Salvation: Divorce and Adultery...Will those who remarry go to Heaven?

I would not presume God's mercy in this. This is a very, very serious topic, it's generally ignored, and needs to be discussed more often. Yes, remarriage in the vast majority of cases for Christians is adultery. No, unrepentant adulterers will not go to Heaven. This is a pretty big deal.

Not saying other sins aren't also extremely important, like unforgiveness, pride, hatred, and ignoring the poor. But adultery is up there, too.

Mind you, we can't sit there and say ultimately where folks will and won't go after death; that is literally judging someone, and God alone can do that. But still.

SAAN said:

Romans 10:8-11 (NKJV)
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

-Many quote Romans, that once you confess and believe, you are saved, and others to the point that no matter how you live after that, you will always be saved BECAUSE ITS IN THE BIBLE.

Matthew 19:7-10 (NKJV)
7 They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”
8 He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for [a]sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”
10 His disciples said to Him, “If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”.

-Which brings up the main point, divorce and remarriage. Is it adultery if you remarry and your reason for divorce wasnt sexual immorality? Most of the devout Christians I know that divorced, was pretty much because they couldnt stand each other or get along, and many of them have all remarried, and some cases, remarried multiple times.


-Some examples from scripture of those that will not get into heaven if they live or practice a certain lifestyle.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 New King James Version (NKJV)
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor [a]homosexuals, nor [b]sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21 New King James Version (NKJV)
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: [a]adultery, [b]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, [c]murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Revelation 21:8 New King James Version (NKJV)
8 But the cowardly, [a]unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”


-So if you trust and believe on Christ Rom 10:9-11 to be saved BECAUSE IT IS IN THE BIBLE and many believe the sexually immoral like homosexuals or or just plain fornicators would go to hell due to sexual immorality BECAUSE IT IS IN THE BIBLE, would that mean all these believers that divorced for reason other than sexual immorality and remarried might go to hell, BECAUSE IT IS IN THE BIBLE that that is adultery and no adulterer will go to heaven?

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While statistics vary from study to study:

45% of first marriages fail,
60% of second marriages fail,
70% of third marriages fail,
90% of fourth marriages fail.

Blaming the other partner for marital problems may not guarantee success in a future marriage.

Promiscuity does not make for healthy relationships.

If you are a sinner and even Peter confessed he was a sinner (Luke 5:8), repentance is the only way to salvation.

Only God can be the judge

The woman at the well had five men and the last one was not her husband and Christ was gracious to her.

I would rather repent of sins and let God be my judge then any human because humans aren't as gracious as God from what I have seen. God knows the true heart and what went on in a relationship.

SAAN said:

Romans 10:8-11 (NKJV)
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

-Many quote Romans, that once you confess and believe, you are saved, and others to the point that no matter how you live after that, you will always be saved BECAUSE ITS IN THE BIBLE.

Matthew 19:7-10 (NKJV)
7 They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”
8 He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for [a]sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”
10 His disciples said to Him, “If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”.

-Which brings up the main point, divorce and remarriage. Is it adultery if you remarry and your reason for divorce wasnt sexual immorality? Most of the devout Christians I know that divorced, was pretty much because they couldnt stand each other or get along, and many of them have all remarried, and some cases, remarried multiple times.


-Some examples from scripture of those that will not get into heaven if they live or practice a certain lifestyle.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 New King James Version (NKJV)
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor [a]homosexuals, nor [b]sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21 New King James Version (NKJV)
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: [a]adultery, [b]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, [c]murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Revelation 21:8 New King James Version (NKJV)
8 But the cowardly, [a]unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”


-So if you trust and believe on Christ Rom 10:9-11 to be saved BECAUSE IT IS IN THE BIBLE and many believe the sexually immoral like homosexuals or or just plain fornicators would go to hell due to sexual immorality BECAUSE IT IS IN THE BIBLE, would that mean all these believers that divorced for reason other than sexual immorality and remarried might go to hell, BECAUSE IT IS IN THE BIBLE that that is adultery and no adulterer will go to heaven?

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My wife cheated, gave up Christianity and left me for the other dude. Life comes at you fast.

Even though I have a biblical divorce (which I still didn’t want and fought even after the infidelity and apostasy), I still love my wife and hope she returns to Christ, and if she does I will take her back.

If I remarry then I can’t do that, even if God works a miracle. That’s where I land on this now.


Tough thing will be to figure out what to do if she remarried, which would then fully release me scripturally and eliminate ability to reconcile. Then IdK.


Regarding the OP no sin is unforgivable. Also, the interpretation of most of these scriptures on remarriage is not agreed on by majority of theologians and pastors anyway. Therefore some people are wrong and others are right but no way to tell who is who.

"So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man." (Romans 7:3).

One can only remarry if their spouse is dead.
Yes, they can be reconciled back to the previous marriage.
But that is not remarrying another person.

There is a big difference between divorcing someone and being divorced by someone...

God will not keep an innocent party bound to an unfaithful partner.

For those interested in some serious biblical scholarship on this issue, please read the two papers below from Bill Heth who has devoted a chunk of his life to the study of this topic.

Dr. William A. Heth
Professor of Greek and New Testament
Biblical Studies, Christian Educational Ministries, and Philosophy
236 W. Reade Avenue
Upland, IN 46989

Dropbox - ^heth-z3views-final-edited1'05 copy.pdf - Simplify your life

Dropbox - heth_divorce_two_reasons.pdf - Simplify your life

SAAN said:

...BECAUSE IT IS IN THE BIBLE that that is adultery and no adulterer will go to heaven?

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I believe many things can be forgiven and person can have new start. When sins are forgiven, it means they are cleaned away. After that person is no more adulterer or something like that, unless he returns back to that.

[QUOTE="GaveMeJoy,

Dear GiveMeJoy,

You mentioned that if your wife would come back you would take her back, but I have known the scriptures say something else. I don't want to burst your bubble and yet you seem like someone that takes your life in Christ seriously. So I thought I would share a couple of scriptures that focus on what you are talking about. I hope you are able to hear the words of the Lord so that it can bring light to your situation.
God's many blessings.



1 Corinthians 7:15
But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such [cases]: but God hath called us to peace.

Deuteronomy 24:1 - 24:4

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.

SAAN said:

Romans 10:8-11 (NKJV)
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

-Many quote Romans, that once you confess and believe, you are saved, and others to the point that no matter how you live after that, you will always be saved BECAUSE ITS IN THE BIBLE.

Matthew 19:7-10 (NKJV)
7 They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”
8 He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for [a]sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”
10 His disciples said to Him, “If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”.

-Which brings up the main point, divorce and remarriage. Is it adultery if you remarry and your reason for divorce wasnt sexual immorality? Most of the devout Christians I know that divorced, was pretty much because they couldnt stand each other or get along, and many of them have all remarried, and some cases, remarried multiple times.


-Some examples from scripture of those that will not get into heaven if they live or practice a certain lifestyle.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 New King James Version (NKJV)
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor [a]homosexuals, nor [b]sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21 New King James Version (NKJV)
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: [a]adultery, [b]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, [c]murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Revelation 21:8 New King James Version (NKJV)
8 But the cowardly, [a]unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”


-So if you trust and believe on Christ Rom 10:9-11 to be saved BECAUSE IT IS IN THE BIBLE and many believe the sexually immoral like homosexuals or or just plain fornicators would go to hell due to sexual immorality BECAUSE IT IS IN THE BIBLE, would that mean all these believers that divorced for reason other than sexual immorality and remarried might go to hell, BECAUSE IT IS IN THE BIBLE that that is adultery and no adulterer will go to heaven?

Click to expand...

What we have to see are the reasons why Jesus and Paul brought up the subject. Jesus brought it up as an example to show that the righteousness of God consisted in much more than just compliance with the external rules of the Law. Jesus implied that there needs to be a change of heart, which was not needed for compliance with the Mosaic Law (in the minds of the Pharisees who were putting pressure on Jesus in order to trap Him).

Paul brought up the subject because many Corinthian believers were divorcing their wives for the sole reason that they believed that they could be more spiritual by living the single life. This is the attitude that is at the basis of RCC teaching that marriage for a priest is a mortal sin. Paul did not address other reasons for divorce, such as desertion and domestic violence. Nor did he bring up the subject with any of the other churches, which would have faced marriage issues, and it seems that Paul did not see the need to give specific teaching about it, because those problems that existed in the Corinthian church would not have been there.

My third point is that there is a difference between grace-based and performance-based Christianity. The former is a total dependence on the grace of God for salvation; the latter mixes works with faith which cancels out grace. Paul says that if salvation is by works then grace is no more grace. A person is dependent on works as well as faith, has no interest in Christ - Christ is of no effect for him.

We usually find that most of those who are judgmental in attitude toward divorced and remarried believers are performance-based, and therefore judge others based on their standards of religious performance instead of viewing them through the grace and mercy of God.

[QUOTE="Carl Emerson,

Hello Carl,

I started reading the second article, but due to its length I haven't finished it yet. When I came across the man talking about remarrying a first spouse after a spouse has already marriage someone else it has always been my understanding that when a man and woman have sexual relationships that makes them joined to one another in the spirit and because of that if a spouse comes back to get remarried their their first spouse then they are bringing the unclean spirit with them and uniting it to the first spouse. That is why we are not to remarry the first spouse again. Jesus also speaks of a man joining himself to a prostitute and her spirit and how they become one. That's what happens with sexual unions. The joining of two and of the joining of a man and woman is done wrongfully it bares bad fruit that is not holy and if bad fruit/unholy fruit want to come back and mix with good fruit the good fruit will be contaminated.

I realize God can and does choose to forgive a repetitive sinner, but I have yet to read that once that happens then the two people who were joined in holy matrimony with the first married are blessed to join again after leaving their marriage commitment for someone else's bed.

Lady Donna Marie said:

[QUOTE="Carl Emerson,

Hello Carl,

I started reading the second article, but due to its length I haven't finished it yet. When I came across the man talking about remarrying a first spouse after a spouse has already marriage someone else it has always been my understanding that when a man and woman have sexual relationships that makes them joined to one another in the spirit and because of that if a spouse comes back to get remarried their their first spouse then they are bringing the unclean spirit with them and uniting it to the first spouse. That is why we are not to remarry the first spouse again. Jesus also speaks of a man joining himself to a prostitute and her spirit and how they become one. That's what happens with sexual unions. The joining of two and of the joining of a man and woman is done wrongfully it bares bad fruit that is not holy and if bad fruit/unholy fruit want to come back and mix with good fruit the good fruit will be contaminated.

I realize God can and does choose to forgive a repetitive sinner, but I have yet to read that once that happens then the two people who were joined in holy matrimony with the first married are blessed to join again after leaving their marriage commitment for someone else's bed.

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Yes you raise some good points but frankly any couple serious about marriage would want to confess and repent of past relationships and renounce any spiritual or soulish ties that might prevail.
By this means there is an opportunity for a fresh start if God is in the match.

Carl Emerson said:

Yes you raise some good points but frankly any couple serious about marriage would want to confess and repent of past relationships and renounce any spiritual or soulish ties that might prevail.
By this means there is an opportunity for a fresh start if God is in the match.

Click to expand...

AMEN!

SAAN said:

Romans 10:8-11 (NKJV)
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

-Many quote Romans, that once you confess and believe, you are saved, and others to the point that no matter how you live after that, you will always be saved BECAUSE ITS IN THE BIBLE.

Matthew 19:7-10 (NKJV)
7 They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”
8 He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for [a]sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”
10 His disciples said to Him, “If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”.

-Which brings up the main point, divorce and remarriage. Is it adultery if you remarry and your reason for divorce wasnt sexual immorality? Most of the devout Christians I know that divorced, was pretty much because they couldnt stand each other or get along, and many of them have all remarried, and some cases, remarried multiple times.


-Some examples from scripture of those that will not get into heaven if they live or practice a certain lifestyle.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 New King James Version (NKJV)
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor [a]homosexuals, nor [b]sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21 New King James Version (NKJV)
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: [a]adultery, [b]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, [c]murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Revelation 21:8 New King James Version (NKJV)
8 But the cowardly, [a]unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”


-So if you trust and believe on Christ Rom 10:9-11 to be saved BECAUSE IT IS IN THE BIBLE and many believe the sexually immoral like homosexuals or or just plain fornicators would go to hell due to sexual immorality BECAUSE IT IS IN THE BIBLE, would that mean all these believers that divorced for reason other than sexual immorality and remarried might go to hell, BECAUSE IT IS IN THE BIBLE that that is adultery and no adulterer will go to heaven?

Click to expand...

To answer, we need to get at the key thing: the real sin/wrong, and actually understand it.

First, why do marriages fail: this is so crucial, and the common answer is that they fail due to unforgiveness accumulating, which drives the 2 apart (and then later often comes betrayals, but not always). So, first, it often happens a real marriage (see below) fails because one or both are not forgiving over and over from the heart, as Christ said we should.

But here we want to look at adultery and marriages.

The classic case of adultery is helpful to look at in more detail:

A man and woman marry when young adults. The "Two Become One." (Genesis chapter 2). Then -- Mark 10:9 Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."


Though we know generally, let's look closer at what is adultery exactly.

Here's the essential case: A man marries a woman and the two-become-one.

But later, that man leaves or betrays the wife of his youth in order to have a new, younger woman. He thus commits adultery, since he became 'one' already with his first wife -- the wife of his youth.

This is the primary situation, and this primary case is used as illustration or itself addressed in various places:

Proverbs 5:18 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth:

Ecclesiastes 9:9 Enjoy life with your beloved wife all the days of the fleeting life that God has given you under the sun--all your fleeting days. For this is your portion in life and in your labor under the sun.

Malachi 2:14 Yet you ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have broken faith, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.

It's adultery because the man is already bonded -- the "two became one" with the wife of his youth, and then he betrays her.

And here's the heart of why that's wrong:

Matthew 7:12 In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.

The reason adultery is bad: it hurts and harms someone in a serious way -- hurts and harms the betrayed spouse.

Adultery isn't bad just arbitrarily, for no specific clear reason. It's a wrong, a sin, because it harms the betrayed spouse. Just as Christ helps us understand here.

That's also why lust in the heart is adultery too: because it betrays the spouse.

The same way: taking away from her something that is hers.

Now, with the clear understanding of what adultery really is, then we can begin to see how and where would be any exceptions:

It's not a harm if the spouse has died, to remarry. Why? This isn't an arbitrary rule, with no reason: it's because the spouse is already passed on, and Christ said:

Matthew 22:30 In the resurrection, people will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like the angels in heaven.


Now, if the two did not become one, then it's also not a betrayal to marry someone else, since there was not a "two become one" previously. One instance is where a previous marriage is not consummated, for example. That's a known example of an exception, and the reason is simple and clear.

Another thing that isn't a two become one we can expect is typical casual sex of the past where there was no intent at all to bond with the casual sex partner, no blending together in the real heart way. Neither can be betrayed, since there is no bond to break.

Another possible situation: the man or woman was never truly available in the marriage with his or her heart, so that he or she didn't participate in a "two become one" and thus it never happened. How could this come about? For instance, via constant inappropriate contentography for example, before and during the marriage, blocking a bonding (e.g. the man never was really there with her). There are other such possibilities, such as constant promiscuity. There's no way for an outsider to gauge this though. It's the people in that sham marriage or real marriage that will know the reality, not us guessing. The thing is, often it would require a real heart searching and prayer, even for the person in the marriage, to be sure about such a thing as this. They shouldn't guess. They need to pray and probably also talk with he spouse, and get clear on the situation. This is only a possible situation, not a given, and many situations will not be simple, but instead there can be a bonding and a betrayal, both, and the answer is forgiveness, because that is the Christian way.

The way to tell is from the heart: did you two really bond and become one together? If you did, then let no one ever break the two apart, except for mortal death of this temporary body.

But the story doesn't end with the Law....as we know.

If it did, very few of us would be saved because we are not typically able to make things right.

God is able to fix the huge disasters we create, and remake the bad situations that we do in life!

God was able to reconcile King David even after David's huge sins of adultery (having also had her husband intentionally killed in battle).

And when David then married her, having had her husband murdered, God was still able to fix this situation.

Though there was a price to pay for the profound sins, still God is able to save us anyway, and fix what we have broken hopelessly.

David repented, in real truth -- the famous and amazing Psalm 51 ESV

From that adulterous beginning, God changed the outcome, just as He did with the prostitute Rahab, so that both David's child with his lover, in a way reminding us of the constancy of human sin, just like the Canaanite prostitute in the linage also -- Solomon, their child, became part of the linage leading to Joseph and Mary, earthly parents of our Christ!

Just as the prostitute from the evil city that deserved destruction became an ancestor to David, David in this adulterous beginning, this new marriage of an already married woman, produced a child that became another ancestor to Mary and Joseph. (though the first child of the adulterous affair died)

Christ came to save us from the impossible situations of our sins we create. He came to save sinners.

But from moment to moment, as best we can, we need to try to do Matthew 7:12 In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets. -- and sometimes that may really mean ending an affair and going back to the wife of your youth if you left her and the two of you are still bound together in heart, the same two still one that were already one.

But no matter the situation, we all depend on Christ for salvation, and we confess and repent of sins and follow Him, and only because of Him can we be saved anyway. So, the story never ends with the Law and human sin, but instead the story ends with our Savior and for us each whether we follow Him.

Because that there are so many complex situations of human failure, I think there isn't a simple blanket rule for many complicated situations, but only the ultimate answer: turning to Christ, from now on -- into the future. Repentance and following Him, doing as He says, day to day. Doing Matthew 7:12 In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.

So, for some complex situations we only have guesses, but God has the answer.

Halbhh said:

Another thing that isn't a two become one we can expect is typical casual sex of the past where there was no intent at all to bond with the casual sex partner, no blending together in the real heart way. Neither can be betrayed, since there is no bond to break.

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1 Cor 6:
15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Or don’t you know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”

This verse would seem to disagree with your claim...

Carl Emerson said:

1 Cor 6:
15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Or don’t you know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”

This verse would seem to disagree with your claim...

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I know that can happen, and it's a good outcome -- they should then marry. I suppose you'd need a long monograph to try to account for all of the many possibilities, and I only addressed a few. If you go further and say any sex, even rape, constituted two become one, or drunkenness -- Lot and his 2 daughters -- well....I couldn't say I can see that anywhere in the text.

No. No such blanket rule. Rather, some rules for some common situations, but a master rule that overarches, that given by Christ in Matthew 7.

But I am used to God having a superior ability to see deeper into us than we ourselves can.

I think when Christ said Matthew 7:12 In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets. with the exact wording He did, it was not an accident. He knew that we cannot figure out everything.

Halbhh said:

I know that can happen, and it's a good outcome -- they should then marry. I suppose you'd need a long monograph to try to account for all of the many possibilities, and I only addressed a few. If you go further and say any sex, even rape, constituted two become one, or drunkenness -- Lot and his 2 daughters -- well....I couldn't say I can see that anywhere in the text.

No. No such blanket rule. Rather, some rules for some common situations, but a master rule that overarches, that given by Christ in Matthew 7.

But I am used to God having a superior ability to see deeper into us than we ourselves can.

I think when Christ said Matthew 7:12 In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets. with the exact wording He did, it was not an accident. He knew that we cannot figure out everything.

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Yes there are occasions when folks come to salvation with very complicated backgrounds that would make the pastors head explode...

Multiple relationships - children - throw in a couple of failed marriages - and a present partner. and He says "I will make all thing new..." 2 Cor 5:17
and He says "go and sin no more..."
But the Pharisees insisted on stoning based on the word...
And folks do exactly that today... never transitioning from the written word to the living Word and missing out on hearing the heart of Jesus...

SAAN said:

Which brings up the main point, divorce and remarriage. Is it adultery if you remarry and your reason for divorce wasnt sexual immorality? Most of the devout Christians I know that divorced, was pretty much because they couldnt stand each other or get along, and many of them have all remarried, and some cases, remarried multiple times.

So if you trust and believe on Christ Rom 10:9-11 to be saved BECAUSE IT IS IN THE BIBLE and many believe the sexually immoral like homosexuals or or just plain fornicators would go to hell due to sexual immorality BECAUSE IT IS IN THE BIBLE, would that mean all these believers that divorced for reason other than sexual immorality and remarried might go to hell, BECAUSE IT IS IN THE BIBLE that that is adultery and no adulterer will go to heaven?

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What do you make of the fact God divorced Israel and brought in a new bride in the Gentiles? Do you think that should have any influence on how we read the preeminence of marriage the prohibitions against divorce?

In Galatians 5 Paul lists some items or practices in his list of "works of flesh" that are very common and some of which is quite ordinary (hostility, strife, jealousy, angry outbursts, dissent, division), and then concludes, "those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." Do you think that passage should be read literally and as a hard and fast inviolable rule providing an unbreakable dividing line between heaven and hell? Or are these practices forgivable upon repentance and written with some degree of intentional hyperbole intended to illustrate the seriousness of such wrongdoing?

Do you think it is possible for a Christ-redeemed and regenerate man of otherwise good character and moral practice to marry a formerly battered and abused divorced woman and love her as Christ loved the church, sanctifying and cleansing her with God's word, presenting her as holy and blameless to the church and keep his salvation, or do you think the act of marrying such a woman would forfeit his salvation no matter how redemptive and agent in her he life might have been his love for Christ and the abused daughter of God he married?