What does it mean that fornicators and adulterers God will judge (Hebrews 13:4)?

(V. 4). Moreover, while down here, there are the relationships of life. Marriage, which is the closest of all human ties, is not to be decried, but held in respect, and maintained in purity. Every violation of holiness, or of the marriage tie, will meet with judgment, either governmental or eternal.

"Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." Here again Christianity in no wise annuls the sanctity of re­lationships established in creation. Some have dared to teach this; but this involves the wicked denial of moral principles that remain unchanged through all dispensa­tions. Indeed, even the law allowed inconsistencies because of the hardness of men's hearts-not because God approved, - but Christianity reaffirms God's creatorial rights in this regard (Matt. 19:39). But the law de­manded death for an adulterer. Such evil is no less ser­ious today than then, but judgment for it is in God's hands, not in ours. Of course, in the assembly of God, such abuse would require the firm discipline of the as­sembly as such, and putting away from fellowship, (1 Cor. 5) but the actual judgment for such guilt God reserves for Himself, rather than now appointing His peo­ple to execute capital punishment.

The tempted but godly youth says to Potiphar's wife, "Behold, my master wots not what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand: there is none greater in this house than I; neither has he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" How many young men in this house tonight would have so answered? How many are convicted that they have been guilty of what Joseph calls "great wickedness"? Ah, my friends, fornication and adultery are thought little of in this world, provided it be not found out; but don't you forget that it is written, "Whoremongers and adulterers, God will judge" (Heb. 13:4). God has spoken in the plainest possible language on this point from one end of Holy Writ to the other. His final testimonies are, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Rev. 21:8). "For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loves and makes a lie" (Rev. 22:15). What a miserable set to spend eternity with in darkness and distance from God! Wretched is the man who is in this list, — happy he who is not of it!

Covetousness. — Proceeding with his subject, he next warns against covetousness. And as he has given two illustrations of brotherly love, he will furnish his readers with two of covetousness. First, he warns against unchastity, whilst reminding all of the honourable estate of matrimony, which is God's institution for His creatures. It is honourable in all. No class of Christians are forbidden to enter into such estate. Asceticism is foreign to Christianity; and to decry marriage is part of the doctrine of demons (1 Tim. 4:3). But "fornicators [or, whoremongers] and adulterers God will judge." We have read (12:16) of care to be taken against allowing any fornicator in the company of the saints; here it is of that solemn dealing with such on the part of God that we learn. Elsewhere (Eph. 5:3; Col. 3:5), we see, and especially in the former passage, that covetousness and fornication are spoken of in close connection, the latter really springing out of the former, as the tenth commandment had already taught.

(5) Fornicators point to a sin which is awfully prevalent. The ruin of female virtue is regarded lightly, and fornicators are received into society in the knowledge of the fact, while the poor victims are outcasts from respectability. But God here reverses the judgment of man, and fornicators shall be consigned by the God of righteousness to the lake of fire.

A new topic comes before us in verse 4: "[Let,] marriage [be] honourable in all things and the bed [be] undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge." Here the Jewish Christian is called to stand the more on his guard, as the law allowed a latitude which the Lord showed to be far from God's mind. The A.V. is faulty in two respects. It is not a mere affirmative sentence stamping the relationship with dignity, but an exhortation in the imperative calling us to carry it on worthily, and to guard it from all taint of unchastity or impureness. And we are bid to set it in honour, not in this respect or in that, but "in all things." Thus it is in no way a certificate of respectability which all people possess because they are in wedlock, but a solemn charge to married saints that, their use of the relationship be thus pleasing to the Lord in every detail. To say it is honourable "in all men" overlooks, if it does not destroy, the force of the scripture for the Christian's conscience. And this is the more evident as we hear next that God will judge every violation of its sanctity whether in neglect or in misuse.

Heb. 13:4. "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." In what connection does this scripture stand? It comes as a solemn warning against the flesh after the saints had been called to such services of grace, as brotherly love continuing, entertaining strangers, feeling bound with those in bonds: but lest the flesh should come in under the pretext of preserving the continuance of brotherly love, or of the kindly hospitality of entertaining strangers, or of tender sympathy with those in bonds, the apostle immediately adds, "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled; but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." The doctrine of Balaam in connection with a formal but false profession of Christ, would make a pretext of brotherly love or christian hospitality for unclean liberties, which even in the world would not be allowed.

Here is a somewhat different character of defilement, but leading on to still viler abominations, on none of which need one dwell, though assured God is wise and holy in every word He lays down. Indeed the Epistle to the Hebrews (13:4) calls the Christian Jews, and in principle all concerned, to take heed, in terms which take in verses 19, 20 of our chapter. Marriage is to be honourable in all respects, as well as among all of course. Christian light and love is meant to pervade even the most intimate of relationships, and cleanse from every defilement of flesh and spirit; of Jews and of Gentiles we need to be reminded that the Lord is the avenger of all such wrongs.

A. The word of the Lord enjoins (Hebrews 13:4), "Let marriage be honourable in all things," a very different thing from the A.V. which makes it a necessarily dignified status for any and everybody. It is a solemn exhortation that nothing should be done in the relationship inconsistent with its holy and intimate character, as well as implying honour due to the relationship in itself and in every way. For Christians 1 Corinthians 7:39 guards the limits of "will" with that sole worthy principle, "only in the Lord." The immediate application is to a widow marrying again; but it would be absurd to restrict it to her, or to doubt that it equally applies to any Christian woman or man.

The opening is singularly emphatic, "Man, man, etc." This the Septuagint follows closely. Man's attention is called for. Marriage is only honourable where God's will is observed. Heb. 13:4 in no way sanctions or sanctifies a forbidden union. The true rendering is, Let marriage be honourable (not "among all" as the Revisers say, but) "in all things," and the bed be undefiled. The construction is alike before and after. It is an injunction, not an affirmation as in the A.V. with Wiclif, Cranmer, and the Geneva translators. The Rhemish is an ungrammatical evasion, meant to correspond with the Vulgate, which would seem to take the Greek like the Peschito, Wiclif, etc. Tyndale alone was right. Against unions or licences, such as are here indicated, Jehovah sets His face. His name from beginning to end of the chapter is the solemn warrant against them all. If an Israelite allowed passion to carry him away, it was rebellion against Jehovah and at his own peril.