Studying God’s Word ping
When I look at scripture, what I don't see is the Lord giving the Believer permission to remarry after a divorce.
Genesis 2:24 – “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”
Matthew 5:31-32 – “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 sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
1 Corinthians 7:10-11 – “To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.”
1 Corinthians 7:12-15 – “To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so; the brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?”
Luke 16:18 – “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
Romans 7:2-3 – “For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.”
Luke 18:29-30 – “Truly I tell you, no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.” This passage speaks to the idea of sacrifice for the kingdom of God. While not directly related to divorce and remarriage, it highlights the importance of prioritizing God’s kingdom over personal relationships. Those who face hardship in relationships, including the pain of divorce, may find comfort in the rewards that God promises for their faithfulness.
You know, this is a tough situation for a lot of us… I stepped outside the bounds of marriage, purposely, after much bitterness and lack of intimacy from my spouse. Resulted in me divorcing her and remarrying. I’m very grateful for my partner now, but I think a lot about my sins with remorse. This passage doesn’t serve those of us who have already gone through this but it does serve as a warning for people who might be considering it.
I separated from my husband after several assaults, one involving, locking me in the house and loading and unloading his shotgun from a few feet away. I never sat with my back to a door at home, had lost 25 pounds, suffered from numerous bouts of IBS That took me completely out of commission for three days over and over and over again. The idea that my husband’s sins should result in my accepting not only destitution (he ended up with all property, vehicles, and bank accounts) but also the rest of my life without a partner....
Jesus came to fulfill the law of love, and never required one human being to pay with their earthly lives for the sins of another. I declined to be socially and psychologically imprisoned for life based on self-righteous legalistic interpretations of scripture. He was killing the person God created me to be, and just because the Bible doesn’t say attempted murder is justification for divorce does not justify the excuses for immoral, even deadly behavior on the part of a spouse!
Until you have looked at the end of a shotgun held by your spouse, and attempted reconciliation for more than six years as I slowly withered, stop playing, God and Judge of other people!