Love Crimes: Inappropriate
Relationships
Deuteronomy 22: 5, 13-30 & 23: 1-14, 17-18
The Great Covenant
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . Max
A Forsythe
Introduction:
Much of the world still wonders
at the sexual regulations of the Judeo-Christian community. The whole sale humanistic-secular revolt against the
perceived puritanical traditions during the sixties were glorified as a proper
part of the New Age of Aquarius still celebrated in song, story and every other
art form. Freedom, intellectual,
cultural and personal, in the last forty years, has been primarily focused upon
ending every known regulation concerning intimate relationships.
While other religions may go out
of their way to encourage a gradual renouncing of the material values for those
seeking some form of escape from this world, most have very different approaches
to regulating intimate relationships. Certainly,
the sanctity of the marriage relationship is widely upheld due to a general
revelation derived from natural law and a long experimental knowledge that
familial relationships bode well for society and nations within history.
However, the focus of such natural law seems only to recognize a
husband/father’s maternal spouse. The
traditional double-standard if you will, which is more derived from unnatural
law and natural men than from the revealed law of God.
We can see all through the Old
Covenant record, the duplicity of even God’s own men – who took many
centuries to finally understand and to live a life worthy of the regulations
with which they were supposedly familiar from childhood.
In fact, there does not seem to be a widespread habitual obedience to
these intimate regulations before us, until the people of Judea return from the
exile. There was one other habit
that the people also left behind when they returned – the worshipping of other
gods!
Is there a relationship in this
duality of revival and repentance? I
believe so – in fact I would go so far as to advocate the reasoning for the
regulations of intimacy as being related to a proper honor given not only to
that dearly loved spouse given to us by the Creator, but also related to the “great
mystery” reported by the Apostle Paul when he spoke “concerning
Christ and the church. Nevertheless
let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the
wife see that she respects her husband.”
The greatest Democratic president
in the twentieth century, Harry Truman – once observed, “If
a man’s wife can’t trust him, neither should anyone else.”
God knows us all, mind – heart and soul, more intimately than we
even know ourselves. Can we begin to comprehend the seriousness with which he
views intimate relationships? If
our wives and husbands cannot trust us – neither will the Creator God have any
regard for us?
It is not without reason that the
Scriptural records describe the chasing after other gods and goddesses as
spiritual prostitution! And it is
not surprising to read about a study of atheists where a majority decided not to
believe in God because they were more interested in sexual license than pleasing
the Creator God of heaven and earth. We
have only to remember that both St Augustine and C.S. Lewis felt compelled to
put away irregular relationships before becoming spiritual leaders in Christ’s
Church. The trend unfortunately is
different today. One of the lesser
editors of Christianity Today was dismayed just a couple of years ago to
hear that there was a negative reaction to her personal escapades!
When I was in Seminary, a
scandalous ménage a trios within the academic community became public
knowledge. The reaction of the
administration was to condemn any personal judgment on the part of people who
did not understand the complexities of the relationship and leave it to the
administration to work out. The
real scandal was the fact that nothing happened as a result of the supposed
investigation. Again, I was
personally chastised once, because I openly gave away books of a prominent
bachelor biblical scholar, because he left his valuable estate to a mistress. I had rushed to judgment, I was told. I still maintain that there was a profound difference between
the end of his life and that of Augustine and Lewis, and I believe the liberal
theology of that scholar was colored by his natural desires. When I was being driven out of the ministry in the old
liberal church – two out of three of the counselors imposed upon me were
charged with adultery. They were
allowed to remain in the church and I was put out to pasture.
At least in the PCA, we are more
likely to enforce God’s economy concerning intimate relationships.
Within a four state region of the mid-west, there have been two men
defrocked because of irregularities in their personal divorce process.
Unfortunately, both were welcomed in another branch of Christendom where
the religious authorities are more modern and understanding.
Old
Covenant Milieu:
Yes, we are talking about sin today, but we must also remember that the
God of heaven is a patient God who is willing to forgive when we admit our
shortcomings and when we go on to live a life better than the one we would like
to live in this regard. That is why we read of all manner of irregularities within
the marriage covenant in the Old Covenant even while we know these are saved
individuals. But let us be careful
to specify that the irregularities of Abraham, Jacob, David and the others were
at least misguided marital arrangements, and that some of the regulations we
will look at today do indeed cover other arrangements that were not considered
multiple covenantal companionships in their sealing ordinances.
Please understand I am not condoning bigamy, only a handful of feminists
and remote Mormons will advocate such nonsense.
Let us turn to our text and see
how the Creator Father God revealed some basic regulations for intimate
relationships, regulations - which are still in effect for anyone and everyone
who professes faith in Christ. The
list covers various topics of uncleanness.
In verse 22: 5, the topic is transvestite
practices; verses 22: 13-29 cover six topics of
personal and public morality. Then
in 23: 1-14 there are three regulations about
clean worshippers, personal hygiene and public health. Finally in 23: 18
inappropriate offerings are noted. Eleven
short topics centered in some way upon the spiritual cleanliness of those called
to worship the Triune God of heaven and earth.
Before we detail the lot, let us
remember that some of these are historically limited, while others are timeless
in their regard. Of course, given
the current sinful course of cultural history, some fools may bring upon
themselves the curse intended in ignoring the principled regulations of our God
and King. Well do we heard how the
sexual revolution of the sixties unleashed all manner of social diseases which
have not been so widely spread in civilized areas for many generations.
First, we have a brief verse (22:5),
which Dr Craigie tells us “does not refer simply
to fashions or styles of dressing, as the warning contained in the final clause
makes clear.” No indeed,
this has everything to do with those who are claiming today that there are in
reality five sexes instead of two. Of
course, the modern trends of acceptance for sodomy and every other perversion
known to man are far worse than anything experienced in public for generations
since Western Civilization was founded.
Further, Dr Brown explains that
there were cultural practices of the Canaanites, which fully justified this
prohibition of mixing the worship of the One God with the spiritual adultery of
the local inhabitants. Specifically,
they were to avoid any magic rituals, which belabored cross-dressing.
Some years ago, several boys in
Texas wanted to wear dresses to school. The
school denied them permission, whereupon, the boys purchased plaid kilts and
demanded that their ethnic choices be accorded respect.
They were brought into a meeting where an expert examined the patterns of
their cloth and announced that it was simply an American designed plaid with no
tartan lineage. In any case – their surnames and family history did not
indicate any proper associations with historic Scottish families.
Case closed – permission denied! While
this whole comedic episode has all the marks of teenage prankery, nevertheless
– there are serious issues at stake here.
Far better to head off mischief before it turns to any perversion
encouraged by the National Education Association,
in the midst of impressionable children!
Second, we have in this group of
six regulations (22: 13-30), as Dr Brown notes -
an emphasis “that God’s purpose is that physical
sexual relationships are to be confined to marriage and to marriage alone.”
This is a premise that is sadly lacking in our current American
culture.
In the first example (13-21),
we may presume in every day and time that honesty is always the best policy.
And while virginity in the young is still a desirable commodity to be
brought to the marriage relationship, deception on the part of either the new
husband or new wife may be the principle condemnation here. Once, a young lady in one of my classes had traveled in
another area where several billboards proclaimed that virginity was not a dirty
word. She asked out loud what did
that billboard mean? Her mother had
obviously failed in her duty, and not wishing to embarrass her any further, I
referred her to one of the female teachers.
I could tell from some of the looks on the faces in the class that she
was not the only one confused. How
sad that such character traits cannot even be encouraged in the public arena,
because the lady I sent the girl to was once officially chastised for making a
point regarding that virtue.
The second example (22),
Dr Brown defines as “an uncompromising
condemnation of adultery – sexual relations with a partner who is married to
somebody else. It is a sin which
breaks three commandments – those which forbid covetousness, theft and
adultery.” Here in the
Columbus area I once heard of two couples that were infertile. Their
church made a tragic mistake of assigning one from each couple to work together
to set up a Christian Education program. Since
the two spent so much time working on the project – one thing led to another
and they discovered that together, they were indeed fertile.
This is the tragedy of the modern working environment, where every
government and corporate judgment aims at mixing married people with members of
the opposite sex in situations where the employees actually spend more waking
time with each other than their own spouse.
Navy wives at least understand this problem, but in spite of their long
term protests – American social experimentation within the military goes
forward even though upwards of one-third of the females aboard ships have been
reported pregnant at the end of a cruise.
In the third example (23-24)
we have a breaking of a betrothal contract, an ideal made fun of in the popular
movie Runaway Bride. The
first reaction may be – why can’t the young lady change her mind?
Certainly, we may allow that the contract to be married may be broken –
but that is not the question before us. Even
before the Covenant of Companionship has been attested, adultery has taken
place.
The fourth example (25-27)
concerns the rape of a similar victim, but in this case no blame is attached to
the one who was vulnerable and overpowered.
Rape it is diagnosed and the perpetrator if captured would be executed.
Unfortunately, we do not have a capital punishment for this crime any
more and that is most unfortunate. I
have counseled several women who were still affected by the crime decades after
it had been committed. Such is the
emotional trauma and long-term suffering that everything possible needs to be
done to prevent it and the death penalty, if it does not send an adequate
message at the very least prevents repeated crimes by the same pervert.
In our fifth example (28-29)
simple fornication has been committed and the punishment here is an immediate
wedding to sanctify the relationship. The
assumption here is that these were consenting adults agreeable to sharing the
intimacies of the wedding bed. Damages
are paid and a life together for good or ill is mandated.
In some old session records I read of some relatives who were in the
family way before the wedding was accomplished.
They admitted their sin not only to the session, but also to the
congregation. The minister
announced to the congregation at the wedding that what had transpired was now
forgiven and best forgotten. Further,
if anyone were heard to discuss the matter – they would be disciplined by
session!
We must always remember that
given the sexual adventures of many Old Covenant saints, whose standing before
the Lord was assured by the testimony of the Scriptures, that confession and
forgiveness is always a merciful allowance before the God of heaven and earth.
And if he can forgive sin – we can at least be polite and forget it!
Our last example in this section
(30) is the crime of incest. As we shall discover in another chapter, the Israelite
jurisprudence was not as wide in its definition as we are used to understanding
in our day and time. When I was
growing up I was carefully informed as to what distance from the family tree I
could date: only third cousins and beyond!
On one occasion a female first-cousin and I got to be friends, nothing
more – but the fact that we had spent several hours talking together at a
family reunion brought a parental judgment in both cases to be more circumspect
in our friendships! From what I
have gathered from being around young people these last twenty-five years,
incest is still a great taboo – but the field of opportunities for dating is
much more narrow than that which we were taught only thirty-some years ago.
Our third section (23: 1-8) this morning moves from the earthly relationships to those
with our Creator God. Dr Brown
introduces these verses in these words: “A
series of rules follows at this point which govern the composition of the
covenant community at worship. Certain
people were not permitted to enter the assembly of the Lord.”
While we might be more generous
in our time and place – we have to remember the gross paganism of the
Canaanite people. The ritually
emasculated, the pagan temple brats, the apostate Ammonites and Moabites of that
day were denied access to the holy Assembly.
We have to learn from this passage that there are indeed groups of people
who are beyond redemption. Such was
the case when the Spanish came to the New World.
The gospel as they understood it was offered to very many of the American
tribes. Yet, there were specific
examples where the majority of the natives themselves agreed that extermination
was the only just treatment of specific groups. Columbus undertook the extermination of the cannibalistic
Caribs, and Cortez after offering the gospel to the Aztec Montezuma and his
cohorts, was forced to wage a battle of extermination through the plazas and
suburbs of Mexico City.
Our fourth section (23:
9-14) deals with military hygiene while on campaign.
Well does the Scripture understand the inherent dangers of gathering
together large numbers of warriors. A
lesson that was not understood by an invading Assyrian Army centuries later, an
army destroyed by disease. Down to
the last century, many more lives were lost on campaign to sickness and a lack
of basic hygiene than was ever lost to battle casualties.
Now, why do we have this section
here? May I offer the perspective
of a Viet Nam era participant? While
I did not get to South East Asia, I would agree with many of those who did, that
the Media had absolutely no right to film the deaths of soldiers in combat and
show them to the folks at home. You
see combat in this regard is like sex and worship in these connected verses,
something highly personal, and something important and even supremely special.
That is why veterans who saw the worst of the elephant, as the combat
experience is often called, are reluctant to discuss the details.
Even as real gentlemen and ladies do not describe the familiar intimacies
of the marital relationship to outsiders. In
the same regard, we may condemn pornography because it exhibits intimacies that
should be limited to the marriage relationship.
By contrast – we are encouraged
to share the intimacies of our relationship with the Almighty God whom we
worship in and through Jesus Christ. But
– this is truly different because the Lord Himself is not restricted in the
number of His saving relationships or accountable for those who destroy
themselves by not accepting His sovereign reign over them.
Remember, Paul described these things as a great mystery and I hope I
have not stepped beyond the pale in my heartfelt meditations here.
The final verse (17-18)
for consideration today, intimates that any profit from certain activities must
never be brought into the Lord’s House. In
this context, prostitution or the “sale of a dog”
are prohibited. Dr Brown reports, “The
Lord detests deviant sexual practices and does not want immoral earnings in the
offerings of his people.” Dr
Craigie suggests that the “price of a dog”
is in reference to sodomy for hire. A
practice is not even worthy of an apt description.
That is why you never ever hear me use the popular name chosen by
Sodomites – it is unworthy of being mentioned in their terms.
I plan on burning a modern reference book on antiquity because the
authors chose to place a description of the greatest Greek poet (Homer) right
smack in the middle of the gross article on ancient practices of Sodomy.
New
Covenant Continuum:
As we change our focus to the new Administration of the Covenant under
the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we must comprehend that the new administration
does indeed change the punishment for much of the activity that we have spoken
up today. Turn with me to the Gospel of John: specifically too: (7:
53 – 8:11). I am sure you
are all familiar with this passage? Interestingly
enough, most liberal translations and even some conservative, note that “the
earliest and most reliable manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have
John 7:53-8:11” It has always fascinated me that conservatives are more
willing to obey the prescription here that if we agreed it did not belong, could
cost some of the advocates that it doesn’t belong, most dearly!
Contemporary
Application: Someone once asked me by email
about the standing of Sodomites within the Covenant of Grace, I sent them to
this chapter to assure them that the only change in the New Covenant is that we
are no longer required to execute them as the Old Covenant regulations required.
Like the adulteress in this passage, we are conservative in our
understanding of the scriptures take these verses to mean that execution for
consensual sexual activity are no longer to be allowed.
We are encouraged instead to leave them for the judgment of the Lord!
He has not changed His mind about how to deal with unrepentant people
whose real mind is located thirty to thirty-six inches below their head! But, we are no longer encouraged or allowed to send them on
for an early judgment, but are to leave them for a time in the hope that the
Lord will bring them to their senses and convert them from the grossness of
their mental fixations.
The Apostle Paul is adamant in
his first letter to the Corinthians (6: 9-11):
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will
not inherit the kingdom of God? Do
not be deceived. Neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor
thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will
inherit the Kingdom of God. And
such were some of you.”
We may not like to hear that
admonition of Paul, but let us remember that Jesus condemned not only the
activity of murder and adultery – but also the mental desire to accomplish the
same. Therefore, every human is
condemned before the throne of God on either the count of anger, lust or any
mental transgression against the law of God.
Therefore we can be gratified to finish the passage quoted above:
”. “But
you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of
the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”
May we give the Lord our praise
and thanks for calling us from a life of sin, and as we engage in a life
pleasing to Him, let us make absolutely certain that the sins mentioned above
are not only forgiven and forgotten but also put away from our minds and
actions. Amen.
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