Bible Question:
Mark 10 2Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" 3"What did Moses command you?" he replied. 4They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away." 5"It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied. 6"But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.'[1] 7'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,[2] 8and the two will become one flesh.'[3] So they are no longer two, but one. 9Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." 10When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery." Question: Let me ask my question again by giving hypothetical names. Philip married Grace in a Church according to the rules of the Bible. Philip left Grace against the will of Grace. Philip had a daughter through Grace and the daughter died. Grace, then left Philip. Now, Philip married Sherly in the church. Grace, then had no other go, than to marry another man, so she married Matthew. Now, Philip and Shirly have a son. Grace and Matthew have a son, too. Philip and Shirly are leading a happy married life for the last 12 years. Likewise, Grace and Matthew are leading a happy married life 12 years. Now no one has grievances against any one. But, Now me let know, according to Bible, Is Philip living in Adultery? Likewise is Grace living in Adultery? If so, what is the solution? How to overcome this situation. One sister got annoyed with me, for asking this question. I am not trying to blame Bible or anybody here. I wanted a clear answer to this problem. |
Bible Answer: Ok, I now get the question. First of all there are messy situations like this all over the USA in Christian Churches. Christians are breaking the Covenant they made to each other and God. There is no other way to put it, that is sin. Not to be taken lightly. Sadly we have some very liberal, weak willed pastors, that marry Christians in this type of situation with no problem at all. To marry a Christian that was not divorced on Biblical grounds is wrong. When a couple comes for marriage counseling the pastor needs to ask if either have an ex unmarried spouse. If one or both say yes then there other steps. I would speak to the divorced one and say that they are bound by their covenant to God to rerunite or remain single. Now comes the sneaky part. One says this is not fair to me that he or she did this or that and justifies why they can remarry some one else. With that then the other is free to remarry, because you can not remarry an ex who has married some one else. I am firmly convienced if pastors were very direct and worked with the divorced one and the ex they might well restore that union and honnor their covenant with God and each other. I have told several couples in simular situations that I could not marry them because scripture forbade it. Now I have married divorced Christians that had very Biblical reasons. But I have insisted on Christian Psychological counseling by a Christian PHD. Only if there was deffinate reason to believe this person had dealt with their part of the first failure, whether through forgiveness or facing their faults. Then would we enter marriage counseling. Second marriages have a very high rate of failure, much more than first marriages. So in your story Philip and Shirly were wrong to marry.The Pastor will answer for his part in allowing this marriage. Now if or when Philip and Shirly become convicted of their sin then 1 John 1:9 is their answer. To confess it to God. The rest is God's to forgive. Perhaps Philip and Sherily need to go to Grace and ask for forgivness, that would be in order. For a more complete scriptual understanding read ! Corinthians chapters 6 and 7. I am not sure is most Cristians understand what a covenant is. When I came to realize what it meant to be in a covenant marriage it so overwhelmed me! I was very sobered by how many of us, in positions of, marring couples in a Holy Union with the two of them and God have failed our responsibilities before God. For me it has been a heavy burden to hear when couple I married has divorced. I feel very broken hearted. Now, if I feel this hurt, hows our Father God feel? I have spoken the truth as the Word of God says. I have deep sympathy for couples who have messed up, and I grieve for anyone in that situation. But God so loves His children He forgives when true confession of sin is made. Sometimes we can not go back and make things right. With Gods mercy and Grace we all must run the race we have set before us. Romans 8:28 to 39, gives us the fact that nothing can separate from the Love of God. Peace be with with you. agape, justme |