divorce and remarriage

The misunderstood issue of Divorce and Remarriage...

By Diane M. Hoffmann, B.Th., M.Th., PhD/Th., Ord./IAOG-Canada

Another article provided by Timing Revelation & more...

I recently came across a podcast interview of a popular Christian personality which had to do with the misunderstood issue of divorce and remarriage and which prompted me to write this article...

It's not about "divorce", it's about "divorce and remarriage".

Most people have it all wrong within and without the church ("church" being the body of believers).

The issue is not about whether or not one can divorce (for whatever reason)...God does not say you have to stay in an abusive marriage -- no, He does not say that anywhere at all! Neither does the church. One can divorce if one is being abused or if one is abandoned.

The issue is about "can one remarry after divorce".

The only time that one can remarry is if a spouse is the victim of an unfaithful spouse.

In other words, the one who was victimized (the exception clause) can remarry -- "And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery." (Matthew 19:9, King James Bible).

In other words the one who puts away (divorces) his or her spouse because that spouse committed fornication (unfaithfulness) against her or him, can remarry...

But the one who committed the fornication cannot remarry--that one commits adultery by marrying another and makes whoever marries her or him commit adultery.

In other words, whosoever puts away his wife for any other reason then fornication on her part, and marries another commits adultery and whosoever marries him commits adultery. In other words if one divorces his wife for any reason than fornication and marries another commits adultery and whosoever marries him commits adultery. (Or, the other way around, if one divorces her husband for any reason and marries another commits adultery and whoever marries her commits adultery.)

But if one divorces his wife because she committed fornication against him, then he is free to remarry, but she is not.

In the case of a widow, she can marry any single man or widower, but not a divorced man who is divorced for any other reason other than being the victim of an infidel (unfaithful) spouse. And again, it works the other way around for him/her.

Ironically in trying to justify their remarriage, divorced people say: "there was no adultery on either side, so we are justified in marrying one another" -- it's the other way around...

This is a misrepresentation of scripture, the exact contrary to what scripture says in "...except it be for fornication..." (meaning: except for any reason OTHER then fornication).

The Complete Jewish Study Bible (Messianic Jewish Publishers & Resources) says it this way: "...whoever divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality and marries another woman commits adultery..." In other words, whoever divorces for any other cause except on the ground of sexual immorality (fornication, adultery against the other) and marries another woman (or man) commits adultery.

In other words the sexual intimacy of a married couple is the only element for a breach of "covenant" in marriage. Fornication (or sexual infidelity) is committed against the spouse. Why did God make it this way? Because this is not a man-made contract that can be dissolved. We're dealing here with marriage for life, the two becoming one. A covenant is a pledge before God "till death do us part", it is not a man-made contract.

It is not a "I do but... if it doesn't work out we'll just split", as I have heard someone say exactly.

Of course if someone is being abused he/she can divorce. But neither can remarry -- the exception is only if a spouse is victimized by the other spouse who commits fornication against her/him. In other words, again, the one who committed fornication cannot remarry, but the one who was victim of the other's fornication (infidelity) is free to remarry. That is the only way one can remarry according to the Word of God.

As I read some of the replies through the podcast, I hear many people complaining about having to go on alone after divorce (and using this as an excuse for remarriage). Paul talks about that in the Bible, that he wishes more people would be like him (single). There's nothing wrong with being single. And, yes, God said He will be husband to the widow (and vice versa to the widower, both in a spiritual sense). I think of John Wesley's mother who lost her husband and never remarried--and she had nine children to raise at the time.

It is said by most ministries that the problem with getting people to help in the work of God is "lack of commitment". We have to stop wining and get on with God's work in the Kingdom for the Kingdom. There is much to do -- people are going to hell in a hand-basket! The cry seems to be "me, me, me", when it should be "others, others, others".

"Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." (Man or woman). (Proverbs 9:10-12)

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