I have a question for those who may be able to share their wisdom.
My first wife divorced me. Because of her actions, I was scripturally permitted to remarry. (That's all I need to say).
My second wife divorced me and there was no evidence of infidelity. She literally left and never spoke to me again. There was not even a conversation in which I was allowed to process this decision with her. I had to do so alone. I am unaware of her ever moving on or being with anyone else afterwards. For four years, I waited for her to see if she would repent and reconcile our Biblical marriage and she never did. I eventually gave up waiting and believing that she ever would.
I started a Bible study in my home two years ago and I invited my mail carrier. She showed up every week, and we became close friends. She has a daughter in the same grade of high school as my daughter. I became very close to her and her daughter and helped them through some difficult times and vice versa. Even though she grew to love me, I refused to get into a relationship with her because I wasn't sure if it was right given the circumstances surrounding my second divorce (i.e. there were no scriptural grounds for divorce per our Lord Jesus Christ.)
My second wife left me in a position in which she abandoned me and divorced me without infidelity. Am I scripturally free to marry this other woman?
Yes,
But I'm going to give you a HUGE caution.
Your "picker" is broken.
You have admittedly picked out two different women to marry and have suffered heartbreak because of your choices.
What is so different about this woman from the two previous women?
How have you changed since your two failed marriages? (include the bad stuff too as these details are more important than positive changes).
I'm not disparaging this woman you have gotten close to. Far from it. But by your statements she also has had poor choices in men.
There's a LOT of baggage you both bring to the table in a union. And no matter how much you both want to lose it....BOTH end up in the lost luggage reclaim yard from time to time. There's also children brought into this by YOUR choices and none of theirs.
⅔rds (65%)of second marriages fail. ¾ (75%) of 3rd marriages fail. (Rough numbers but really close since I last looked at the study)
The REAL question is not the Biblical legality but the sanity of doing so.
I'm not saying it will end up in disaster....not saying it won't either. And it's not that I don't want you to be happy.
The ego stroke of some positive romantic relationship stuff is soooo attractive after a LONG period of nothing but negative....it's completely addictive.
Ask your friends what they think. (Ones that will tell you the truth instead of what you want to hear)