Divorce and Remarriage

[Johnnz]

There are biblical grounds for divorce when one is an unbeliever.

John
NZ

 

[JAM2b]

There is a thread in the section of Singles for Divorced members that might be helpful. Here it is:

http://www.christianforums.com/threads/does-put-away-divorce-mean-the-same.1142958/

 

[farout]

Perpetual sin denies the complete work of Christ. So that cannot be the case.

John
NZ

Good points you have made. Here is my thoughts. Who know is her husband might turn to the Lord? Too often I think people are quick to find someone new to re marry, not enough time is allowed for God to work in their lives, what is two or three years if the other has not remarried? Once either party remarries that closes the door for sure and certain. Prayer changes things. Who know what is possible if God gets involved in a divorce situation. Remarried a person can always get. A divorced person who gets remarried to someone new, can not under any circumstance remarry a person they were once married to if they married someone after they were married.

No matter what a person finds themselves into with their marriage, it is NEVER right to divorce and remarry an old spouse. Even if this has happened they should remain as they are, confess their sin and go on from that point and walk with God.

 

[Grafted In]

There are biblical grounds for divorce when one is an unbeliever.

John
NZ

I don't agree. God's best for them is reconciliation. If one remarries, that door is closed.

 

[Johnnz]

I don't agree. God's best for them is reconciliation. If one remarries, that door is closed.

1 Cor 7:12-15
To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so.
NIV

John
NZ

 

[Grafted In]

1 Cor 7:12-15
To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so.
NIV

John
NZ

I see no justification for the believer remarrying in the Scripture you provided. Am I missing your reason for quoting me?

 

[Johnnz]

I see no justification for the believer remarrying in the Scripture you provided. Am I missing your reason for quoting me?

In NT times any divorce permitted remarriage. That applied in the OT as well and was commonly understood in that way. To 'depart' a marriage was to end it leaving a person 'unmarried' and free to remarry.

We need to see the historical progression in the NT on this matter. Jesus spoke to the Jewish people in the context of Torah and their ensuing traditions. Within that context some had adopted a very liberal interpretation of the Mosaic provision, which Jesus addressed, most directly in Matthew's gospel. Later we see Paul, facing anew situation, further adapting the church's understanding now that Gentiles were part of the new community of believers.

Neither Jesus nor Paul addressed the issue of an abused partner and what that meant for a marriage. We do well not to be too quickly restrictive when human suffering and welfare are involved, especially when there are children too.

John
NZ

 

[Grafted In]

Have you read the rest of 1 Cor. 12?
Verse 27 particularly.

 

[Johnnz]

Yes I have.

John
NZ

 

[NothingIsImpossible]

I don't believe in remarriage. Once divorced you only have a few options. Wait for that person to pass away, then your free to marry. Remarry them. Or stay single.

Also this topic is from 2014.

 

[ValleyGal]

Have you read the rest of 1 Cor. 12?
Verse 27 particularly.

1 Cor 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.



Not sure what this has to do with divorce and remarriage>

 

[Grafted In]

1 Cor 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it
Not sure what this has to do with divorce and remarriage>

My mistake. 1 Cor 7:27

 

[TheDag]

I don't agree. God's best for them is reconciliation. If one remarries, that door is closed.

That still does not change the fact that there are grounds for divorce.

 

[Dave-W]

I don't believe in remarriage. Once divorced you only have a few options. Wait for that person to pass away, then your free to marry. Remarry them. Or stay single.

And you are certainly not alone in that position. And that makes sense if reading the scriptures from a modern western viewpoint.

However, it makes no sense at all from a first century middle eastern Jewish (or even Greek) viewpoint.

 

[Grafted In]

That still does not change the fact that there are grounds for divorce.

I believe you are mistaken. Scripture can be twisted to make remarriage ok, but I have done a lot of seaching for justifying remarriage and found none.
That having been said, people are going to do as they please and no amount of biblical truth is going to stop them. They will cling to a verse here and there to justify their actions, and there is more than ample support by other Christians to ease their feelings of guilt.

 

[NothingIsImpossible]

Usually when verse are cherry picked, the person doesn't take the context of whats around the verse. Best example is divorce because of cheating. I can't recall which verse it was but the story was about how men kept coming to one of the apostles every day and would bring up a reason why they wanted to divorce their wife. The next day they came back with a new reason. He kept telling them no. Finally they came back again and said something about the woman was cheating and he gave in and said you can divorce. Now people are like "See, he said cheating is cause for divorce!".

But they cherry pick it and don't take the context of the story into play. The story was a parable. The lesson was no matter what we are told to do, even as christians, we will find any excuse, twist anything just to justify what we want to do even if its unbiblical. Hence why it ended how it did. To show if you want a divorce badly enough you will do whatever it takes to get on and justify it somehow. Thus divorce is not acceptable, but only in ones mind who wants to do so, they will do it anyways.

Not to mention the obvious thing. And that is if divorce was allowed why would there be stuff in the bible about God hates divorce and you are not to divorce? If you come up with a reason why then your saying the bible contradicts itself which we know is not possible. Thus you would be saying God is not perfect.

BTW these same arguments are made with those that say you don't pray hard enough and thus your not healed. Despite the bible saying VERY much the opposite.

 

[Dave-W]

Not to mention the obvious thing. And that is if divorce was allowed why would there be stuff in the bible about God hates divorce and you are not to divorce? If you come up with a reason why then your saying the bible contradicts itself which we know is not possible. Thus you would be saying God is not perfect.

I submit your idea of "perfect" is some kind of computer program which has no feelings for true human suffering. The bible is full of stories that contradict that view point.

God is a PERSON, not a rules-based decision program. As a person, have you never come up to a situation where you had to go with some untenable course of action only because the alternatives were worse? God also hates killing; and yet he had to wipe out all of the entire human race (hundreds of thousands, millions?) except for 8 individuals. (Noah and family)

God allows for that which He may hate, if the alternatives are worse. That is no contradiction.

In fact God said HE HIMSELF went thru a divorce:

Jeremiah 3:8 And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a writ of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also.

 

[Grafted In]

Perhaps you could read 1cor. again.

As I've posted many times in the past, I searched Scripture on divorce and remarriage until the words were worn out on the verses. I wanted OUT.
But try as I might I could not find Scriptural support for getting out of a very bad marriage.....much less even considering remarriage.
I am convinced that God has prepared His very best those who remain married.

But you can settle for second, 3rd and so on if you wish.

 

[Johnnz]

Perhaps you could read 1cor. again.

As I've posted many times in the past, I searched Scripture on divorce and remarriage until the words were worn out on the verses. I wanted OUT.
But try as I might I could not find Scriptural support for getting out of a very bad marriage.....much less even considering remarriage.
I am convinced that God has prepared His very best those who remain married.

But you can settle for second, 3rd and so on if you wish.

I agree with your overall stance. But there are situations, not addressed specifically in Scripture where it can be considered. Even though God hates divorce He divorced Israel. Jer 3:8 8 I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries.NIV

Previously, those who advocated slavery correctly pointed out that whereas there were many verses supporting slavery in Scripture there were none opposing it. The case against slavery drew from broader biblical principles. I see the same applying in the case of divorce where there is a virtual 'non marriage' in any real sense, and one party would suffer an injustice by being forbidden to remarry.

John
NZ

 

[Grafted In]

I agree with your overall stance. But there are situations, not addressed specifically in Scripture where it can be considered. Even though God hates divorce He divorced Israel. Jer 3:8 8 I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries.NIV

Previously, those who advocated slavery correctly pointed out that whereas there were many verses supporting slavery in Scripture there were none opposing it. The case against slavery drew from broader biblical principles. I see the same applying in the case of divorce where there is a virtual 'non marriage' in any real sense, and one party would suffer an injustice by being forbidden to remarry.

John
NZ

Yes, I agree on divorce in extreme situations. But remarriage is rock solid at odds with Scripture ( in my opinion ).
1Cor 7:10-11.
But I believe God can heal any relationship, but if things come to divorce and one or both remarry, the door to restoration is closed.