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

[Carl Emerson]

I assume you did not read the research into this issue...

Have a nice day.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I assume you did not read the research into this issue...

Have a nice day.

I have researched this topic several times. I used to believe differently (whereby my belief on remarriage was a little more liberal like many churches today believe), but I am convinced by Scripture and by the fact that God’s ways are higher than man’s sinful ways.

"It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.” (Matthew 5:31-32).​

In other words, Christ is telling us that if a person divorces their wife, they are forcing their wife into adultery, except in the situation where a wife has already committed the act of adultery.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Well Prof. Bill Heth used to think that way too, until he set aside a chunk of his life to research the matter thoroughly and changed his mind.

I would urge to to read his conclusions and why he reached them - but hey, you can lead a horse to water but you cant make it drink...

The risk you run us to putting burdens on others that God never intended them to bare.

Blessed is the man who is not condemned by what he approves.

 

[NeedyFollower]

While we all have a condition of sin, there is judgement of injustice both eternally and temporally. There is distinction among sins, as well as direction of sins. There certainly is a lot of grey in this world, but there are instances where there is a clear innocent and a clear guilty party in regard to the violation of the covenant relationship. Sometimes someone marries just to torture the other person. Sometimes evil is so great that it cannot be grasped by those who are looking directly at incarnate evil - so evil that you cannot recognize it until afterwards in your nightmares. "Charming" is a good word for it, because the evil is like a spell on you that makes you blind to it.

Yes ...I believe we have all been charmed by the flesh into a romanticized version of love . In Titus 2:4 Paul says regarding the older women ..that " they may teach the younger women to be sober , to love their husbands , to love their children " ,etc. I think this is interesting for a couple of reasons . One love can be taught and it is an expectation . I think it does away with this misguided idea of being " in love " . Regarding charming individuals ...yes I was one before Jesus . It has in it's arsenal , wit , intelligence , magnanimity ...anything to exalt self ...to the glory of the flesh . What a snare ! A deceitful self-centeredness ...I thought I was a nice guy . Delusion is that way .
Many are looking for someone to make them feel special but that is still subtly about self . The Christ love does not need anything from the other person in order to love ...otherwise Christ would have never died for a sinner like me ...I had NOTHING of value .

 

[NeedyFollower]

I have researched this topic several times. I used to believe differently (whereby my belief on remarriage was a little more liberal like many churches today believe), but I am convinced by Scripture and by the fact that God’s ways are higher than man’s sinful ways.

"It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.” (Matthew 5:31-32).​

In other words, Christ is telling us that if a person divorces their wife, they are forcing their wife into adultery, except in the situation where a wife has already committed the act of adultery.

Hi Brother ...One correction ...The scripture reads except for fornication ...Not adultery . Jesus was talking to Jews . Adultery only happens after the consummation on the wedding night . That is why the Jews later told Jesus " We are Abraham's' children ...we be not born of fornication . ( Implying that Jesus was . ) That is why Joseph was going to put Mary away secretly which he could have done .
I think this is part of the confusion ....almost all of the well known pastors on radio ( and TV I suppose ) and everywhere have started saying " Except for adultery .

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Hi Brother ...One correction ...The scripture reads except for fornication ...Not adultery . Jesus was talking to Jews . Adultery only happens after the consummation on the wedding night . That is why the Jews later told Jesus " We are Abraham's' children ...we be not born of fornication . ( Implying that Jesus was . ) That is why Joseph was going to put Mary away secretly which he could have done .
I think this is part of the confusion ....almost all of the well known pastors on radio ( and TV I suppose ) and everywhere have started saying " Except for adultery .

While the word "adultery" does normally refer to sexual unfaithfulness within marriage, and the word "fornication" normally refers to sex before marriage, "fornication" is a word that can refer to sexual immorality in general and can even refer to those who are married. We see in Ezekiel the word "fornication" is tied with Jerusalem.

"Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations," (Ezekiel 16:2).

"Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee [i.e. marriage], saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine." (Ezekiel 16:8).

"Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke me to anger." (Ezekiel 16:26).​

I also believe the church at Thyatira was a faithful church at one time in history, and it later fell away to allow for idolatry.

18 "And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
(Revelation 2:18-22).​

We see the word "fornication" and "adultery" referring to sexual unfaithfulness in general as in reference to idolatry here.

But yes, I do understand that it appears that Jesus was most likely referring to sexual unfaithfulness before marriage as the only reason to divorce a person. It would be as if they were lying about their virginity or chastity. But we know that the word "fornication" can also refer to general unfaithfulness to in the Bible. Unfaithfulness in a marriage by the other partner is a breaking of the covenant agreement.

For example: A person's circumcision would be made uncircumcision if they broke the Law (Romans 2:25). Meaning a covenant can be broken. Marriage is a covenant that God does not want us to break. But He knows that it can be broken by unfaithfulness.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Well Prof. Bill Heth used to think that way too, until he set aside a chunk of his life to research the matter thoroughly and changed his mind.

I would urge to to read his conclusions and why he reached them - but hey, you can lead a horse to water but you cant make it drink...

The risk you run us to putting burdens on others that God never intended them to bare.

Blessed is the man who is not condemned by what he approves.

No offense to Professor Bill Heth (who is a Bible school teacher), and no offense to you, but I believe that going to a Bible school is not how to learn God's Word. I believe that way is trying to learn the Word by the wisdom of men. A person goes into crazy debt to learn God's Word? Surely not.

“Hey! Come, everyone who thirsts, to the waters!
Come, he who has no money, buy, and eat!
Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."
(Isaiah 55:1) (WEB).

 

[Carl Emerson]

No offence to you, but judging the walk of your brother because he has attended bible school is hardly the way to ascertain what is going on in his heart.
Jesus was a Rabbi and worked within the 'system' that was later described as the 'synagog of Satan' and all attendees tried to kill Him.
Also that is not how I learned God's word. I spent over five years reading nothing but scripture meditatively. No 'christian' input Just letting scripture interpret scripture. Bill Heth is the real deal and a lovely brother first, the fact that he is an academic should not evoke your condemnation.
Lastly my attendance at bible school was largely not to learn but to teach.
As for it costing me... I have been faith walking for years and all the bills were paid. So please dont judge your brothers from afar without seeing the heart.