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This week, we continue the series of questions asked by our readers. From time to time, I will be answering a question that has been submitted.
It was asked: "If a person is unscripturally married, must they formally divorce, or can they just separate (not live together and not have sex with each other)?"
Answer: Before answering this question it is necessary that we examine briefly what God says about divorce and remarriage. The Bible teaches that there is only one reason for a divorce. In Matthew 19:9, we read,
"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."
The only two reasons for a remarriage is if the divorce was for adultery (Mark 10:11-12) and if either the husband or wife passes away from this life (Romans 7:1-3). It cannot be severed by any other means. Now that we have an understanding of what God says about divorce and remarriage, let us apply these passages to this question.
The husband and wife in the question above are unscripturally married. This is an established fact from the verses that we have read. The question remains, then, should a husband and wife who are unscripturally married get a divorce or separate? According to passages such as Matthew 19:9 and Mark 10:11-12, they must get a divorce. It matters not whether the couple was unscripturally married before or after baptism. The marriage was still considered abominable in the eyes of God.
Neither baptism nor repentance through prayer alone as can make an unscriptural marriage right in the sight of God. Therefore, the faith of those who remain in an unscriptural marriage, whether as new born babes in Christ or mature Christians, is dead, for "faith without works is dead," (James 2:20). James in verse 26 further states
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Ira Mikell
ira@thechristianexaminer.com
Today we will examine another question posed from one of our readers.
It was asked: If a person was unscripturally divorced, but their ex-spouse is dead, can they scripturally marry again?
Answer: This question poses some difficulty because of the two-sided nature of the situation. Jesus is clear in Matthew 19:9 that divorce for any cause save sexual immorality is not valid in the eyes of God, and anyone who would remarry in such a state would be committing adultery. Yet we have the witness of Paul in Romans 7:2-3:
For the woman that hath a husband is bound by law to the husband while he liveth; but if the husband die, she is discharged from the law of the husband. So then if, while the husband liveth, she be joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if the husband die, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be joined to another man.
Can this principle be applied to an unscripturally divorced couple? I believe that it can, since no marriage covenant can extend beyond the grave. This allowance, however, does not come without restriction. We must also take into consideration the "heart" of the individual in this situation. He must be truly repentant about the divorce, acknowledging its error, and must be deeply sorry for its occurrence, for otherwise this man is in sin. The mentality that some of those who are unscripturally divorced, that "well, I've waited out the 'old hag,' so I can remarry now," does not demonstrate a repentant attitude nor a desire for the sin to be forgiven. The marriage covenant may not extend beyond the grave, but the sins committed within that covenant surely do, unless they are repented of.
I hope that this provides some insight into the question asked.
Ethan R. Longhenry
ethan@thechristianexaminer.com
www.deusvitae.com
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