Divorce and Remarriage

Good points. All I can say now is that I'll have to think about it more. Right now there's an apparent contradiction, which I know can't be the case, so I just need to consider the options more thoughtfully.

I don't think we can regard adultery as a continuous event. One of Paul's key exhortations in 1 Corinthians 7 is that unbelievers should remain as they are when they get saved. If they've been divorced and remarried, for example, even though that was initially an act of adultery, they're saved now and should be faithful to their current spouse. Therefore, I don't think God sees adultery as a constant act in the case of remarriage after a divorce. The initial marriage and resulting intercourse is adulterous, but to say that the person is a repeated adulterous offender every time he engages in intercourse after that point is to introduce several problems.

That doesn't mean that if you're living in sin, you should be satisfied with that because it's what God has called you to…

No, so obviously, in my view, a divorce and remarriage should not happen anyway, so the adultery shouldn't even be an option for a believer. But it seems to me that it's not a continuous state of adultery, when we're talking about someone who's divorced and remarried. At that time, it wouldn't be a state of living in sin, because only the initial act was sin. But, again, I'm not entirely convinced in that position.

No, so obviously, in my view, a divorce and remarriage should not happen anyway, so the adultery shouldn't even be an option for a believer. But it seems to me that it's not a continuous state of adultery, when we're talking about someone who's divorced and remarried. At that time, it wouldn't be a state of living in sin, because only the initial act was sin. But, again, I'm not entirely convinced in that position.

Then why should the victim be waiting around for the possibility of that one to repent and return?

No, so obviously, in my view, a divorce and remarriage should not happen anyway, so the adultery shouldn't even be an option for a believer. But it seems to me that it's not a continuous state of adultery, when we're talking about someone who's divorced and remarried. At that time, it wouldn't be a state of living in sin, because only the initial act was sin. But, again, I'm not entirely convinced in that position.

Then why should the victim be waiting around for the possibility of that one to repent and return?

Very good question. I don't know. So that's probably the biggest inconsistency in that position. In fact, that one is great enough that I might consider recanting the position now. However, that then leaves us with the only alternative, in my view, that the unrepentant spouse would need to divorce the person in his or her second marriage, in order to be reconciled to the original spouse. I'm more okay with that than I am with the idea that the original spouse has to remain unmarried for the rest of his or her life, but it's still difficult. I guess any resolution to the questions in this realm is going to be difficult, though.

1 Cor 7:28: "But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that."

When Jesus talked with the Samaritan woman he told her she had had five husbands. Unless all of them died she must have been divorced at times. Each time she remarried it was considered marriage by the Lord for he told her she had had five husbands. They would not have been husbands if she were not married to them. Jesus said the man she was presently living with was not her husband. Why? Because she had never been married to him. Jesus did not tell her she had only been married one time, to the first husband. Thus, in the "eyes of the Lord" this woman was married five times. Our teaching that one cannot remarry is not in harmony with what Jesus taught.

Paul in writing to the church at Corinth states, "Are you married to a wife? Seek not to be divorced, Are you divorced from a wife, seek not a wife. But if you marry you have not sinned." This is very plain. He does not give the requirements which we impose on couples today. He does not say they sin, live in adultery, when they marry. In view of the wide spread practice of divorce in his day (it was worse with the Gentiles than with the Jews), Paul could have elaborated the conditions that we teach concerning divorce and remarriage. Since the apostle deals with so much pertaining to marriage and divorce in this seventh chapter why did he not bring out at least some of the issues we have with divorce today?

Define adultery….

Matthew 19:9: "And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”

This story understandably troubles many people. Consider, for example, the logical extension of Bathsheba being free to remarry after Uriah's death. Who caused Uriah to die? David did not stop at adultery – he had Uriah killed! Does this mean that a spouse caught in adultery should kill his or her partner's mate so the murderer is free to remarry? Certainly not! God poured out His mercy on David's repentant heart – not on merit, but as an act of His marvelous grace

Then, there is another problem, that raised by the Apostle Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians. He states flatly that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. Warning us not to be deceived, he states that neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor. . . .And he goes on to list other types of behavior that put one outside the realm of redemption (1 Cor. 6:9-11). “And such,” he continues, “were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” Notice, Paul does not say you are. . .adulterers, but you were.

Well, which is it? Can these individuals be forgiven, washed, sanctified, fitted for heaven? Or, are they irredeemable? If this verse hadn't been written, it is difficult to see how these divorced individuals can be saved at all. As a matter of fact, if it hadn't been written, they cannot be saved at all, for Paul states flatly that no adulterer will inherit the Kingdom.

Doing the same wrong to another does not atone for the sin of the first. Consider also the added wounds caused if there have been children in the second marriage. We should remember Jesus’ warning about causing a little one to stumble. If you divorce your child’s mother, such an act is almost certain to cause your children to stumble – perhaps even to their destruction.

Just some thoughts…

No sinner can enter the kingdom of God at all –whether that sin was adultery or lying or anything else. "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8 NKJV). That's why Jesus came to die. Because of His work, Paul could write, "And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Cor. 6:11 NKJV). Of course, just because we can be forgiven for something, doesn't mean we should do it. "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?" (Rom. 6:1-2 NKJV). Paul also talks about in 1 Corithians 6:12, "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any" (NKJV).

@Rosie C. I believe 1 Corinthians 7:28 is referring to marriage, not marriage after divorce. Paul mentions earlier that it is better to remain unmarried, and he I believe he wanted to clarify that marriage is not wrong. Either way, the full verse reads, "But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you" (NKJV). Divorce and remarriage is clearly a sin as per Matthew 19:9, although like other sins it can be forgiven.

@SlaveOfChrist I know you wrote your post awhile ago, but I would just like to point out that remarrying the original spouse after divorcing and marrying another was illegal by the levitical law.

@Joshua- I think you slightly misunderstood me. I meant it more like if you do divorce and get remarried, do not divorce your second wife.
Is something worded wrong?

@No, I just had a little trouble understanding your conclusion. You might want to explain a little more.
I would agree with you then. I think that's the impression Paul gives in 1 Corinthians 7, especially verses 10 and 11.

I'll try revising it maybe taking out the question that doesn't seem to fit in…