Can we date divorcees?

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Just that the New Covenant doesn't allow divorce and remarriage even though it exists.

The New Covenant doesn't allow anything that is below God's standards of perfect holiness, yet none of us a perfectly holy. It is interesting that divorce and remarriage does not feature in the list of the works of the flesh in Galatians 5, but jealousy, envy, factions, dissensions are, and they are an integral part of our modern churches, even among "respected" elders and pastors, and yet nothing is done or said about those ones.

It is fully accepted that God hates divorce, but in the same way that He hates any other conduct that is not consistent with His standards of holiness. But it is not divorce and remarriage that makes a church impure and ineffective in preaching the gospel. It is the other works of the flesh such as what I have already mentioned, plus gossiping, unkindness, harshness, lack of love, judgmentalism which is prevalent in most churches. Churches need to clean up their act in those areas first before casting stones at divorced and remarried people.

 

[GaveMeJoy]

I had to wrestle with this issue of course, being a serious believer and wanting to get it right.

Because the theological debate comes thick and fast I decided to contact a man who has dedicated his life to this issue - being a Prof. of NT studies he has written two papers on this issue which I highly recommend.

We all have our positions but some are called out to spend years on one area of theological contention. Prof. Bill Heth is one.

PM me if you want a copy...

OK but There are earnest believers with scholarly merit who have studied extensively and have the opposite opinion of each other, so appealing to one particular opinion is difficult because the scripture surrounding divorce are not clear. What “not enslaved” means, and not bound, is just not clear. For example, John Piper believes there is no remarriage yet the rest of the elders at his church feel strongly that it is acceptable in cases of porneia/adultery and abandonment by a non believer. For example, my wife walked away from God and divorced me against my will. I pray for reconciliation still every day, but if she remarried this would not be possible. While I don’t desire to marry ever ever again, I don’t think the scripture is clear enough for one believer to tell another believer they are an adulterer like the other dude keeps repeating in this thread

 

[GaveMeJoy]

And I guess you refuse to answer this question?


Question that has went unanswered?
Do you share of the gospel with the ones who have remarried?
Or do you tell them no need you are lost forever?

M-Bob

The scripture is unclear. When Pail says if an unbelieving spouse wants to leave the believing spouse is to grant the divorce and the believing spouse is not enslaved. Most take this to mean free to remarry because it makes logical sense. What is the point in having a scriptural divorce if there is not the freedom to remarry? It doesn’t make sense. If once married always married was God’s law, there would be no reason to discuss scriptural divorce at all.

 

[Carl Emerson]

OK but There are earnest believers with scholarly merit who have studied extensively and have the opposite opinion of each other, so appealing to one particular opinion is difficult because the scripture surrounding divorce are not clear. What “not enslaved” means, and not bound, is just not clear. For example, John Piper believes there is no remarriage yet the rest of the elders at his church feel strongly that it is acceptable in cases of porneia/adultery and abandonment by a non believer. For example, my wife walked away from God and divorced me against my will. I pray for reconciliation still every day, but if she remarried this would not be possible. While I don’t desire to marry ever ever again, I don’t think the scripture is clear enough for one believer to tell another believer they are an adulterer like the other dude keeps repeating in this thread

I think it would be of value to read the paper, He completely changed his mind in the course of his study...

 

[gogprechear]

I have to say this emphatically that its not about the action of the word divorce it's about the person's of the divorced. Often time people who are not compatible goes into relationship of marriage with one another only to realised that they are not compatible and the love faded away completely and they become the living hell to one and another. I want to say that every responsible man and woman is marriageable irrespective of the status as divorced or never married. He/she could walk out of a deadly marriage and find heaven on Earth with another. A wrong relationship is like studying in school mechanical engineering and going to work with KFC and not ready or finding it difficult to adjust to the new working environment and the management that employed you can't take it any longer after so many loss from your department but just have to lay you off that does not mean that you are useless or shouldn't give another job a trial, all you just need to do is find the right job that is fit for his profession and skills in order to be able to function productively without stress because the environment gives him the enabled platform to function well with others. So is the issue of the divorced,
wrong mates = divorced
compatible mates= Happy marriage
Pastor married a stripper and he tried all he could to stop his wife from stripping or going to club but he failed when everyone in church sings and praise God, the pastor's wife is looking for a pole to hold and wrap around without minding loosing her skirt and with that people left the church and never returned above all she never stopped nagging the pastor until they finally broke up. A year after the stripper found a young man who just retired from military service that enjoys going to party and club drink and both in few weeks got along and get married today they are in their 70's with grand children and the pastor but today have the woman he finally married to as the assistant general overseer of his ministry running the ministry with their Children. So what do you think Now