Results 1 - 7 of 7
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | I'm confused about salvation | Matt 19:9 | JuanMas | 114360 | ||
I appreciate your explanation but please explain something to me. What's confusing to me is the notion of forgiveness. Why would Jesus say that "he who marries her who is divorced commits adultery"? (Mat 19:9). He even told the adulterous wife to "go and sin no more". I don't believe Jesus was inconsistent during his ministry. What he said early on was not contradicted by what he said later. My observation has been that from a practical perspective, many Christians find themselves caught in what I refer to as the "cycle of sin". This cycle consists of committing a sin, praying for forgiveness, living ok for a while then sinning again - repeating the cycle. An example of this is the "pedofile priest" situation in the Catholic Church. A priest commits a sin; is admonished; he prays for forgiveness; resumes his Church duties and ultimately sins again - thus repeating the cycle. Under the notion of forgiveness, it is said that you "become a new creature". But unfortunately in my opinion, some have taken this "too literally" and that's why the "pedofile priests" have been able to continue the "cycle of sin". So I'm confused. Why did Jesus state these rules for living if he knew you would not be held accountable? Is there a limit to the "cycle of sin"? How many times can one "knowingly" sin, seek forgiveness, et al and get a way with it? In the senario presented, my interpretation would have been that the "illegally" divorced wife would be required to follow 1 Cor 7:10-11. Mat 19:9 clearly states that "anyone who marries her who is divorced commits adultery". So in the situation in which one commits the sin anyway, what should one do? Go and sin no more! My understanding(?) is that receiving salvation wipes away the sin - puts you in a restored state prior to the sin. So in this case,"go and sin no more" would mean remain single or reconcile to your husband. If you become a widow in the mean time, you will be free to remarry. I would also hope that your husband would be willing to reconcile with you and end the state of adultery he is in. Some will say that this is harsh. However, my response would be to say "Just because your husband sinned doesn't mean that you have to sin also and risk your salvation". Or as others have put it, "Two wrongs don't make a right". If Jesus sacrificed his life for you, the least you can do is make the necessary sacrifices to remain righteous. |
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2 | I'm confused about salvation | Matt 19:9 | tortoise | 114364 | ||
Hi JuanMas, Matthew 19:9 says "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery." This is sometimes called the exception clause, giving a person Biblical grounds for divorce. The 1 Cor 7:10-15 passage is very good because it is addressed specifically to the church, but it doesn't contradict what Jesus said above. However if there is NO adultery and they get divorced and then get remarried they commit adultery along with whomever marries them. Divorce, however, is not the unforgivable sin. Christians sometimes sin and have to ask for forgiveness, but we generally can and do live apart from immorality, greed and a few other sins that would require sanction by the church body. And God will also chastise us for sin, Heb 12. But, the Bible also teaches that a person who does not demonstrate a walk of godliness probably has what James refers to in Chapter 2 as a "dead faith" or they claim to be a Christian but they really are not. Such a person has never really believed in Jesus Christ to the saving of their soul. As Jesus told them in John 8:44, "You are of your father the devil". I hope this answers your question. tortoise |
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3 | I'm confused about salvation | Matt 19:9 | JuanMas | 114709 | ||
Thank you for your response. On previous posts I have noted how some Christians use 1 Cor 7:15 as justification for remarrying inspite of Mat 19:9. Specifically, they arbitrarily declare the Christian spouse initiating the "illegal" divorce as an "unbeliever". Then they apply 1 Cor 7:15 to justify the "innocent" spouse remarrying. In my humble opinion, this is simply "an end around play" to circumvent Mat 19:9 and 1 Cor 7:10-11. I'm not saying that those who do this are malicious in their intent. They truly believe that they are correct in their actions. The blue-print for marriage found in the Bible does work. Unfortunately, it is being adulterated by those who "should" know better but spread misinformation anyway. |
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4 | I'm confused about salvation | Matt 19:9 | tortoise | 114754 | ||
Hi JuanMas, I'm not sure what you mean when you say some Christians circumvent Mt 19:9. What in Mt 19:9 is being circumvented? Your refer to 1 Cor 7:10-11, I don't see too many women withdrawing from the relationship and not getting involved with someone else. The women who leave usually just go right out and sin. I haven't seen to many cases where the woman leaves and remains pure, and then the man (who was left) divorces her. If the woman was faithful to God, if see left, she would remain uninvolved with other men and would stay that way forever. But then the man doesn't want to play the separation game so he breaks the covenant by being unfaithful. He was suppose to work on himself and return. It seems like either one or the other doesn't follow the Biblical guidelines and trashes the marriage. When people stop trying things go down hill fast. tortoise |
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5 | I'm confused about salvation | Matt 19:9 | JuanMas | 114800 | ||
The purpose of declaring a man an "unbeliever", who "illegally" divorces his wife, is so that the wife can use 1 Cor 7:15 to marry someone else - thus circumventing Mat 19:9. An "illegal" divorce is one that occurs for a reason other than "unfaithfullness". The portion of Mat 19:9 that is being circumvented is: "... and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.". If the wife can declare her ex-husband an unbeliever, there are those who believe she can exercise the escape clause in 1 Cor 7:15 ("Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace.") and remarry without sin. I've always said "Two Wrongs don't make a Right". In the case cited, a wife should follow 1 Cor 7:10-11 (".. remain unmarried or reconcile to her husband"). But instead, risks her salvation by committing sin - perhaps out of vengence. The bottom line is still the same - one person's sin causes that of another. Mat 5:32 said so: "but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery". It is my opinion, after examining the factual evidence, that the "Biblical" blueprint for marriage has been long abandoned and adulterated. Unfortuntely some of our spiritual leaders have unwittingly(?) contributed to this problem through their ministries and their actions. The part |
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6 | I'm confused about salvation | Matt 19:9 | tortoise | 114861 | ||
I think if a woman separates from her husband and does not have biblical grounds for divorce, but does not "remain unmarried or reconcile to her husband" but joins herself to another man that that woman may very well not be saved at all. She may have a "said faith" or a "dead faith" as talked about in James Chapter 2. I don't get upset when I see this going on because there are a lot of people in churhes that have never been born again. Like the saying goes, "just because you are in a garage it does not make you a car". I believe that someone who has the Spirit of the living God on the inside will be far removed from all that stuff going on in the world. But there are a lot of people who flatter themselves by thinking that they are Christians. Come judgement I will not be surprised to hear Jesus say, "away from me all you who work iniquity". |
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7 | I'm confused about salvation | Matt 19:9 | justme | 115143 | ||
tortoise: I made a note to JaumMas, and you may find it of interest to you as well. This chain started from a note he sent to me from a note I posted in June of 2002. After reading my response to Jaun please feel free to let me know your opinion. Blessings. justme |
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