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Divorce and Remarriage


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On 7/13/2021 at 11:13 AM, Ukulelemike said:

"Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you." (1Cor 7:27, 28)

Clearly here, it was Paul's opinion, and I firmly believe it was based on an excellent understanding of the mind of the Lord, that if a man is loosed from a wife, they ought not remarry, so they can set their mind on the things of God, BUT, if they remarry, they have NOT sinned. The term of being loosed from a wife clearly doesn't refer to being loosed by the death of the spouse, because that was earlier dealt with in some length-this clearly must speak of divorce. And this probably also has to do with having been married to an unbelieving spouse who has chosen to depart, and Paul says a brother or sister is not bound in such a case. Therefore, when my wife, (passed away now) and I married, both being believers, but both having been left by unbelieving spouses, neither of us were under bondage in such cases, and being properly loosed, we were free to remarry. And both our former spouses had committed adultery against us before the marriages ended, so there's that, as well. 

Hi Ukulelemike. 

 

Thank you for your response.  Sorry for my late response.  I hope that you are doing well.  

We just don't agree on the interpretation of the passage that you have cited.  I'm thinking that we probably won't agree on this subject and it might be best to simply leave it as it currently stands.  If you think otherwise just let me know.

May God bless you mightily.

2 minutes ago, Pastor Scott Markle said:

Brother Bruce, 

I am still here, and have not forgotten our planned discussion.  Good to know that you are also still here.

 

 

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2 minutes ago, BibleBruce said:

Hi Ukulelemike. 

 

Thank you for your response.  Sorry for my late response.  I hope that you are doing well.  

We just don't agree on the interpretation of the passage that you have cited.  I'm thinking that we probably won't agree on this subject and it might be best to simply leave it as it currently stands.  If you think otherwise just let me know.

May God bless you mightily.

 

 

 

7 minutes ago, Pastor Scott Markle said:

Brother Bruce, 

I am still here, and have not forgotten our planned discussion.  Good to know that you are also still here.

 

On 7/16/2021 at 3:18 PM, BibleBruce said:

Pastor Markle,

I think that's a great order for the conversation.  Please proceed whenever you wish.

 

Brother Bruce

Hi Pastor Markle,

Thanks for letting me know that you hadn't forgotten.  Whenever you are ready to proceed with the conversation, just let me know.

Have a blessed evening.

Brother Bruce

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On 7/9/2021 at 4:33 AM, BibleBruce said:

 

Hi Wretched,

Thanks for the clarification.  I would still like to respond to your comments.  I'll begin with the question of whether or not divorce and remarriage is "unforgiveable":

I do not believe (and never have believed) that divorce and remarriage is an unforgiveable sin. I do believe that it is a sin (the sin of adultery) and I believe that God requires us to repent of sin in order to receive his forgiveness.  I don't believe that this sin is an exception.  I believe that repentance is a change of heart and mind regarding sin and that it results in a turning away from sin rather than a continuing in it. The following verse states that this sin of adultery persists as long as the husband of the wife who has remarried is living. 

“So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.” -Romans 7:3

I am confident that the same principle would apply if the husband were the one who had remarried.

We know that verse 3 is used by the Holy Spirit to help us understand the “marriage relationship" between the believer and Christ. Some claim that we are not free to literally apply the statement in verse 3 to earthly marriages because it is only an example, not the subject of the passage.  I do not believe that God would use a faulty earthly example to help us understand a faultless spiritual truth. 

To summarize my position on this particular portion of the divorce and remarriage issue, I would say that I believe that the Bible clearly teaches that:

  • Divorce and remarriage is adultery
  • Adultery is sin
  • Forgiveness requires repentance
  • Repentance results in a forsaking of sin
  • Continuance in a lifestyle of sin does not result in forgiveness

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" - Romans 6:1-2

 

When you looked at the following scripture how did you parse it with regard to divorce and or remarriage?

28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: 29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: 30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit. ~ Mark 3:28-30

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On 8/22/2021 at 6:47 PM, 1Timothy115 said:

When you looked at the following scripture how did you parse it with regard to divorce and or remarriage?

28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: 29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: 30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit. ~ Mark 3:28-30

Hi 1Timothy115,

Thanks for the question and the conversation. I hope that you are doing well.

The following is how I understand Jesus’ statement that you referenced above....

I believe that Jesus made this statement in response to the saying of the scribes as recorded in the following verse:

And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. - Mark 3:22

I believe that, in this statement, they had committed the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost (which is unforgiveable). Jesus had previously cast out unclean (demonic) spirits as recorded earlier in this chapter. The demons themselves had acknowledged that Jesus was the Son of God, thereby admitting that he was completely holy.  It seems to me that these scribes went beyond that which even the demons were willing to say and that this was evidence that their hearts were so thoroughly ruined by sin that they would never seek God’s forgiveness and therefore could never be forgiven.

Jesus also made the following statement in the passage that you referenced: “All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme”.  It is one of the most basic teachings of the Bible (as we all recognize) that those who reject Christ as Saviour will not be forgiven of their sins. I therefore believe that Jesus is telling us that all kinds of sins will be forgiven to those who receive him as their Saviour and that therefore the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost cannot be committed by saved people.  I also believe that those who continue in adultery with an unrepentant heart and life (not terminating the adulterous relationship as would result per any reasonable definition of repentance) are lost because God says that they will not inherit the kingdom of God:

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. - I Corinthians 6:9-10

I believe that a common error in the "christian" culture is that God's grace is somehow "great enough" to allow acceptance of unrepentant, continuous sin in his children.  I believe that this results from a complete misunderstanding of grace and forgiveness and that the scripture clearly exposes this foolishness:

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? - Romans 6:1-2

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; - Titus 2:11-12

It seems to me that the all-important question then becomes, "Does God consider those who are married (according to his standards) to a living spouse, but who are divorced and 'remarried' to be adulterers?"  I believe that the answer to this question is plainly stated in the following passage:

For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. - Romans 7:2-3

The only other plain passages that I find in the New Testament dealing with the termination of marriage also speak of the death of a spouse.  While I find the divorce-and-remarriage subject to be somewhat challenging to sort out Biblically, I just don't see any other way to interpret the scriptures if unbiased principles of Bible interpretation and simple childlike faith in God's word are employed. To me, other interpretations are dependent upon passages that are not straightforward, and these interpretations cannot be reconciled with the clear passages.

Regardless of whether we currently agree or disagree, my prayer is that God will bless you mightily.

Brother Bruce

Edited by BibleBruce
Basic clarification.
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On 8/29/2021 at 7:55 PM, Hugh_Flower said:

Did not God divorce Israel after her fornication and lust for pursuing other 
gods.

Hi Hugh,

Thanks much for the question.  

Yes, it is clear in the following passage that God did divorce Israel.  It is also clear to me that, after God divorced her, he plainly said that he was still married to her:

“The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks. And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD. And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah. Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.”

       Jeremiah 3:6-15

This, for me, is one of the clearest passages stating that neither unfaithfulness nor divorce breaks the marriage bond in God’s eyes and that, furthermore, mercy is to be the guiding principle under these circumstances. In this passage, the door is left open for the offending spouse's repentance and return.  I see these same principles presented in the New Testament passages regarding divorce and remarriage.

FYI, I had also addressed your question in the PDF that I attached to my original post (which is a fairly comprehensive summary of my beliefs on the subject of divorce and remarriage and includes the scripture passages upon which I base these beliefs).  

Every time that I had confessed my own sins, fasted, prayed with supplication, diligently studied God's word, and committed myself to obeying whatever God would show me in the scriptures (refusing to lean unto my own understanding), I believe that he reinforced the beliefs stated in the PDF.

Hugh, I have prayed that God would bless you mightily today regardless of whether or not we are currently in disagreement on this subject.  Thank you again for engaging me on this important subject.

Brother Bruce

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On 8/22/2021 at 9:32 PM, BibleBruce said:

Hi Pastor Markle,

Thanks for letting me know that you hadn't forgotten.  Whenever you are ready to proceed with the conversation, just let me know.

Have a blessed evening.

Brother Bruce

I do apologize. Lately, for a week or more now, I have not been able to access Online Baptist at my home. I am now at someone else's house to read through what I have missed. Hard to stay up to date at the moment because of this, and even harder to engage in a lengthy discussion.

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On 9/17/2021 at 11:39 AM, Pastor Scott Markle said:

I do apologize. Lately, for a week or more now, I have not been able to access Online Baptist at my home. I am now at someone else's house to read through what I have missed. Hard to stay up to date at the moment because of this, and even harder to engage in a lengthy discussion.

Pastor Markle,

I understand.  No problem.  When it works out for you to continue the conversation, just let me know.  It you end up having too many things on your plate and decide not to continue the conversation, I will respect and understand that also.

I have just prayed for you,

Brother Bruce

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3 hours ago, BibleBruce said:

Pastor Markle,

I understand.  No problem.  When it works out for you to continue the conversation, just let me know.  It you end up having too many things on your plate and decide not to continue the conversation, I will respect and understand that also.

I have just prayed for you,

Brother Bruce

Brother Bruce,

As you can see, whatever the problem was now seems to have fixed itself. 

And thank you for praying for me.

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