out there are coming in to look at it. And they see it, and they're sincere. They want to know. That's the reason I want to answer it just as with much sense to it as I can give it you.)

AND DIVORCED AND THEN REMARRIED OF A WOMAN WHO HAS ALSO BEEN MARRIED AND DIVORCED AND THEN MARRIED TO HIM, AND THESE TWO ARE THEY MARRIED IN GOD'S SIGHT? HOW CAN BOTH OR ONE OF THEM BE IN THE RAPTURE

HOW?

I don't know. I couldn't tell you. The question is,

"CAN THEY BE IN THE RAPTURE?" DIVORCED, EACH ONE OF THEM DIVORCED, EACH ONE OF THEM HAS A LIVING COMPANION, THEN THEY MARRIED AGAIN, BOTH OF THEM MARRIED AGAIN.

AND NOW, THIS WOMAN HAS A LIVING HUSBAND; THIS MAN HAS A LIVING WIFE. AND NOW, THEY'VE GOT CHILDREN AND SO FORTH AND WANT TO COME TO GOD. CAN THEY GO IN THE RAPTURE?

That'll be up to the Heavenly Father. I couldn't answer that. See? I saw one thing. The Bible

said “that they shall be called an adulterer.” And the Bible said also,

"An adulterer will not enter the Kingdom of heaven."

That's all I can say. I know, that just kills me to say that, but I can't say but what the Word says.  I must stay with that. I hope that that's all wrong. There are places in the Bible…

209. I'm not advising you. Please,let me just give you a little Scripture. Please, please don't—don't—don't… If you're living happy with your husband, living happy with your wife, please remain that way.

Because I told you that, don't—don't leave them little children without a home and things like that. God has made restitutions in places for people that did things wrong.

 You remember, Jesus said of David when he was hungry, he entered into the temple of God and eat the shewbread, which is only lawful for the priest, and is found blameless.

The priest also blaspheme the Sabbath upon the Sabbath day and are found blameless, and a greater than the Sabbath was here. See?

There, let's just leave it up to God, and go ahead, and just live the way you… Just  live for Christ now.

ADULTERY: NATURAL OR SPIRITUAL HAS ITS COSTS:

[A]. COST # 1.

FORFEITING HEAVEN; AND BECOMING AN OUTCAST IN GOD’SECONOMY.

65-1125 - The Invisible Union Of The Bride Of Christ: [Rev. William Marrion Branham]
56. The prophet, Paul, here is saying that a woman cannot remarry until her first husband is dead. She cannot remarry as long as her first husband is living; she, by no circumstances, at all. She must remain single as long as her first husband is living.

And if she should do such a sin, "she shall be called an adulteress." I'm speaking of the natural now, to type it with the spiritual. If this woman would commit such a sin, then she is marked, "an adulteress,"if she has two living husbands at the same time.

Therefore, she has forfeited, by doing this, her rights to God and Heaven, by doing so. She sure has. She is an outcast from the economy of God, according to the Scriptures that I've just read.

57. So is the church, when she tries to mix creed and denomination with the Word of God. She can't be married to a denomination, and be the Bride of Christ, at the same time. She's got to be dead to one or the other. The law says so, here. There's plenty of laws in God's Word. And that's His law, Paul speaking the same thing here. She cannot be married to a church of worldly creed, and be the Bride of Christ, because (she) one is contrary to the other. Now, remember.

Say, "Well, we believe this, but we don't believe that."

[B]. COST # 2:

ADULTERY WOULD TAKE A PREACHER OUT OF THE PULPIT:

57-0915E - HEBREWS, CHAPTER SEVEN #1: [Rev. William Marrion Branham]

136. There's a little old girl setting back there tonight, my wife. I love her with all that's in me. And if I knowed that I could run around with another woman and get by with it, and go tell her, and say, "Meda, I did wrong," do you think I'd do it? If I love her right, I won't do it. That's right.

137. Now, what if I'd say, "Oh, I can't do it.Cause, I'll tell you why. She'd divorce me, and OH, I'M A PREACHER. See what that'd do?THAT'D TAKE ME OUT OF THE PULPIT, if she'd divorce me.'A DIVORCED MAN, OH!' I got three children; I couldn't think of that. But, boy, I…"?

Well, if that's the way it is, you're still legal. It's not legal basis that I married her upon. It's not legal basis that makes me live true to her. It's because I love her. I don't have to do anything. I do it willfully because it's a love affair. And if you love your wife, you'll do the same thing.

138. And if you love your wife like that, with phileo love, what ought you to do to Christ with agapao love, which is a million times stronger, if you really love God?

If I knowed tonight I could go out and get on a drunk, if I knowed tonight I could run around and be immoral, if I knowed, tonight; if that was even in my heart to do so, and I went and done it, knowing He would forgive me, I wouldn't do it. I think too much of Him. I love Him. Sure. Certainly.

[C]. COST # 3:

A DIVORCED AND/OR AN ADULTEROUS MINISTER LOSES HIS MINISTRY

57-0922E - HEBREWS, CHAPTER SEVEN #2: [Rev. William Marrion Branham]

352. ..."If I said to my wife, 'Oh, well, I'd like to have two wives. I'd like to run around with this one, do this one there.[Ed. live an adulterous life] .. But, if I do, my wife will divorce me…And my kids will be in… MY MINISTRY WOULD BE LOST.'"

You dirty, rotten hypocrite. That's right. You don't love her right, in the first place. That's exactly right.

353. If you loved her, there'll be no law about it. You'd love her, anyhow, and you stick with her. That's exactly right. And you womenwill do the same thingto your husband. That's right.

355. Man see some little Jezebel all painted up, you know, and you'll go around, fall for her; maybe got a good wife. And then you call yourself a Christian. Shame on you. You need another dose of the altar. That's right.

356. And some of you womenlook aroundat some little old guywith hishair slicked down, enough Vaseline on it to…

[D]. COST # 4:

DIVORCED; REMARRIED MINISTER; WITH YET A LIVING WIFE; DISQUALIFIES HIMSELF AS A MINISTER.

64-0823E - Questions And Answers #2: [Rev. William Marrion Branham]

80  286. BROTHER BRANHAM, IS IT (Let's see.)… FOR A PERSON WHO HAS A LIVING, DIVORCED MATE; WHO REMARRY BEFORE COMING UNTO THE MESSAGE TO MINISTER?

Well, in [First Timothy 3:2], if you want to put that down, and [Titus 1 to 6] (I wrote that one down.), I want youto read that for this question. See?

If a man desires the office of a bishop or a preacher (something another in church), he's got to have just one wife. That's right. A MINISTER… Now, that's [First Timothy 3:2], and [Titus 1 to 6]. Now, [Titus 1 to 6], yeah.

All right. Now, notice that the Bible said that that man that's a minister in the house of Godwill have ONE WIFE.

I trust this article will create a thirst to seek the truth concerning the marrital status of a minister in the Bible and in this End Time Message of Restoration to all Truth. 

THE OPENING OF THE SEVEN SEALS AND THE FLASHING ON OF THE EVENING LIGHT HAS BROUGHT THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS ISSUE TO FULL LIGHT.

To those who are confronted by this reality, what does this scripture now mean to you: [John 3:19-21]

19. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light,      because their deeds were evil.
20. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God

This was compiled from the End Time Message as Delivered to the End Time Bride by The Prophet Messenger of [Mal. 4:5-6]. Check it up yourself. The references have been given. If you have a question, do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you for stepping out to seek the truth. 

PASTOR MARTIN TOMBE

RESTORED BIBLE TRUTH ASSEMBLY.