Someone posed the question, “Are all marriages amenable to the Law of Christ?” Usually, such a question as this is asked to ascertain whether the marriages of non-Christians are supposed to be regulated by the Law of Christ, the Gospel or the New Testament—in addition to marriages of those who first become Christians prior to matrimony. Essentially, Jesus Christ restored God’s original plan for marriage for under Christianity, namely, one man for one woman for life (Matthew 19:3-8). Our Lord provided only one exception—the innocent spouse in a divorce because of adultery may marry again someone biblically eligible to be married (Matthew 19:9). Therefore, the real question is does our Lord’s teaching apply to non-Christians as well as Christians? In other words, does God grandfather in biblically unscriptural marriages of non-Christians when they aspire to become Christians?
Simply put, our Lord’s teaching on marriage, divorce and remarriage is as applicable to non-Christians as is our Lord’s teaching about how one becomes a child of God is applicable to non-Christians. Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved…” (Mark 16:16). All of the Gospel of Christ is binding on all souls who are accountable for themselves, irrespective of whether or not they are Christians. There is no logical or no hermeneutically satisfactory way to excuse oneself from the application of Matthew 19:3-9 while at the same time acknowledging the responsibility to comply with Mark 16:16. Either they both apply to non-Christians or neither passage is obligatory upon non-Christians. Obviously, Mark 16:16 does apply to non-Christians, and so, Matthew 19:3-9 likewise applies to non-Christians and Christians alike.
Think about this for a moment. One is not innocent of violating a law simply because he may be ignorant of its existence. Disobedience is not somehow validated as obedience due to one being oblivious to legal requirements. Disobedience and obedience are at the heart of the proper human reaction to God’s redemptive plan (Hebrews 5:8-9). Biblically prohibited marriages are part of what some candidates for conversion must repent when repenting of their sins (Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30).
