Is he not behaving like an unbeliever in this case? The verse (Matthew 5:32) she uses to condemn herself is written for HIM, not her. ALSO, the NIV translates it, "...makes her the victim of adultery.", which is in keeping with the versions that say, "...makes her commit adultery." or "makes her an adulterer." One version even goes so far as to say, "...makes her appear to be an adulterer." which may well be the intended meaning.
Many versions of (1 Corinthians 7:15) use the word 'but': "But God has called you into peace."; "but God hath called us to peace." Sounds to me like, there's an overriding principle of peace, in the matter. Matthew 5:32 is a remonstrance against divorce, not a condemnation of the wife who has been divorced.
1 Corinthians 7:15 doesn't say, "in the case where the unbelieving husband wants to leave..."; it says, "in such cases". To me, that includes cases LIKE the one described.
This is not a black and white issue, and in the end, what's done is done. But he calls us to peace.
It is black and white. And the main principle is don’t do it, but
if you do, stay single or reconcile. There is also another element society does not wish to address. You are one in marriage, you may not refuse sex. You own each other as you have become one.
10. And unto the married I command,
yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from
her husband: 11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to
her husband: and let not the husband put away
his wife.
1 Cor, 7:3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. 4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
Sex can be an overwhelming drive and those who are feeling deprived present fertile ground for temptation. This is precisely why withholding sex is spoken against.
Christ spoke of divorce when the Jews attempted to catch Him off guard in this manner;
The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
4 And he answered and said unto them,
Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together,
let not man put asunder.
7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
8 He saith unto them, Moses
because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
( Moses allowed divorce because men were stubborn and rotten, but he did not here give permission to remarry.)
9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except
it be for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery: and whoso marries her which is put away doth commit adultery.
(If you divorce because of spousal fornication, okay, but if you marry another you commit adultery.
Christ grudgingly allows for divorce based on fornication. He does not sanction re-marriage. )
Put away means divorce.
Many in today’s church are living in adultery so they naturally defend the lie that it’s okay. Draw closer to God and quit justifying yourselves.
When Paul states this, “But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to
her husband: and
let not the husband put away his wife.” he has the benefit of the Spirit of God within him. He knows what Christ has said. He states, DON’T LET THE HUSBAND GET DIVORCED! Sure peace is to be desired for, but not at any cost.
The problem with re-marriage is it is constant. Every morning another day of sin, a little harder heart. Until you believe it is your right. You twist scripture. You learn to love your spouse. You make children you love and extraction seems unthinkable, inconvenient and impractical.
Many are born into or raised by divorced and remarried parents and it seems normal. It may be, but it is outside of God’s will.
For he who has ears to hear...