DAVID AND BATH-SHEBA
The incident of David and Bath-Sheba has sometimes been quoted, and the suggestion made that, as David was forgiven, why cannot we forgive those who take part in divorce and remarriage? Those who take this view show a certain lack of understanding of the facts. Firstly, David did not divorce any of his wives in order to marry Bath-Sheba. Secondly, before Uriah was dead David's action in taking Bath-Sheba was adultery, but despite how Uriah died, it was after his death that Bath-Sheba became David's wife. She was, therefore, a widow when David took her to be his wife. God did not condone what David did, and neither do we. David said to Nathan, the prophet, "The man that hath done this thing shall restore fourfold", and David was punished fourfold. Adultery is a sin against God, and only God can forgive a sin against HimAccording to the Law of Moses David should have been stoned for his adultery, but Nathan said, "Thou shalt not die. Yahweh hath put away thy sin". David said, "I have sinned against Yahweh". Adultery is a sin against God, and only God can forgive a sin against Him. The incident of David and Bath-Sheba cannot be taken as justification for allowing divorce and remarriage. It is a red herring!
An attempt to justify divorce and remarriage is sometimes made by appealing to the supposed views of brethren of previous generations, but such brethren were not inspired, and therefore not infallible. The only real test is "What saith the scripture?"The only real test is "What saith the scripture?" To show how it can mislead to quote brethren of bygone days, it has been said that Bro. Roberts was in favour of divorce and remarriage. Yet, in the last year of his life the evidence shows exactly the opposite! This is proved by the following quotation from "The Christadelphian" for September 1898:—
"We returned to Melbourne on Friday, May 6th. The Melbourne meetings are well maintained. Some pain has been caused by the shocking behaviour of one brother, and the highly unscriptural action of another in connection with it, in seeking redress in the Divorce Court. The incident has discouraged the brethren somewhat. They have not, however, THE CAUSE FOR SHAME THAT THEY WOULD HAVE IF THEY TOLERATED OR COUNTENANCED SUCH INFRACTIONS OF THE DIVINE LAW. (Capitals and underline are mine) When brethren confess their sins, AND FORSAKE THEM, they are entitled to forgiveness, but when they defend and vindicate them, they stand in the way of their own mercy."
Sins have to be repented of and forsaken before they can be forgivenThese words of bro. Roberts prove that he approved of what the Melbourne Ecclesia did in disfellowshipping one brother for adultery, and another for suing for divorce. He recognized what is really quite obvious — that sins have to be repented of and forsaken before they can be forgiven.