Thread

The husband of one wife is referred to; which would probably refer either to those at the time with multiple wives (allowed by God at the time); or those today who are divorced and remarried. I find it interesting that the church sanctions a ceremony declaring an initial covenant void and then recognizes the sanctity of the announcement of a so called new marriage covenent. The Catholic church at least considers marriage a sacrament; interestingly the only one a Priest is not needed to validate as it is instituted by God and the vows taken. Yet a public affirmation of intentions of a new marriage is somehow expected to have some influence somehow. This issue brings out as I see it the lack of understanding the conditions of the original vow; and the difference in VIOLATING a covenant from breaking it. God (thankfully) even states in Jeremiah that He literally has divorced His people but is also willing to take them back. Even breaking the Old Covenant is designed to eventually "provoke His people; i.e. the Jews to jealousy; and eventually His plan for their time to have a national revival or the time of Jacob's Trouble is going to come. We are still "grafted in" as it were; thus the same severity of His judgments should be taken seriously to those who rebel against Him in the church as it was for Israel. I will add that you "know them by their fruits". Observe whether there is a true desire for the Word; and for pride and other indications of hardened hearts; as of course unforgiveness leads to writing someone off; and not the kind of sacrificial love like Christ asks us to have that He did for the church. Such a move eliminates any reconciliation and attempts to end obligations to support financially the original spouse. Frankly many of these remarriages even according to their own standards of the definition of "immorality" aren't kosher as it were; so they won't even ask others if "immorality" was the cause of a divorce and remarriage among their congregation. My opinion is that men think they can arbitrate who they can live with; and get approval of others in the process rather than accepting God as the initiator of the covenant; therefore Him being a faithful "third party" even when we are faithless is a scriptural principle. If He could abandon His children as people abandon spouses we would all be without hope. The Deuteronomy 24 argument I don't have time right now to get into; suffice to say that was O.T.; but also any allowance for remarriage for someone "undesireable" would as I see it be someone who had relations before a betrothal and hence wasn't a virgin; as any violation then or after a marriage would result in a death penalty not remarriage being allowed to the woman put away. That explains the ONLY divorce mentioned in Scripture with Joseph in Matthew as well during espousal no less; he knew he hadn't been with Mary therefore was thinking of quietly ending the arrangement; again she was his "wife" even though they hadn't consummated the marriage. So an original spouse should be prayed for even if remarried as I see it; but I won't argue the point. There are stories of relationships DECADES later being restored; if we close the door to that that is our choice. Personally; although my ex cheated on me and remarried my mentally abusive behavior (although she wasn't easy to handle) is something I understood in her reaction to saying she couldn't ever be married to me. I should have sought counselling much earlier with the church on the matter; something hard to find when remariages are not only tolerated but celebrated. Gotta run. Agape.. Rich P

Hello Jim 1618, Pray, then go and talk to the man, brother to brother.

Hi Jim, I am twice divorced. I've been a Christian 49 years now. I understand exactly the quandary you find yourself in. I've not read your verses, as I know of them, but notice you haven't included any old testament verses. God hates divorce. Having said all that, you say you don't know the circumstance of either divorce. Your next step is to have a conversation with the pastor, and I would assume, if he is a good shepherd, he will include his wife in the conversation. I said I have been divorced twice. In both cases my wives divorced me. I have searched the scriptures and prayed to God for an answer as to whether I should be able to remarry. God is silent in my case. God may be silent in your case also. It may be that both Jeff and Betty were divorced by their respective spouses, in which case God will be silent. Note that there was no cause for either of my divorces on my part, as in adultery. I was an innocent party, as may be the case for Jeff and Betty. The question becomes then, and this is where God seems silent, if I am divorced by my wife, or in Betty's case, her husband, are we to remain unmarried for the rest of our lives. Although God hates divorce, it would seem there is love in His heart, for a man or woman, caught in such circumstances. I hope this helps some way towards resolving your quandary in finding a good KJV church Bill