The fact that my opponent in this discussion is a man of great knowledge and intellectual ability, has made this exchange a wonderful exercise on the need for Bible based Theology. The challenge of every Bible student is to search all of the obtainable facts on a subject, with a desire to learn and accept only truth. Some "scholars" seem to be driven by a desire to embrace theories because of their popularity and novelty instead of their truthfulness. Sadly, this problem has fueled discouragement in many Bible students. The discouraged say, "If scholarship can not agree on this issue, then absolute truth must not be obtainable on this issue." Scholarship seems to disagree on almost every Bible subject.

Discouragement over differing positions on Bible doctrine is nothing new. The church of Christ in Thessalonica struggled with the problem of men changing the inspired tradition of absolute truth. Apparently the problem became so serious that some of the brethren in Thessalonica wanted to stop all prophesyings. In defense of the truth Paul wrote: "Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil" (1 Thess. 5:20-22). In other words, Paul presented the tremendous need for Bible based theology. The Bible was written in a manner, which allows the simple, uneducated mind, the same ability to learn the truth on matters of Biblical obligation enjoyed by the educated mind. One will never go wrong when he allows the Bible to be his single guide through life.

Why do the authorities disagree over the proper translation of lelusai in First Corinthians 7:27? One may never be able to know all of the reasons why the Greek experts disagree on this matter. The good news is seen in the fact that one does not need to lean on the Greek experts for his interpretation of lelusai in First Corinthians 7:27. One who believes in the verbal, plenary, inspiration of the Bible understands that truth does not contradict itself. Therefore the following facts must be induced before any proper deductions can be made.

• First of all, Jesus teaches that "whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery" (Matt. 19:9).

• Secondly, the Lord through inspired men also teaches that adultery is sin (1 Cor. 6:9; Heb. 13:4).

• In the third place, the inspired apostle referred to Matthew 19:6 when he wrote, "Let not the wife depart from her husband" (1 Cor. 7:10). The word translated "depart" is a Greek legal term for divorce. Now what happens when one does divorce, except it be for fornication? "But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife" (1 Cor. 7:11).

• Finally, in light of the aforementioned, inspired, absolute truth, lelusai can not be a term describing divorce in blanket terms. If it were used in that manner, then the apostle contradicted what he wrote in verse 11, when he wrote, "But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned" (1 Cor. 7:28). Therefore, assuming that lelusai is a blanket term for divorce flies in the face of the Son of God and the apostle Paul. The Bible does not teach that all divorced people may marry without sin.

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