Is Divorce And Remarriage A Sin?

[Hospes]

For what it's worth:
Per my understanding of scriptures, I think it was sin for you to marry. But I also think it would be sin for you to now divorce. Stay with Prince Charming and enjoy Jesus' blood-bought grace that can forgive you and your husbands sin. The Bible is filled with God's ability to take things wrong and redeem them to his glory. I think it's cool that he has opened your eyes to sin, now enjoy his grace and enjoy that he remains faithful to us, the unfaithful. Our sins do not exhaust his grace through Christ any more than your next breath depletes the earth's oxygen. Sorrow over your sin, but greatly rejoice in that your sin "he set aside, nailing it to the cross."

 

[Life2Christ]

It's within those circumstances that I believe that God will bless second marriages.

So can a Christian defy the Gospel on purpose (let's say to get remarried again) and hope that God will forgive them? I could understand remarrying and you are ignorant of the Gospel...but what happens when you knowingly defy the Gospel? Is this the model Christians should follow?

 

[Boidae]

So can a Christian defy the Gospel on purpose (let's say to get remarried again) and hope that God will forgive them? I could understand remarrying and you are ignorant of the Gospel...but what happens when you knowingly defy the Gospel? Is this the model Christians should follow?

I told you what I believe, I will not argue my point any further.

It's obvious that you don't believe in remarriage for anything other than death and nothing will change your mind on that, but I as I have said, I know second marriages that have been blessed. Surely, God does forgive and will bless second marriages.

 

[elishiva123]

@ Life2Christ, Jesus plainly talks about it in His scriptures. Boidae is telling you his own opinion, where I am telling you what the scriptures are actually saying. If you read every scripture in context and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance you will see that the whole reason that Jesus gave that "exception clause" that so many people have labeled it as, He says that divorce is a sin unless it is for "fornication". And He said this to a set of Jews who would understand why He said "fornication", because it that day a betrothal had a real certificate when they were betrothed, and in order to be unbetrothed they needed a real certificate, and during that betrothal there was no sexual contact because the marriage was not consummated yet, therefore it would be fornication if they were to have sexual relations outside of their betrothal. So that's why Jesus referred to it as fornication, and that is the only reason for "divorce". There is no reason for divorce after marriage. No excuse. None. But then he says that if you were to divorce then you are to remain single or go back to the original spouse, plain and simple. So in the case of spousal abuse, if you were to leave your abusive spouse, then you were to have to remain single. That's it.

 

[Life2Christ]

Elishiva123:
How did you resolve your remarriage? What was the outcome once your knew that remarriage was against scripture?

 

[elishiva123]

@ Life2Christ: We both started praying for God to draw us closer and closer to Himself. We both started wanting more of Him. We started asking Him to show us any sin that was in our lives that was interfering with our relationship with Him. Then we came upon the scriptures that referred to divorce and remarriage It was just like one minute you're blind and the next minute you can see. Suddenly the blinders dropped off of our eyes and in that instant we both knew. And in that instant our hearts were shattered. We were like, no Lord! Is this true?? So then we prayed and searched more of the scripture, and pleaded with the Holy Spirit to show us without a shadow of a doubt what His word truly says on this subject, and sure enough, it means what it says and says what it means. So then after MUCH crying and MUCH heartbreak, we made a determined decision within ourselves that we would do whatever it takes to be right with God, even if it meant sacrificing our own marriage. And yea, we hoped it would end up like Abraham sacrificing Isaac, but so far that has not happened and I don't suspect it will. Because to remain in an adulterous marriage is a sin. So we decided that we would divorce, so that we could totally repent of the sin of remarriage. You cant repent of it totally and stay in it, it's impossible. So he went and got the paperwork and filled it out. And we are now moving on with our lives as friends, best friends. God is even changing our feelings for eachother to where it doesn't hurt when we are around eachother. He is so amazing.

 

[Johnnz]

All that pain is so unnecessary. PM me if you want some material with a more accurate exegesis of those verses.

John
NZ

 

[elishiva123]

All that pain is so unnecessary. PM me if you want some material with a more accurate exegesis of those verses.

John
NZ

I cant send pm's. I don't have enough posts yet.

 

[Johnnz]

OK. 3 posts to go?

John
NZ

 

[elishiva123]

Actually 8, but my email is in my profile.

 

[maizer]

I am very wary of interpreting Jesus's words himself. But I noticed when he said those words about divorce and remarriage, he was talking to a bunch of hot-blooded men who thought marrying multiple times, divorce, remarriage, abandoning a wife was not wrong at all. I always thought Jesus was warning the men to not even think about throwing your wife away to marry some other woman, steal someone wife, etc etc especially in those times when it was brutal for a woman to live alone.

If Jesus was here and alive, talking to you, and not some adulterous men, I doubt he would say the same thing. Jesus always seems to say that rules and laws exist FOR us, not the other way around... If God put you and your husband together, and the light of Christ is even brighter within the both of you when you are together... is that not a Godly match?

 

[Johnnz]

Maizer, you are on the right track.

John
NZ

 

[Forealzchola]

I agree with you Maizer..those times were different in which multiple marriages were common like in Islam my sister husband was marrying and divorcing wives because they were giving him enough sex...crazy reasons or we knew men who had 9 wives in one year..if you then got remarried just BECAUSE..ask God for forgiveness which will blot out that first marriage and then move on with your life...being that marriage or remarriage...it sounds like you are trying to convince others of your interpretation maybe to feel more secure about it yourself..but many people don't interpret it the way that you do...

 

[elishiva123]

@Forrealzchola: That is why only a few will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Because many people don't interpret God's word the correct way. And how can they possibly stay out of sin if they don't. The only way is to get as close to God as you possibly can, ask Him to show you any sin that is between you and Him that needs to be repented of, and then repent and get rid of them, and live a sinless, holy life, which is possible to do. What do you think the Holy Spirit is for? To convict us when we are tempted and to give us the strength to refuse sin. Anyway, there are many others who know this truth about divorce and remarriage. God has opened their eyes to it as well. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. What He said back then applies today. The examples you give don't have any thing to do with what I'm even talking about. You can't repent of a sin and stay in that sin any longer. And if you do, you can't expect Him to forgive you if you do stay in that sin. That's what Ive been talking about.

 

[Johnnz]

That presupposes a certain understanding of Scripture though. But if that comes from an inadequate understanding then your conclusion does not hold. I have high regard for Scripture and consequently I make very real efforts to diligently obtain the best information on understanding it correctly as I can. This is why I see the divorce verses a bit differently from what you do at present.

John
NZ

 

[Life2Christ]

Whatever side you are on, on this issue, you will find this video interesting:
YouTube - Egyptian court's re-marriage ruling angers Coptic Christians

 

[katautumn]

This is a really divisive issue. I find most conservative Christians are in agreement that divorce and remarriage (particularly remarriage in cases where adultery or abandonment were not the cause of the original divorce) is a sin. It isn't God's plan for us to marry the wrong people and get divorced as the result. It is only a very small minority of Christians who believe that remarriage, despite asking God's wisdom and forgiveness, is a perpetual state of unrepentant adultery, therefore you must divorce again. This isn't even biblical.

These modern-day Pharisees are so unhappy (find a happily married Christian who stands by this belief and I'll eat my hat) that they live to plant this seed of doubt in the believer's mind. They want you to doubt Christ's sufficiency to save you from your sin. They tell you that if you are remarried that you are no better than a pedophile who continues molesting children (I've actually seen that argument floating around online) yet asking God to forgive them. They tell you that if you don't divorce you will burn in hell. They tell you that just because you're happy, God won't bless your marriage. They tell you that any children born of the union will be bastards in God's eyes.

These are lies straight from Satan to strike fear and doubt in a Christian's life. While God is certainly concerned with our obedience and holiness, there is no sin greater than He is. Even remarriage in circumstances not covered by the Bible.

 

[wayfaring man]

One of the major reasons why divorce and remarriage is against God's will, is because in order to "remarry", one "gives up"/judges as hopeless their first/former spouse.
And this is the kind of "judging", which Jesus forbid us from doing. (Matthew 7:1+2)

Additionally, in Deuteronomy Chapter 24, we read that it is unlawful, for one to marry a spouse, then divorce them, marry another, then divorce them and go back and marry their first spouse again. Hence, Paul instructs that those spouses who separate or depart "remain unmarried", to leave open the lawful option of "being reconciled".

Also in Ezra Chapter 10 we read that after having taken unlawful spouses, godly counsel directed them to "put away" those unlawful spouses.

Furthermore, regarding annulments, these also are out of sync with God's will, unless they are performed before a marriage is consummated.

And while most all sins can be forgiven, the gift of repentance coincides with the gift of forgiveness, (Acts 5:31), and even though we are not "under the law", "through faith we establish the law" [Or effectually honor the principles/spirit/intent of the law.] (Romans 3:31)

Another reason why God loves "life-long" marriages, is that they demonstrate the kind of commitment which He has towards His Church, and do thereby provide for a good foundation for an environment of "raising up a godly seed" [or offspring] (Malachi 2:14-17)

If everyone seriously took marriage as a binding agreement of "only till death can we permanently part as husband and wife". Our society would be tremendously better off.

And since God is The God of all, He seldom looks exclusively at what's best for a mere few, but rather has a devout and distinct Fatherly Concern for the whole.

If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children...<---> Titus 1:6

Ultimately, one must be persuaded in their own mind of what the truth is...and the closer we are to God's Perspective, the closer we are to the harmony of His Everlasting Kingdom of Righteousness, Peace, and Joy, with Our Blessed Saviour Jesus !

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. <-----> Matthew 5:17-20

Now we know that God hears not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and does his will, him he hears. <-----> John 9:31

May God's Word Be Heard & Understood !

wm

 

[Boidae]

These are lies straight from Satan to strike fear and doubt in a Christian's life.

That was my very thought yesterday as well. Our God is a forgiving God and if you confess your sins before Him, He is faithful to forgive them. He Himself set the standard for how many times you are forgiven, 70 x 7 each and every day.

He also knows that we're not perfect and that we'll make mistakes and again He is faithful to forgive them.

 

[elishiva123]

That was my very thought yesterday as well. Our God is a forgiving God and if you confess your sins before Him, He is faithful to forgive them. He Himself set the standard for how many times you are forgiven, 70 x 7 each and every day.

He also knows that we're not perfect and that we'll make mistakes and again He is faithful to forgive them.

@Boidae What you're not understanding, though, is that once you repent of a sin, you must turn from that sin in order to be forgiven of that sin. Yes if you happen to slip and accidentally do a sin again, He will forgive you 70 x 7 times. but staying in an adulterous remarriage would mean that you are willingly sinning and continuing to willingly sin, therefore you will not be forgiven those 70 x 7 times. To put it simpler, as long as you stay in that adulterous remarriage you are still in adultery. Asking God for forgiveness doesn't make it go away. Leaving that marriage makes it go away, just like leaving (repenting) of any other sin, makes it go away, (be forgiven of), leaving that sin of adultery would allow you to be forgiven of it.