1. False “Traditions” On Marriage, Divorce And Marriage Among Churches Of Christ
Bible Studies by Dan Billingsly Page 1
"Traditionsalists" Among Churches Of Christ Today
Preach The Following False "Traditions" On Matthew 19
By Dan Billingsly
"Tradition" #1: "Traditionalists" teach that God has revealed different lower and higher laws for marriage in the
three different covenant ages (Old Testament Patriarchal -- Mosaical ages, and the New Testament Christian age)
described in the Bible. "Traditionsalists" maintain that God revealed the original law for marriage to Adam and
Eve (Gen. 2), but after sin entered the world he gave a lower law -- which included and sanctioned polygamy and
concubinage in the Old Testament Patriarchal age, a modified but slightly higher law (that also included polygamy)
during the Old Testament Mosaical age, and then re-established the original law for this New Testament Christian
age. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!
"Tradition" #2: "Traditionalists" believe and teach that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are New Testament
books that describe Christ revealing new covenant doctrine, and that all men in this New Testament age are
accountable all teaching in these four Old Testament books. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!
"Tradition" #3: "Traditionsalists" claim and teach that "the sermon on the mount," as preached by Christ in
Matthew, chapters 5 through 7, is New Testament teaching. They maintain that this was the “greatest” sermon
ever heard, and that the teaching in this sermon must be applied to all men in this New Testament age if men
are to be pleasing to God. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!
"Tradition" #4: "Traditionalists" claim and teach that because of certain "words" and "phrases" -- used by Christ
in Matthew 19:3-12, the language proves that the passage is New Testament doctrine -- and all living men today are
accountable to Matthew 19. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!
"Traditions" #5: "Traditionalists" believe and teach that "the Greek" word for "committeth" in Matthew 19:9 –
means "continuous action," therefore, the definition of "the Greek" proves that Matthew 19 is New Testament
doctrine. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!
"Tradition" #6: ""Traditions"alists" teach that Moses gave the old covenant law for marriage, divorce and
remarriage for Israel in Deuteronomy 24:1-4; and that Christ gave a different new covenant law for marriage,
divorce and remarriage in Matthew 19:3-12. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!
"Tradition" #7: "Traditionalists" believe and teach, although the words and phrases “adulterous marriage(s)”
and “living in adultery” are not found in any book, chapter or verse of the New Testament, that Matthew 14:3-5;
19:9 and Mark 6:17-18 describe "adulterous marriages," and 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and Colossians 3:5-7 describe
people "living in adultery." WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!
"Tradition" #8: "Traditionalists" teach that when Jesus said, "Ye have heard it said of them of old time...But I
say unto you..." in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John -- before the cross, he was contrasting the Old Testament law
of Moses with his revelation of New Testament law. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!
"Tradition" #9: "Traditionalists" believe and teach that the word "gospel" as used in Matthew, Mark, Luke and
John -- before the cross -- means the New Testament "gospel," and in this "gospel" Christ set forth the new covenant
principles that would govern his New Testament "kingdom" or "church." WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!
"Tradition" #10: "Traditionalists" believe and teach that when Christ, in giving "the great commission" of
Matthew 28:19-20 "...teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" -- he meant for
theapostles to teach and observe "all things" from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John -- including Matthew 19
-- as New Testament doctrine. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!
"Tradition" #11: "Traditionalists believe and teach that in every divorce there is an "innocent party" and a "guilty
party." They maintain that the "innocent" party is free to marry, but the "guilty" party -- the spouse "guilty" of
committing fornication or adultery as the cause of the divorce -- cannot marry. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!
"Tradition" #12: "Traditionalists believe and teach that alien sinners who have been divorced for reasons other
than "fornication" and have remarried, must break up their second or "adulterous marriage" before being baptized,

2. False “Traditions” On Marriage, Divorce And Marriage Among Churches Of Christ
Bible Studies by Dan Billingsly Page 2
becoming a Christian and being added to the New Testament church. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!
"Tradition" #13: ""Traditionalists" believe and teach that New Testament baptism "for the remission of sins"
does not wash away all alien sins and sinful relationships. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!
"Tradition" #14: ""Traditionalists" believe and teach that divorce and remarriage in this New Testament age for
any reason other than "fornication" as taught in Matthew 19 -- is an unpardonable sin. WRONG, WRONG,
WRONG!
"Traditions" #15: "Traditionalists believe and teach that an alien sinner who seeks to obey the gospel -- but has
divorced his first wife for reasons other than fornication and has married -- must make "restitution" for his sin
before baptism. They maintain that the alien, before he can be baptized, must return his wife back to her first
husband and he must go back to his first wife or remain unmarried for the rest of his life. WRONG, WRONG,
WRONG!
The New Testament of Christ in Acts 2 through Revelation 22 does not teach -- as do modern
"traditionalists" -- that there is only "one cause" (fornication) for divorce, that there is a "guilty party" and
an"innocent party" in every divorce, that the alien sinner who is in his or her second marriage must divorce the
present spouse and return to the first spouse before baptism or live a celibate life without marriage, or any other
of the more than fifteen ""traditionsal" doctrines that "traditionalists" teach as new covenant faith and practice
among churches of Christ.
The scripture of the New Testaments show clearly that "traditionsalists" are wrong, wrong, wrong about
the Old Testament doctrine in Matthew 19 and their false "traditions" on divorce and remarriage.
These fifteen "traditions" being taught in Christ’s true church today are simply false doctrine!