The following articles are an exchange between Weldon Warnock and Jerry Bassett on 1 Corinthians 7:15. The exchange is the result of an article which I wrote, published in the 21 July 1988 issue of Guardian of Truth. In a review of the book Not Under Bondage written by brother James D. Bales, I made the following statement:

James D. Bales' book Not Under Bondage was published in 1979 and already its influence is being felt among conservative brethren. (For example, see the 18 October 1987 issue of Coburg Road Bulletin published by the church which meets at 1005 Coburg Rd. in Eugene, Oregon, in which Jerry Bassett took the same position as brother Bales.)

Brother Bassett sent me an article replying to my material on 1 Corinthians 7 and charging that I had misrepresented him and the Coburg Road church by that statement.

Letters immediately began to be exchanged to provide opportunity for a discussion in Guardian of Truth. I had no intention of misrepresenting the Coburg Road church or brother Bassett and still do not believe that I have done so. However, this exchange provides the reader opportunity to decide for himself. Brother Passett's first article is the article to which I referred in my editorial which charged that brother Bassett takes the same position as James D. Bales.

The exchange also emphasizes the fact that some brethren among us are teaching that alien sinners are not amenable to God's law of marriage revealed in Matthew 5:32; 19:9. The consequences of this are clearly demonstrated in the exchange: alien sinners who have divorced and remarried for reasons other than fornication can be baptized and continue living in their second (third, or fourth) marriage. This issue will not go away. We need not pretend that it does not exist. We live in a society which practices divorce and remarriage for any causes; we have some preachers among us who are preaching that aliens are not amenable to Matthew 5:32 and 19:9. Because of these two facts, brethren need to be awakened to this danger which threatens the church. To accomplish this purpose, my initial articles were written. To promote further study, this exchange is published. May God bless each of us as we study these issues.

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 15, p. 463
August 3, 1989