Baptism And Adulterous Marriages – 12/10/17

There are some who would teach that baptism sanctifies an adulterous marriage, therefore making the marriage holy and right. Their thought is that since baptism washes away sins, that the one who is baptized has the sin of their previous unlawful divorce(s) and remarriage(s) washed away. Then they would assert that the marriage they are currently in is one which is sanctified by God. Basically the teaching is that one could marry, divorce, and remarry unscripturally (one or ten times), be baptized, and then be holy in the eyes of God with either their current spouse, or if they are currently unmarried, be free to marry again. However, the scriptures indicate that this is not the case. In considering if baptism sanctifies adulterous marriages, consider the following.

Baptism Is To Be Predicated By Repentance:Divorce for reasons other than adultery, and remarriage of any but the innocent party (in the case of adultery) after divorce is sin both for the alien sinner and the saint (cf. Matt. 19:3-9). Peter said one must “repent and be baptized…for the remission of sin” (Ac. 2:38). The sin of being in an adulterous marriage is to be repented of before one is baptized if they are to be forgiven of that sin. Repentance is a change in mind that demonstrates itself in a change of life. Therefore, the one who is to be baptized must leave an adulterous marriage if they are to truly repent and be forgiven. The fact that one must repent before they are baptized teaches us that baptism does not sanctify adulterous marriages.

Baptism Changes Man’s Relationship To God:Baptism does, and does not do, certain things. When one is baptized they become a child of God (Gal. 3:26-27), with the hope of an eternal inheritance in Heaven (Titus 3:7). Thus, baptism changes man’s relationship to God. However, baptism does not change man’s relationship to his fellow man. Once baptized, one is still the child of their parents, still the parent to their child, and still bound to the spouse God bound them to. Though baptism washes away the sin, baptism does not wash away God’s bond between a husband and his wife. Therefore, if one is bound to a previous husband or wife, but is married to another, they are just as much an adulterer or adulteress as they were before they were baptized. Baptism does not sanctify adulterous marriages because it does not change the binding of God between a husband and wife.

Sin Before Baptism Is Still Sin After Baptism: If one was a thief before they were baptized, will baptism sanctify their thievery so they can continue stealing? If one practices homosexuality before baptism, will being baptized sanctify their homosexuality so they can continue practicing homosexuality? Certainly not! Then, if one is in an adulterous marriage prior to being baptized, will their baptism allow them to continue in adultery? Not any more than baptism would allow the thief to keep stealing and the homosexual to continue to commit homosexuality. Remember, the one who is baptized “should walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4), having “crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal. 5:24). Sin before baptism is still sin after baptism – that includes the sin involved in an adulterous marriage. May God ever find us standing on His word alone, never compromising the truth!

David Eldridge