In my humble opinion (IMHO), means I am open to discussion on this even desire it. We should not reject it without understanding first.
Just because someone does not agree does not mean they do not have a valid point.
Jesus pointed out a hardness of heart issue (Matthew 19:8).
I believe He was condemning hardness of heart not all divorce or all divorced people. Have you been divorced? If not how can you condemn others who are. I have found very judgmental people say divorce is a sin and sinners have no part in God's kingdom (lose their salvation?)
They say it is the sin of adultery if they marry again. Or that a divorced woman who marries another man is condemning him to hell because it is a perpetual adultery. So she should divorce the second husband and go back to the first one even if he does not want her. When he refuses, She is then told to pray and wait for his salvation to be joined back together in God's eyes. But possibly be celebrate the rest of her life. she will become a "marriage martyr" never to experience the true love marriage was meant to be. If the husband then demands money for her freedom, because she is his property, it looks very much like what has continued to this day in Judaism. The marriage martyr is called a chained wife. The Hebrew word is "agunah" and continues even to this day. check it out for yourself. This IMHO it is hardness of heart. When Jesus was asked about the the Mosaic Law, I believe this is the hardness of heart He was speaking of. Not all men put away their wives and then demand money before they grant a get (divorce) paper to marry again. Jesus was not speaking to people suffering from divorce but Pharisees seeking to trip Him up concerning the Law. So we should not condemn divorce either.
Adultery, Fornication and Hardness of heart are keys to understanding.
What is hardness of heart? It is not divorce. That is my point here. Were the Jews (EZRA10:3) divorcing pagan wives because of hardness of heart? God did not divorce Israel because HE is hard hearted. Jesus gave Fornication as a reason for divorce. Fornication includes adultery. Spiritual adultery is mentioned twice as much in the Bible as physical adultery.
Looking is both physical and spiritual adultery. Pornea (fornication) has been defined as images of harlotry. And the case can be made that Porn addicts can be divorced for adultery as well.
But according to the OT Law, women could not divorce husbands. they were like the husbands property. In the beginning it was not so. In fact, in the beginning mankind was sinless until the fall. Marriage today is not made in Paradise today. And Jesus answers were not meant to be THE new commandment on marriage. :waving:
I'll repeat---God says fornication and adultery are two different sins. The modern perversions change God's word.
1Cor 6:9-10 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.
Ga 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; ADULTERY, FORNICATION, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Same act, two different classes of people commit these sins. Until you come to that determination, nothing else I say will matter.
I am divorced. Because I chose not to remain with an unrepentant adulterer.
Does this mean I'm relegated to a life of alone-ness, my children condemned to being prohibited from having a Christian male role model in their home? That anyone who marries me is an adulterer?
It is certainly a difficult topic and discussion. How is it that you read Christ's words? Mt 19:8-9 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. 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.
There may be some way to get around that, but I don't know it. Sin certainly has a price.
Well, in my case, I was the wife and he did put me away - when he chose another. I fail to see, though, how that makes me an adulteress.
If you want to read strictly, I don't see where the issue of male infidelity comes up at all.
In the passage in Matthew, I see where an unfaithful wife is an adulteress, and if she remarries she and her new husband are adulterers/fornicators. I posit that the lack of such labels being applied to the "innocent" (or not unfaithful) husband indicates that he is not an adulterer/fornicator.
I 'put away' my husband because he was unfaithful. He fornicated. He adulterated. And showed no remorse, no wish to change. No acknowledgement that it was wrong. I do not see how me finding a Godly husband now makes me an adulteress.
We like to think things should be this or that way. Perhaps we don't really understand, or don't want to understand, the true nature of God. Lu 16:18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.--This says whoever marries one who was put away commits adultery. Would this mean if you remarry, your second husband will be committing adultery?
Like I said, that's a tough spot to be in. It could easily have been me. You'll have to read it for yourself, and not listen to some modern-day slick preacher and not some shlub like me. You'll have to figure it out for yourself if you're allowed to remarry while your first husband's still alive and if God recognizes your divorce.
Yeah, I still read it as 'acceptable' in the case of infidelity. Particularly when viewed in context - they were trying to pin down Christ to take a side in the war between two leading priests. One said divorce was never acceptable, and the other said it was perfectly alright for any reason.
That "except for adultery" is an important phrase. Jesus could have left it out but didn't.
Seems like a double standard i.e. men divorcing their wives. But that may be just how it was. Under the law (of Moses) a woman was not permitted to enter any contract without a husband or a father's approval. And some tradition hold the commandment (#8) is for the woman not to commit adultery. A man could only be guilty of adultery with an others wife. And the male counterpart (#10) commandment says do not covet your neighbors wife or cow, (which ever was better looking).
The definition for adultery, as some have pointed out, is not exactly the same as fornication. Though fornication and adultery can overlap at times. Fornication includes things adultery does not and likewise adultery includes more than just physical sexual sin. Jesus was speaking about that which can kill the marriage bond. The death of a person or the death of the love for a person due to some alleged physical infidelity can result in the putting away of the "Covenant of Companionship."
But Spiritual Adultery goes farther and is mentioned more in the bible than mere physical adultery. Anything that comes between God and Man can become adulterous, even a wife. That is why Christians should marry Christians, a house divided cannot stand and how can two walk together unless they be agreed (Mk 3:25, Amos 3:3). If we choose to become one with someone we become part of their spiritual life , or lack of it. Paul addresses the question that if you are already married to an unbeliever you should stay together if possible and be a covering to them (1 Cor 7:12-16).
Their are differing views on divorce and remarriage in the church. IMO marriage requires love. If you have all the theological points acceptable for a particular doctrinal view but have not love, is it really a marriage?
Well Wednez, it doesn't say "except for adultery." It says "save for the cause of fornication," Dealing w/ the betrothal system. I know one mennonite woman who is divorced and chooses to remain single cause of this.
You ex is a unrepentant adulterer and has divorced you. According to scripture you are free to remarry. I won't bore you with the scriptures as surely you have already done a topical study on the subject. But I will say this: you are not under the Law but under Grace and lead by the Spirit. Where you stumble following the the Holy Spirit there is sufficient Grace for you. ;-)
