John Piper and hog pen religion: Complete ignorance of Female Chastity and No-Defilement law (Dt. 24.4)

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Cleanliness and forgiveness are not the same thing! After forgiving (he doesn't even have to wait to forgive!), a man must follow up by putting away an unclean woman so the whole family will not be defiled. If a man finds a dead rat by the kitchen table he doesn't wait until after supper to get rid of it. He acts by cleaning up the mess and then continues the things he has to do.

Defilement of even a chaste wife through rape or seduction destroys the hope of return to her husband. How much more the unchastity of a remarried woman! A clean man must not accept an unclean woman. As I already mentioned, he may forgive of course and should do so as soon as possible, but forgiving is not the same issue as marital cleanliness and protecting a family from defilement and spiritual disgrace.

The reason the popularity preachers are so popular is because they compromise. They do not uphold Biblical guidance. Mr. Piper is among those who promote defilement and uncleanness against God's chaste institution of marriage. Female chastity is a very important element of the marriage institution (Ex.22:16). The violation of this commandment called for execution (Dt. 22:20,21).

Review: “What should a married couple do after a spouse has cheated?”__John Piper

It seems Mr. Piper erroneously thinks the way treachery of a marital situation is resolved may be implemented according to gainsaying and man-made, egalitarian, philosophy of the modern, heretical congregations. He seems to think it is an equal matter for a woman as it is with a man to be restored to a relationship.

“... I would go to … him … and confess the whole situation … and plead … for forgiveness … ask … to trust again … and then be willing and able to deal with the distrust that is going to last a long time.”

However, the Biblical perspective upon a marital situation is gender-biased. For instance, in the Old Testament, males were allowed to be polygamous. The men could have many wives. However, the women were not allowed to be polygamous; in fact, the woman would have been considered an adulteress if she married another man at the same time her first husband was living, and both the male and the married female would have been condemned to death for even having sex with one another (Dt. 22:22).

Nevertheless, women were allowed to re-marry (Dt. 24:1-3) during the redaction of the first law up until the time of the reproof of the Lord Jesus. If her ex-husband gave her a book of divorcement (a contract: biblion apastasiou—Greek, sayfer keritut--Hebrew), she was allowed to re-marry.

Holy men of Israel in the Old Testament had several wives. A study in the light of the history of David, king of Israel, reveals that David was a blessed and great man having several wives and concubines. David married Michal, the daughter of Saul (I Sa. 18:27). Abigail became the wife of David (I Sa. 25:42). David took Ahinoam of Jezreel for his wife also (I Sa. 25:43).

     David was thirty years old when he began to reign (II Sa. 5:4). He had three wives at this time, except Saul had given Michal, David's first wife, to Phalti, the son of Laish, who was of Gallim (I Sa. 25:44).

     "And David went on, and grew great, and the Lord God of hosts was with him" (II Sa. 5:10). God did not have any contempt toward David for having more than one wife--the Lord God of hosts was with him. David "perceived" that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for His people Israel's sake. David knew that the Lord was making him great (II Sa. 5:12). God was with David, and David took more wives yet, and concubines (II Sa. 5:13). And David enquired of the Lord, saying, "Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand?" And the Lord said unto David, "Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand" (II Sa. 5:19). We may correctly infer that David had fellowship and favor of the Lord while simultaneously having several wives and concubines.

Polygamy was permitted in the Old Testament (Ex. 21:10); that is, the males were permitted several wives--not the wives were permitted several husbands. Although, such as the marriage laws may have been previously, monogamy was instituted according to the teachings of the New Testament. There was at most one wife among the New Testament church leaders; and in some cases, such as the Apostle Paul's--none! (I Tim. 3:2, 12; 5:9; Tit. 1:6)

So, realizing that Christians are the people of God in modern times, and we have a new covenant with God, we must be able to carry over Biblical principles of the old covenant into our new covenant, in a way that is acceptable to God. The Old Testament gives us guidelines as to what is sinful and how the people of God dealt with situations under the law, and the New Testament confirms or fulfills ways of applying mercy, grace and love of the new covenant--without making the old covenant laws void! (I Tim. 1:8-11).

Therefore, I think we need to take in consideration if a man in our day does commit a sin of having sex with another woman than his wife: that men in the old covenant were allowed more than one sex partner; and many of the great men had sex with many women and had large families. They provided for and kept the children of different women. Contemplating the greater range of leadership and permitted sexual ability of the old covenant man, especially taking into thought that Dt. 24:4 did not directly apply to the man's cheating or defilement but the woman's, it would be permissible for the wife of today to accept her treacherous husband back into their marital relationship if he so desired even though he has lost the honor of being a one-woman man. (Even though King David was guilty of adultery and defilement thereby for a short space of time—until he had the husband killed, adding sin to sin—he was not prohibited by anyone from continuing his life as a father and husband.)

However, as to not make the law void, and promote marital and community cleanliness, for the woman, handling a defilement situation is different. A woman was allowed to have only one man: Women were not allowed several men for husbands at the same time, nor did they have several children by having sex with various fathers at the same time like the men had with women. Women were required to be chaste during betrothal (Ex. 22:16, 17). The woman concurred the death penalty if she tried to circumvent chastity (Dt. 22:20, 21). Women were required to be chaste during marriage; for instance, a woman concurred the death penalty for adultery.

So, if a woman becomes defiled through a treacherous act, her husband may forgive her and certainly should, even to keep himself from being further destroyed, but he cannot accept her return to the relationship. She would still be physically unclean even if she completely repented from her transgression. The man of the old covenant was instructed not to accept an unclean woman in Dt. 24:4. It would be an abomination before Jehovah. We as a community of Christians should not promote uncleanliness in our land or cause it to sin in any way!

My recommendation for restoration would be for the woman to live a single life and not have any more men. Even if her husband was innocent, since she would have to keep separate from him so as not to defile a whole house and pollute the land, the man should remain single. Both the man and the woman should do the best they can to serve the Lord from now on as singles.

The Defilement Rule of Dt. 24:4 Does Not Directly Apply to Men Committing Adultery or Cheating

Understanding O.T.: Polygamy

New Testament: Monogamy

My post to the adjacent video on Feb. 10, 2013:

“Part of finding the 'true North' is understanding what marriage is and what defilement is, not merely what forgiveness is. The O.T. law gives us the answer. A man cannot receive a defiled woman (Dt. 24). A two-timer woman would make the whole home bear uncleanness. It is forbidden. However, there may be some circumstances wherein a male who has committed adultery or even polygamy may return to his wife. See my sermon 'Illusion'. Men were formerly allowed several women but not women many men.”

Concerning chaste re-union and the matter of Dt. 24.4:

If a woman is married to a man and she divorces him, of course they would be separated but hypothetically she could join back with him as long as she remains chaste. However, that re-uniting would be a “restoration” of the marriage; it would not be “remarrying” as in the sense of adultery, which is erringly permitted and occurs in the modern, heretical congregations.

However, on the other hand, if the woman divorces her husband and remarries to another man, she becomes an adulteress. She would be a defiled woman even to her second man whether he recognizes it or not. Then, after becoming a remarried woman and no longer chaste, and not being satisfied with her consequent man, if she leaves him also and re-unites with her first man it would be an abomination.

If she became defiled by her second man and rejected him, she certainly could not become undefiled by leaving him. Her unchastity would be a physical and spiritual disgrace that she would have to live with for the rest of her life. It would be impossible for her to restore her marriage with her first man. Even though she may go through a legal proceeding for marriage or not to be re-united with him, it would be in vain and would constitute an abomination.

Women must bear in mind to remain chaste and not get involved in affairs, becoming defiled. If a woman lives in an unhappy marriage and her husband leaves her, she should live single and keep her dignity. Perhaps in the future her husband and she may decide to live together again, which would be acceptable.

Deuteronomy 24:1 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. 2 And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife. 3 And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; 4 Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

Discerning between satisfaction and dissatisfaction: Note in verse 24:1 the woman spoken of who has an uncleanness (ervah) is not a dowry bride, who were accepted by the husband as not defiled, which Christians should be like. The late centuries have brought in tolerances of evil that destroy family values and building blocks. Dowry-bride law was a part of establishing chastity among the women of Israel. Strict punishment (the death penalty) enforced it. Dt. 22:21 says “so shalt thou put evil away from among you.” Israel was commanded and expected to establish communities of clean women. An alleged defiled woman that did not have proof of her innocence could not pass the test!

Also, according to these verses, these alleged unclean or dissatisfactory women could “remarry”, but divorce and remarriage was not permitted in the new covenant.

Adam and Eve did not have any problem with uncleanness.

Explanation concerning the divorce law and its reproof:

Mark 10:2 And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. 3 And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? 4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. 5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.

Reproof of Divorce and Remarriage Law

Annulment

Abomination (Foul language: Beware!)

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Sermons: Illusion

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Video: Dating And Marriage 101 (67 minutes)

Message sent on Aug, 11, 2013:

Mr. Piper,

I think the message I have for you may not be pleasing. I much rather agree with people concerning the Scripture rather than disagree. However, according to just what little I've seen on YouTube and read from your pages, I can't agree with you. I'm disappointed. No, it's not the first time I've been let down, as a matter in fact, I've had disagreements very many times especially with those who have several degrees and an audience with the public.

My point is to make you aware of where I think you are serving Satan instead of God. I believe you are in error, leading others to err and causing the land to sin by your deviations from the Scripture. The Scripture is the authority and no one needs to be taught by men. If anyone asserts things without knowledge of biblical authority, then he may have a need to do research within the authority—the Bible, and reference it.

This is the page of my reproof: https://www.hesedken.com/dating_and_marriage/heretics_dating_and_marriage/john_piper/piper.html [edited electronic address: new and different website as of 9/24/2022]

In brotherly love (I have no hate whatsoever with people who do not agree with me),

Ken Billings

YouTube Links:

Video^1, Linkowski11, “MDR Question #3. Does Deut 24:1-4 Forbid The Return of a Former Spouse?”, April 30, 2012

Video^2, John Piper, “What should a married couple do after a spouse has cheated?”, Audio version

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