Can a Christian re-marry?

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I would rather be lonely the rest of my life than to lose my soul in adultery (Gal. 5:19-21). I would rather endure solitude on earth than an unlawful marriage if it means I get to be with Jesus in eternity. If remaining single is the only way to remain faithful to Christ — then so be it. No earthly companionship, no matter how comforting, is worth eternal separation from the Lord. I would rather walk this life alone being single than to walk away from Him. I would rather feel the sting of temporary loneliness than face the terror of eternal regret.
 
Blue155 said:
It would be easy if anyone could divorce and remarry and it not be classified as adultery, but man is not my Lord. Jesus is. And I must follow the words of Him on this. There have been women who I have met online who I fell in love with, but due to their divorce, I could not be with him, so it’s no point in dating anyone I cannot be with. Knowing I could not be with them hurt, not because Jesus’ words are harsh or legalistic, but because their divorce was not according to the authority of the Lord, and me being with them would be being with another’s man’s wife. To accuse one of legalism is to bind things onto others where God has not, and quite often those who bind things onto others don’t follow what they have bound. Simply repeating the Lord and following Him on what He says isn’t legalism.
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This is so WILD....

Ok...

Just out of curiosity I have questions.

So is the whole adultery thing nuanced or just flat?

If you look at a woman with lust in your heart isn't that adultery too?

And the "Put Away" wives in Malachi where God said He was going to hold the wive's adultery against the husbands who put them away....
Or how God says He hates divorce but hates abuse more?
How does that fit in with your narrative?

And you haven't said a word about the woman in John 8 or the Samaritan woman at the well. (She was just "shacked up" but used to kick off the Samaritan campaign)

How does this exactly work in your head?

Do you understand the difference between the Biblical definition of iniquity and the definition of sin?

And how is a brand new narrow legalism like this fit into the title of "Good News" when it just doesn't sound so good for how people have found a way to live life more fully and abundantly by getting married again? (Good news in my world really is good...but it sounds like you have a new set of strict rules to follow) How is telling people they are living in Adultery "Good News"? How does that attract them to actually worship God and love Him?
 
The reason why people seek loopholes to get around the plain words of Jesus on this is because they either don’t read the Bible, or they end up finding themselves (or know someone who is) in a situation that goes against what Jesus taught. So, they begin looking for an “out”, or another “exception”. The thing is Jesus already gave the exception. Who are we to say otherwise? Most people who change their views on Matthew 19:9 believed what Matthew 19:9 says until it happened to them, someone in their family, their friends, or due to wanting to be with someone whose divorce was in violation of Matthew 19:9, then all of a sudden it doesn’t mean what it says any longer.

A culture that permits divorce under its laws for any reason other than the one Christ provided ends up supporting polygamy, if not contemporaneous polygamy. We end up inviting the very things we are trying to heal when we make divorce for any reason. We encourage carelessness when it comes to marriage by providing a divorce as the solution to all marital problems. Man’s laws says to women, "You may have another spouse if your husband deserts you. Should he be unkind, you may have another. If you don't have his support, you might have another. You might have someone else if he's intoxicated. You may have another one if he is incompatible with you or causes you to be sad, and even more. In the face of all of this, will people be properly cautious about getting married if marriage is made to seem like an easy road? That is, instead of working out your problems and grow closer, just get a divorce?

Nothing in the Bible ever indicates that repentance has the power to somehow transform what was a sinful situation before repentance, into a non-sinful situation after repentance. The whole idea of repentance, according to scripture, is that we turn from the sin.
 
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A faithful servant to the King of kings won’t have any trouble serving Him in submitting to His words to avoid a sinful lifestyle (Romans 6:1, 11-22; 1 John 3:9-10). The one who has trouble submitting to His words to avoid a sinful lifestyle isn’t being faithful to the King of kings. But, with help and love from the church, there is always repentance and restoration for the one who has erred (Acts 8:22; James 5:19-20; Gal. 6:1).
 
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JohnDB said:
This is so WILD....

Ok...

Just out of curiosity I have questions.

So is the whole adultery thing nuanced or just flat?

If you look at a woman with lust in your heart isn't that adultery too?

And the "Put Away" wives in Malachi where God said He was going to hold the wive's adultery against the husbands who put them away....
Or how God says He hates divorce but hates abuse more?
How does that fit in with your narrative?

And you haven't said a word about the woman in John 8 or the Samaritan woman at the well. (She was just "shacked up" but used to kick off the Samaritan campaign)

How does this exactly work in your head?

Do you understand the difference between the Biblical definition of iniquity and the definition of sin?

And how is a brand new narrow legalism like this fit into the title of "Good News" when it just doesn't sound so good for how people have found a way to live life more fully and abundantly by getting married again? (Good news in my world really is good...but it sounds like you have a new set of strict rules to follow) How is telling people they are living in Adultery "Good News"? How does that attract them to actually worship God and love Him?
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Just fyi, here's the scripture regarding lust you mentioned above. Look at it closely. It's doesn't say "if you look at a woman with lust in your heart". It says "to lust after her". Big difference that most people get wrong. To lust after means to pursue. In other words, you're intent on acting upon it, by pursuing, not just admiring.

Mat 5:28

28But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
 
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DJT_47 said:
Just fyi, here's the scripture regarding lust you mentioned above. Look at it closely. It's doesn't say "if you look at a woman with lust in your heart". It says "to lust after her". Big difference that most people get wrong. To lust after means to pursue. In other words, you're intent on acting upon it, by pursuing, not just admiring.

Mat 5:28

28But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
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Well said.
 
DJT_47 said:
Just fyi, here's the scripture regarding lust you mentioned above. Look at it closely. It's doesn't say "if you look at a woman with lust in your heart". It says "to lust after her". Big difference that most people get wrong. To lust after means to pursue. In other words, you're intent on acting upon it, by pursuing, not just admiring.

Mat 5:28

28But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
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Ummmmm

NOPE
Because if we are to read it explicitly flatly just like the preceeding passage then your flimsy excuse falls completely apart.
Meaning just about EVERY guy on the planet has committed adultery and needs a Savior. I recommend Jesus to be that Savior.
 
Matthew 19:9

“Whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”

Driving License Analogy

“Whoever drives a vehicle, except with a valid license, and operates it on public roads breaks the law; and whoever allows an unlicensed driver to use their vehicle also breaks the law.”

Whoever divorces his wife = Whoever drives a vehicle

Except for sexual immorality = Except with a valid license

And marries another = And operates it on public roads

Commits adultery = Breaks the law

And whoever marries her who is divorced
= and whoever allows an unlicensed driver to use their vehicle

Commits adultery
= Breaks the law

Same grammatical structure
Same “whoever + action + except + action = consequence” pattern
Same seriousness
Same universality — everyone understands driving laws
Same clarity — no loopholes, no ambiguity
People twist Jesus’ words but obey simple legal rules daily

People don’t argue with the analogy.

They don’t say:

“Well maybe the DMV had a cultural context”

“Well maybe ‘license’ actually means something else in Greek”

“Well maybe grace allows driving without a license”

But when Jesus gives a clear rule with one clear exception… suddenly everything becomes a riddle. Words become “unclear, the exception becomes “mysterious”, and the teaching becomes “legalistic”.

When Jesus gives one clear rule with one clear exception, people try to escape it.
 
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JohnDB said:
Ummmmm

NOPE
Because if we are to read it explicitly flatly just like the preceeding passage then your flimsy excuse falls completely apart.
Meaning just about EVERY guy on the planet has committed adultery and needs a Savior. I recommend Jesus to be that Savior.
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Ummmm. Believe what you like, eh?
 
pearlspring said:
Is it biblical?
Let's say someone divorces due to unfaithfulness of their partner. Can they re-marry, or no?
Thanks!
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If ones husband / wife has committed adultery then one can divorce and then remarry.. And yes that's Biblical..
 
DJT_47 said:
Ummmm. Believe what you like, eh?
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That’s the gist of it. Ignore Jesus on this.. many teach. Treat His words like a buffet, they say. By no means am I saying I am perfect, as I need God’s mercy and grace all the time, but to completely twist Jesus’ words for justification in order to live in a work of the flesh, which is adultery (Galatians Chpt. 5) is something I dare not want to try.
 
DJT_47 said:
Ummmm. Believe what you like, eh?
Click to expand...
Apparently that's precisely what you two are doing with scriptures.
Two completely different hermeneutics inside of one chapter of scripture because it suits your personal theologies.
 
Blue155 said:
Matthew 19:9

“Whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”

Driving License Analogy

“Whoever drives a vehicle, except with a valid license, and operates it on public roads breaks the law; and whoever allows an unlicensed driver to use their vehicle also breaks the law.”

Whoever divorces his wife = Whoever drives a vehicle

Except for sexual immorality = Except with a valid license

And marries another = And operates it on public roads

Commits adultery = Breaks the law

And whoever marries her who is divorced
= and whoever allows an unlicensed driver to use their vehicle

Commits adultery
= Breaks the law

Same grammatical structure
Same “whoever + action + except + action = consequence” pattern
Same seriousness
Same universality — everyone understands driving laws
Same clarity — no loopholes, no ambiguity
People twist Jesus’ words but obey simple legal rules daily

People don’t argue with the analogy.

They don’t say:

“Well maybe the DMV had a cultural context”

“Well maybe ‘license’ actually means something else in Greek”

“Well maybe grace allows driving without a license”

But when Jesus gives a clear rule with one clear exception… suddenly everything becomes a riddle. Words become “unclear, the exception becomes “mysterious”, and the teaching becomes “legalistic”.

When Jesus gives one clear rule with one clear exception, people try to escape it.
Click to expand...
You are somehow believing that YOU can behave righteously.

That's a laugh.

ONLY ONE person has ever lived a righteous life and they crucified Him.

You never lived righteously before you were saved and you still have not been able to afterwards either.

That's the bare naked truth.

You cannot enter Heaven based on your lifestyle. You only can enter Heaven due to Jesus's sacrifice on the cross.

You cannot enter Heaven based on your works. Access to Heaven is a gift for whosoever believes. Whether they are remarried or not is not in the list of prerequisites.
 
GWH said:
And the sin of spiritual adultery typically occurs a long time before a legal divorce is sought.
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Absolutely.

Nobody ever wants to be in a relationship that ends in divorce. It's not pleasant for anyone involved.

This whole discussion centers upon people trying to justify their actions and seeking proof of their own self righteousness (as if they owned any).

We achieve salvation based entirely upon Jesus's gift. Not our righteousness. We can't earn our way to heaven when we have already earned Hell.

Life is complicated and messy. Nobody makes perfect decisions. And divorce situations is having to make a bunch of distasteful and impossible decisions one right after another. Then comes the extreme loneliness afterwards.

Some people just do better married than single. And it's always preferable to be remarried than to burn with lust.

Very often remarriage ends in failure as well. However, there are exceptions. And 2 life partners that value God and church life tends to be the huge difference between success and failure. Because Church involved lives tend to not divorce. Only maybe 10%.

Most people simply don't go to church. That why the raw stats are so high with failure rates for 2nd and 3rd marriages. And many feel excommunicated from church for having been divorced to start with. Which is precisely what they really need after being divorced. It's like the real cure for a divorce is rejecting them instead of embracing them.
 
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pearlspring said:
Is it biblical?
Let's say someone divorces due to unfaithfulness of their partner. Can they re-marry, or no?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Why would a person in the first century (or today) want to re-marry after a divorce?
Should those goals be drivers of a Christian's choices and behaviour?
Can any I goals in re-marrying be achieved without re-marrying?
Does re-marrying close the door on any higher goals than the goals one has in re-marrying?
 
Blue155 said:
But when Jesus gives a clear rule with one clear exception… suddenly everything becomes a riddle. Words become “unclear, the exception becomes “mysterious”, and the teaching becomes “legalistic”.

When Jesus gives one clear rule with one clear exception, people try to escape it.
Click to expand...

Worth repeating.
 
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