CAN A CHRISTIAN MARRY, DIVORCE AND REMARRY?

[Righttruth]

“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him” (Genesis 2:18)

INTRODUCTION
The answer to the basic question is ‘YES’. However, each is to be considered especially in context with the preaching of Jesus Christ. Obviously, considering the Old Testament books only, the question will not cause any ambiguity. It is a straight ‘yes’ for all the three aspects. But when Jews started misusing the privileges bestowed to them under the Law, Jesus had to clarify on how one has to view the obligations and responsibilities of a marriage. Jesus came to fulfill the Law by the spirit of the Law; therefore, it is important to understand what was His preaching with regard to the bondage between man and woman.

I am trying to bring out the misunderstood concepts in marriage using, of course, the Bible and also observing the lives of His disciples to set free people from unwarranted bondage artificially created by later Christendom. I only request each reader to personally consider the aspects discussed in here unbiased by preconceived notions. The three aspects dealt here have to be considered separately and in depth for a fuller understanding of the relationship between the married couple. Therefore, let us study them one by one from a biblical perspective.
MARRIAGE
Marriage basically represents the bonding of two entities that were one before bifurcation was done by God. So to begin with we have this verse: “And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man” (Genesis 2:22).

The reason for bringing woman to man was to provide him a helper to rule the world together and also to become fruitful and multiply.
It is interesting to observe that the word ‘marriage’ appears later well after Adam and Eve came together to bear children. That is, during the period of Moses! (“If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish”--Exodus 21:10).
After the fall of Adam and Eve, God cursed them and gave them over to carnal desire: “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee"(Genesis 3:16).
The carnal desire and routine work were made part of all living organisms and life on earth for increasing their numbers.
Man being created in the image of God, naturally, came up with an honorable societal arrangement known as ‘marriage’ to differentiate himself from the animals.

Bible never defines marriage as holy anywhere! It is a misleading concept propagated by Christendom! Of course, marriage is honorable: “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4).

If marriage had been holy, it would mean then, starting from John the Baptist, followed by Jesus Christ and many others, had lived unholy lives for practicing celibacy! God forbid such a thought!
Men who practiced celibacy right from the beginning have a special status in heaven as revealed in the book of Revelation: “These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb” (Revelation 14:4).

To be continued

 

[Dave-W]

"Can they...?"

Obviously they can since it is done all the time. Christians certainly have the ability to do so.

The question is really: Is it biblically acceptable to do so. Answering that is more complicated.

Bible never defines marriage as holy anywhere!

Actually, that comes from a misunderstanding of what "holy" means. The very fact that adultery is considered a heinous sin makes marriage holy.

Holy [kadosh - Hebrew] simply means separated to something. A woman is separated (holy) from all other men and to her husband. And to every man she is separated (holy) from them and to her husband.

So yes, marriage is holy.

 

[Dave L]

Divorce was a provision under the Old Covenant. It is not recognized by God under the New Covenant. People are just as married leaving divorce court as they were when they arrived. All subsequent marriages involve them in adultery.

 

[Thir7ySev3n]

Divorce was a provision under the Old Covenant. It is not recognized by God under the New Covenant. People are just as married leaving divorce court as they were when they arrived. All subsequent marriages involve them in adultery.

A powerful reminder to people of how serious an oath before God is, especially one that directly honours and represents His Son and the eternal unity that will be effectuated between Christ and His bride the church.

In conjunction with what Dave-W already demonstrated, it is a fact that also demolishes the OP, since nothing which images the Son of God can possibly not be holy.

 

[Dave L]

A powerful reminder to people of how serious an oath before God is, especially one that directly honours and represents His Son and the eternal unity that will be effectuated between Christ and His bride the church.

In conjunction with what Dave-W already demonstrated, it is a fact that also demolishes the OP, since nothing which images the Son of God can possibly not be holy.

It is interesting to compare the divorce rates in Churches that tolerate or encourage divorce among their members, with those that do not. I see a huge difference. In fact, if you value your marriage, keep away from Churches that do not.

 

[Thir7ySev3n]

It is interesting to compare the divorce rates in Churches that tolerate or encourage divorce among their members, with those that do not. I see a huge difference.

I haven't reviewed that particular statistic, but I wouldn't be surprised. "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm (Proverbs 13:20)."

Despite the obvious commands and constraints in the Scripture concerning marriage, relatively few know that adultery is the only biblical grounds for divorce, and even fewer know that any divorce alternative to this reason is not a divorce. It is the one time in a marriage where the public declaration is "just a piece of paper."

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Divorce and remarriage are not the unforgivable sins, as some suppose in the way they treat divorced and remarried people.

There are understandable reasons why a marriage fails. It can happen through domestic violence. Some of the "holy" religious people believe that a wife beaten to an inch of her life should remain with a violent husband and be "more obedient, loving" and somehow trust God that things will come right. But the fact is that domestic violence always gets worse, and often ends up with innocent wives losing their lives. These "holy" and "spiritual" folk would just wring their "sacred" hands and say, "It must have been God's will that she died like that." What hypocrisy!

Desertion is another way that the marriage contract can be broken. Adultery is another way. I don't believe that God punishes the innocent with the guilty, and condemns the innocent spouse to a life of celibacy. God is always a God of second chances. If a convicted murderer, rapist, burglar, embezzler, gets another chance and is totally forgiven why not a divorced person, even if that person is the one who broke the marriage contract?

The trouble is that religious hypocrites treat divorced and remarried people worse than murderers, rapists, drug addicts, robbers, etc., because when they repent, they are freely admitted back into church membership; but not so divorced and remarried people. Oh no! They are thrown out and kept out. No second chance for them!

The thing is, that because these religious hypocrites will not forgive divorced and remarried brothers and sisters in Christ, as Jesus does, then God will not forgive them. They are the ones who were forgiven a massive debt by God, and then go and condemn someone who owes a lesser debt.

We were all sinners with a debt we could never repay, and God's own Son paid that debt for us on the cross and made it possible that "all sin and iniquity shall be forgiven of men and women".

Christians become divorced through the fault and self will of others and have to go through circumstances they cannot control. They have no choice in the matter when a spouse decides to break up the marriage. I do not believe that God condemns such a one, but He is the Father of mercy and the God of all comfort.

 

[Dave-W]

Divorce was a provision under the Old Covenant. It is not recognized by God under the New Covenant. People are just as married leaving divorce court as they were when they arrived. All subsequent marriages involve them in adultery.

I cannot agree with that at all. Any of it.

 

[Dave L]

I cannot agree with that at all. Any of it.

Nowhere does the New Covenant import the divorce provisions from the Old. Divorce is meaningless in God's sight even though pagans still practice it.

 

[Dave L]

I haven't reviewed that particular statistic, but I wouldn't be surprised. "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm (Proverbs 13:20)."

Despite the obvious commands and constraints in the Scripture concerning marriage, relatively few know that adultery is the only biblical grounds for divorce, and even fewer know that any divorce alternative to this reason is not a divorce. It is the one time in a marriage where the public declaration is "just a piece of paper."

Divorce for Adultery was an OT provision. The State would kill the adulterer making remarriage possible. But the New Covenant replaced the Old, and no provision for divorce remains.

 

[Righttruth]

"Can they...?"

Obviously they can since it is done all the time. Christians certainly have the ability to do so.

The question is really: Is it biblically acceptable to do so. Answering that is more complicated.

Actually, that comes from a misunderstanding of what "holy" means. The very fact that adultery is considered a heinous sin makes marriage holy.

Holy [kadosh - Hebrew] simply means separated to something. A woman is separated (holy) from all other men and to her husband. And to every man she is separated (holy) from them and to her husband.

So yes, marriage is holy.

Let us not play with words and comfortable definitions. Let us stick to the Bible. Bible no where indicates that marriage as holy.

 

[Dave-W]

Nowhere does the New Covenant import the divorce provisions from the Old.

That is the root problem. You fail to understand how covenants changed in the ancient world.

EVERYTHING that is not specifically stated otherwise gets ported over to the newer covenant. And if Our Lord ever REALLY taught against any provision of the Law (including divorce) then as a Jewish male, He sinned and invalidated his sacrificial death.

 

[Dave L]

That is the root problem. You fail to understand how covenants changed in the ancient world.

EVERYTHING that is not specifically stated otherwise gets ported over to the newer covenant. And if Our Lord ever REALLY taught against any provision of the Law (including divorce) then as a Jewish male, He sinned and invalidated his sacrificial death.

You are adding to scripture if you cannot find your claims clearly stated.

 

[Dave-W]

Let us not play with words and comfortable definitions. Let us stick to the Bible.

I am not using any "comfortable" definitions, but to "stick to the bible" REQUIRES definitions. The definitions of the words as originally used in the language the text was written in.

We cannot take the word "holy" and add our 2000 to 3500 years of religious layers and interpretations to it and then say it does not fit. Fit it to the ORIGINAL definitions.

Are you trying to tell me that when a couple get married the bible does NOT say they are "set apart" to each other?

 

[dqhall]

deleted

 

[Dave-W]

You are adding to scripture if you cannot find your claims clearly stated.

ORIGINAL MEANING.

If you want a book, go read Torah Rediscovered by A. Berkowitz. He does a brilliant job of documenting how covenants were viewed and changed in the ancient world - i.e. how they would have understood the change to the New Covenant from the Mosaic.

 

[Dave L]

ORIGINAL MEANING.

If you want a book, go read Torah Rediscovered by A. Berkowitz. He does a brilliant job of documenting how covenants were viewed and changed in the ancient world - i.e. how they would have understood the change to the New Covenant from the Mosaic.

But, we are not under the old Mosaic Covenant. We are under the New Covenant in Christ.

 

[dqhall]

“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him” (Genesis 2:18)

INTRODUCTION
The answer to the basic question is ‘YES’. However, each is to be considered especially in context with the preaching of Jesus Christ. Obviously, considering the Old Testament books only, the question will not cause any ambiguity. It is a straight ‘yes’ for all the three aspects. But when Jews started misusing the privileges bestowed to them under the Law, Jesus had to clarify on how one has to view the obligations and responsibilities of a marriage. Jesus came to fulfill the Law by the spirit of the Law; therefore, it is important to understand what was His preaching with regard to the bondage between man and woman.

I am trying to bring out the misunderstood concepts in marriage using, of course, the Bible and also observing the lives of His disciples to set free people from unwarranted bondage artificially created by later Christendom. I only request each reader to personally consider the aspects discussed in here unbiased by preconceived notions. The three aspects dealt here have to be considered separately and in depth for a fuller understanding of the relationship between the married couple. Therefore, let us study them one by one from a biblical perspective.
MARRIAGE
Marriage basically represents the bonding of two entities that were one before bifurcation was done by God. So to begin with we have this verse: “And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man” (Genesis 2:22).

The reason for bringing woman to man was to provide him a helper to rule the world together and also to become fruitful and multiply.
It is interesting to observe that the word ‘marriage’ appears later well after Adam and Eve came together to bear children. That is, during the period of Moses! (“If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish”--Exodus 21:10).
After the fall of Adam and Eve, God cursed them and gave them over to carnal desire: “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee"(Genesis 3:16).
The carnal desire and routine work were made part of all living organisms and life on earth for increasing their numbers.
Man being created in the image of God, naturally, came up with an honorable societal arrangement known as ‘marriage’ to differentiate himself from the animals.

Bible never defines marriage as holy anywhere! It is a misleading concept propagated by Christendom! Of course, marriage is honorable: “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4).

If marriage had been holy, it would mean then, starting from John the Baptist, followed by Jesus Christ and many others, had lived unholy lives for practicing celibacy! God forbid such a thought!
Men who practiced celibacy right from the beginning have a special status in heaven as revealed in the book of Revelation: “These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb” (Revelation 14:4).

To be continued

Most first marriages last a lifetime. The couple remains together to raise their children and does not separate until in death they do part.

If a spouse is unfaithful, he/she leaves and cohabitates with another. Divorce happened.

Since a married partner was unfaithful in a marriage and divorced, Jesus recommended one should not marry a divorced individual. Hostile people were able to do physical damage, ruin lives and finances through several marriages. Some of these are still looking for a "perfect" marriage. Second and third marriages have a higher failure rate than first marriages.

 

[Dave-W]

But, we are not under the old Mosaic Covenant. We are under the New Covenant in Christ.

True. But to understand what all is in the New Covenant, you have to look historically as to how covenants were changed.

They did NOT just scrap everything and start over.
Most Christians assume that is what happened in going to the New Covenant. Not so.

 

[Dave-W]

Most first marriages last a lifetime.

That number is well less than 50% so, not true.

Second and third marriages have a higher failure rate than first marriages.

Those numbers are on the order of 70%.