Can A Person Get Married After a Divorce and still not commit adultery as written in Luke 16:18?

[KPaulG]

Welcome.

[Gibbus]

On 7/27/2018 at 3:43 AM, gordon002 said:

The Bible says:

“Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

--Luke 16:18

So we are talking about this verse. We're not trying to judge someone FYI. Just the exact Word from the Lord. So we know this Christian woman, who's previously married to a Japanese guy in Japan way back the time she's not yet a Christian. It was a fixed marriage. But the fact that it's a "marriage" we can't ignore the fact that the person got married to someone. Although she claimed that there was never a time they had some sexual contact. Then the woman divorced the man and went back to the country. And here she got to know the Lord and got into a relationship with a man who also happens to be a Christian. The pastor of that Church acknowledge them as a "couple" and even though that the papers of the woman are still not validated in the country (since the country doesn't support divorce) and the pastor doesn't have the "license" yet to marry this couple, she still did it. The pastor's stand is that the license is not important and the "marriage papers" are not important what matters most is that they are loving each other. That church acknowledges them as "married couple" because of that. Fast forward years later they had a son, (even though they aren't married via papers until this time). 

Question: 

• Are these people committing adultery? 
• Can we bend the word of the Lord just because we see them in-love w/ each other? 
• Does the pastor make a good decision in claiming that the "license" and "marriage papers" are not important? 
• Should the church acknowledge them as "married couple"?
• And even if they really got married with proper procedures would that erase the fact that they are committing "adultery" as stated in the Word?

Really curious about your answers. 
 

1. The Marriage wasn't consummated between those individuals, it was forced or imposed.  (It was never a marriage to begin with ... it was an arrangement like a business).

2. The Marriage was consummated between those individuals, over time, one of those individuals, changes the marriage relationship, or the marriage relationship can't be maintained in a clean way (your to put away unclean things) (its an arrangement like a business, then it cannot be a marriage)

 

In case number 2 the gospel condones divorce.  There are some tribes removed from the book of revelation, that is the short and clear answer.

 

Long Answer

 

(having someone do what you told them to do, just run a business) Don't have Sexual Contact, Don't have money or material things, the list goes on.  That person had an agenda, so it was never a marriage to begin with, it was a business.  (Taking advantage of a person, abusing that person, male or female, is not a biblical grounds for divorce, your just put away in adultery) (The Gospel is not a law of suffering, pain or inconvenience, or profit).

In this particular case of your statement, the legal system has to make the decision, even if God does not identify with it, it is not a "blessed or righteous" decision for the people, considering the facts of the law (s).

[Willa]

If you were married to an unbeliever and they chose not to remain with you, you can divorce and remarry according to 1 Corinthians.

1Co 7:10  But to the married people I give charge—not I but the Lord—that the wife is not to separate from her husband.

1Co 7:11  But if she does [separate from and divorce him], let her remain single or else be reconciled to her husband. And [I charge] the husband [also] that he should not put away or divorce his wife.

1Co 7:12  To the rest I declare—I, not the Lord [for Jesus did not discuss this]—that if any brother has a wife who does not believe [in Christ] and she consents to live with him, he should not leave or divorce her.

1Co 7:13  And if any woman has an unbelieving husband and he consents to live with her, she should not leave or divorce him.

1Co 7:14  For the unbelieving husband is set apart (separated, withdrawn from heathen contamination, and affiliated with the Christian people) by union with his consecrated (set-apart) wife, and the unbelieving wife is set apart and separated through union with her consecrated husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean (unblessed heathen, outside the Christian covenant), but as it is they are prepared for God [pure and clean].

1Co 7:15  But if the unbelieving partner [actually] leaves, let him do so; in such [cases the remaining] brother or sister is not morally bound. But God has called us to peace.

Welcome to Worthy, gordon.

[GandalfTheWise]

On 7/27/2018 at 2:43 AM, gordon002 said:

The Bible says:

“Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

--Luke 16:18

So we are talking about this verse. We're not trying to judge someone FYI. Just the exact Word from the Lord. So we know this Christian woman, who's previously married to a Japanese guy in Japan way back the time she's not yet a Christian. It was a fixed marriage. But the fact that it's a "marriage" we can't ignore the fact that the person got married to someone. Although she claimed that there was never a time they had some sexual contact. Then the woman divorced the man and went back to the country. And here she got to know the Lord and got into a relationship with a man who also happens to be a Christian. The pastor of that Church acknowledge them as a "couple" and even though that the papers of the woman are still not validated in the country (since the country doesn't support divorce) and the pastor doesn't have the "license" yet to marry this couple, she still did it. The pastor's stand is that the license is not important and the "marriage papers" are not important what matters most is that they are loving each other. That church acknowledges them as "married couple" because of that. Fast forward years later they had a son, (even though they aren't married via papers until this time). 

Question: 

• Are these people committing adultery? 
• Can we bend the word of the Lord just because we see them in-love w/ each other? 
• Does the pastor make a good decision in claiming that the "license" and "marriage papers" are not important? 
• Should the church acknowledge them as "married couple"?
• And even if they really got married with proper procedures would that erase the fact that they are committing "adultery" as stated in the Word?

Really curious about your answers. 
 

Some Christians take verses like Luke 16:18 as literal binding commands in all situations to be applied without mercy or dissent by all Christians and view it as a public ongoing sin that must be dealt with.  Other Christians take verses such as this as an ideal expression of marriage that anything other than a one-flesh lifetime relationship is falling short, and then apply grace and forgiveness in some manner to redeem the existing situation as best as possible.  

The questions I see is things like these for those around this couple in the church.  Does the son get treated as illegitimate and put under a stigma for life?  Is it forbidden that he ever have any siblings?  Should his parents separate/divorce and he move back with his mother to Japan to find the first arranged marriage?  Is this an ongoing sin for which the man, woman, and child be put out from the church if they refuse to separate?   Does this family get treated as forgiven with a clean slate and given encouragement and support to grow?   Some Christians see the highest priority as following verses such as Luke 16:18 to the letter and their logical conclusion is that it is ongoing adultery that must be stopped at all costs (or the couple put out of the church as unrepentant sinners).  Other Christians see the highest priority as redeeming the current situation, forgiving the past, and letting the family move forward to grow spiritually without stigma.  Some Christians are convinced that this is impossible;  others are convinced that God's grace can cover anything.

For many Christians this is a no compromise situation.  Some would see this situation as an affront to God and the church that must be dealt with and resolved within the letter of verses such as Luke 16:18 with no compromise or pity to the child.  They are shocked that some Christians would allow the adultery to continue.  Others see the current marriage between two Christians as also being a one-flesh life-time relationship that should not be broken and should be supported.  They are shocked that some Christians would advocate breaking up the only Christian family that this child knows.  

The choice ends up boiling down to this, one either works to actively discourage or break up the current relationship because they are convinced it is an ongoing sin;  or one actively works to help make this relationship as strong as possible going forward because they are convinced God has forgiven the original situation and created a spiritually clean slate to move forward from.   The two sides often vehemently disagree over this.

In practice, what usually happens is this.  Couples in this situation usually end up in a church and surrounded by Christians that view their current situation as redeemable and forgivable.  Couples in this situation surrounded by people who view them as active sinners will usually leave that fellowship (whether voluntarily or not) and find a different one.

[enoob57]

Because Jesus and the church are considered in the marriage relationship ... I would suspect a really different alignment of thought here! God hates divorce... I for one am glad of this  

[Fidei Defensor]

The question is this, are we suppose to turn what Jesus said here into a law or is Jesus using an extreme statement to curb “I divorce thee, I divorce thee, I divorce thee,” tendency of men to get a younger prettier wife on their own whims. Is Jesus addressing the coldness of the men’s hearts or is he setting up a new law? Remember the divorce parameters Jesus is discussing is with the men, not the women. I will not influence you to decide with the Holy Spirit ‘s discernment what is meant: law or curbing an abusive nature on men at the time of picking new wives and casting aside old ones. 

I will say tha the Apostle says, “He has qualified us [making us sufficient] as ministers of a new covenant [of salvation through Christ], not of the letter [of a written code] but of the Spirit; for the letter [of the Law] kills [by revealing sin and demanding obedience], but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3:6) and sis Jesus come with law?, “Moses came with the law, Jesus came with grace and Truth.” (John 1:17). Christ often rebuked uneven interpretations and contended with harsh teaching, “They (Pharisees, religious leaders) crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden,” (Matthew 23:4), and, “Jesus said, Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:29). Ask Jesus to teach you and the Holy Spirit to show you the truth and proper interpretation in this area.