divorce and remarriage cancer worse than corona

[vic66]

source: marriagedivorce.com/article.html

TWO  BASIC  ETHICAL  QUESTIONS  ASKED  BY  CHRISTIANS
In discussing the subject of divorce, Christians find themselves asking two important questions:
1. Is a Christian ever justified in seeking divorce? 2. Once divorced, may a Christian re-marry?
In an attempt to answer these important questions, we submit the following:
The Three Main Schools of thought amongst Christians on the subject of Divorce and ReMarriage are:

Position 1
If one of the partners in the marriage bond is guilty of adultery then on the authority of Matthew 5:31,32 and Matthew 19:1-9, the innocent party has Scriptural grounds for divorce and subsequent remarriage. However, if the guilty party repents and seeks forgiveness, then forgiveness should be extended, and every endeavor should be made to re-build the marriage relationship.

Position 2
If one of the partners in the marriage bond is repeatedly guilty of adultery, and seems to be unrepentant and not willing to change, then forgiveness should be granted but reconciliation is not expected.  The innocent party, in this instance, has Scriptural grounds for divorce and remarriage on the authority of Matthew 5:31,32 and Matthew 19:1-9.
We at High Calling Ministries NZ hold to the following position:

Position 3
If one or both of the partners in the marriage bond are guilty of adultery, this does not give the innocent or guilty parties Scriptural grounds for divorce.  Marriage is to be regarded as a binding life-long covenant, which can only be terminated by the death of one of the partners.
Contrary to popular opinion, none of the following are Biblical grounds for divorce:
             *  Adultery                                       * Homosexuality
             *  Fornication                                   *  Abuse
             *  Unfaithfulness                              *  Alcoholism
             *  Desertion                                      *  Prostitution
             *  Cruelty                                          *  Insanity
             *  Sodomy                                         Etc………….
The marriage vows made to each other before many witnesses, the minister and God, are binding and hold each other accountable for better for worse, till death do us part. Each partner in this marriage bond is to realize that, as opposed to being a contract which has escape clauses and penalty clauses; marriage is a sacred covenant which binds the couple together with an unbreakable vow made to God.
The Exception Clause
The references in Matthew 5:31,32 and Matthew 19:1-9, when read in the NIV Bible and many other versions, state that marital unfaithfulness is Biblical grounds for divorce. This is deduced from the clause in the King James and other older versions, where the wording read “except it be for fornication”.  The NIV translators considered this to be equivalent to “marital unfaithfulness”, which is not an accurate translation of the original Greek text.  The Greek word Porneia means fornication (i.e. pre-marital sexual relationships).

The Biblical  Hebrew Custom
When culturally understood this phrase “except it be for fornication”, refers to the Hebrew custom of courtship/engagement before marriage and allows for breaking the “engagement” in the event of fornication (i.e. pre-marital sexual relationships).  This is the position that Joseph and Mary found themselves in, as recorded in Matthew 1:18-20. Joseph was espoused (or engaged) to Mary and before they came together in marriage, she was found to be pregnant.  Joseph thus contemplated exercising his legal rights to put his wife away by giving her a bill of divorcement.  In the Hebrew customs, she was considered to be his wife during the time of the binding epousal period, even though they had not officially come together in the covenant of marriage.
The exception clause is only found in Matthew’s gospel, as this was written primarily to Jewish believers, and is regarded as the Kingdom Gospel.  Mark 10:10-12 and Luke 16:18 address the subject of divorce and re-marriage, but do not include the exception clause.  The reason for this is that both Mark and Luke were written with more Gentile readership in mind than Matthew’s gospel.  In the ancient Greek/Gentile and Modern Western cultures we do not adhere to the 9 to 12 month’s bind espousal period and thus, the gospels of Mark and Luke naturally omit the exception clause, as it is irrelevant.

Further Biblical Explanation about Betrothal/Espousal
Betrothal/Espousal -Divorce of a betrothed wife. 
Betrothal among the Jews in Biblical times took place nine to twelve months before marriage.  The bride being in all respects bound as a wife, she could be freed only by death or divorce, under the same divorce laws as the married woman.

During the espousal period of between nine to twelve months before the marriage proper took place, the woman who was betrothed or espoused was regarded as the man’s wife, and he as her husband, even though they had not sexually come together or made their marriage vows.
Deuteronomy 22:23 (Sleeping with a betrothed/espoused damsel was regarded as with  sleeping with another man’s wife).

Matthew 1: 18-21  (Mary was only betrothed/espoused to Joseph when she was found pregnant.  They were not properly married and thus, according to Hebrew custom he could put away his espoused wife by giving her a writing of divorcement.                                      

Death (not divorce) was the penalty for adultery in Old Testament times.
Leviticus 20: 10  (A man committing adultery with another man’s wife must be put to death). Leviticus 18: 20  (Adultery defiles a man and makes him ritually unclean) Deuteronomy 22: 22 (A man and a woman committing adultery: both must die)

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

Edited July 5, 2020 by vic66

[Fidei Defensor]

Christ certainly said you could divorce over adultery: 

“And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” (Matthew 19:9) 

“But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” (Matthew 5:32) 

Now sexual immorality is broader and would allow a person to divorcr if s husband decided to chsnge gender or a wife became lesbian.

i would also say physical abuse is grounds for divorce because a man whi o beat his wife would have been stoned to death. 

The apostle Paul states if a unbelieving spouses leaves, that is grounds for swversnce, “But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace.” (1 Corinthians 7:15). For it is not good to be yoked to unbelibers, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness.” (2 Corinthians 6:14). 

The Apostle Paul says if your partner dies you are free from law of marriage, “For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage.” (Romans 7:2). Which sounds like hrounds to remmary. 

Edited July 4, 2020 by Fidei Defensor

[vic66]

source: marriagedivorce.com/article.html

 

Trying to justify what God has condemned!
Often Christians will endeavor to vigorously defend their marital position by justifying their remarrying whilst their previous partner is still alive.  To do this they will use Scriptural references that often center around God’s mercy and forgiveness.  They will say something like this “When I confessed my sin, God’s mercy was extended to me and it is forgiven and all under the Blood”.  I am now a new creature in Christ Jesus.  To this we would add:  If we want to stay under the grace of God and thereby enjoy the mercy of God we need to be balancing mercy with truth, like two oars of a boat.  Proverbs 3: 3 says “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart”.  Using God’s mercy to cover our willful disobedience to God’s word is only presuming upon the Grace of God.  Paul challenges the Christians at Rome with this searching question:
“What shall we say then?  Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” God forbid……..”      Romans 6: 1,2
We must never substitute a prayer of justification for an act of obedience. Always make your commitment because it is right, not because it is easy!

 

 

Edited July 4, 2020 by vic66

[vic66]

 

source: marriagedivorce.com/article.html

Two Rabbinical Schools of Thought The post-Old Testament writings of the rabbis shed some light on the divorce issue. Two schools of thought emerged concerning the grounds for divorce. Rabbi Shammai restricted divorce to causes of adultery – causative, but a liberalization of the Mosaic Law.  Following Deuteronomy 23:1-4, this school believed that finding some uncleanness in her or something that greatly displeased him gave the right to give the wife a writing of divorcement and put her away. Rabbi Hillel allowed divorce for almost any grievance no matter how trivial.  For instance, if a wife was found speaking to another man in the street or if she burnt the food, forgot to salt it, or if he happened to find another woman more beautiful than her, he could give her writing of divorcement and put her away. God Hates Divorce Because marriage is a binding covenant, entered into by two individuals (male and female), which can only be terminated by death, God says that He hates divorce.  Hear also what he says in Malachi about the marriage covenant and the mystery of becoming one flesh:                “… the Lord is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.  Has not the Lord made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his.  And why one?  Because he was seeking godly offspring.  So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.  “I hate divorce,” says the Lord God of Israel….”   Malachi 2: 14-16 (NIV). Cutting a head off the Body!
Following the analogy of Eph 5: 21-33, where the husband is the head of the wife and the wife represents the body: then divorce depicts cutting a head off the body or severing a body from the head, and is seen as “murder in the sight of God.

[vic66]

Count the Cost

By Pastor Dana Hartong

 

“Dad, is there ANY scripture you can find in the Word of God that would allow us to give our blessing to my father-in-law’s up-coming marriage to a divorced woman?” That was the question that started me on the journey to find the truth about this issue.

We had lived in Indiana, and the church in which I was ordained did not allow us to remarry divorced people. So, I had never really faced the question until we moved from that state. Since it was now my own decision to remarry couples, I did so, accepting the teaching about the innocent party.

Now God started me on a quest for the truth. I went to my knees, searched the Scriptures, and hardly ate or slept while God taught me. The truth is, according to Malachi 2:13 through 16, God says He won’t accept their offerings anymore. Why? - Because they have dealt treacherously with the wife of their youth who is the wife of their covenant. God says HE HATES divorce and they have wearied Him by saying everyone who does evil is good in His sight and He delighted in them. If we are to love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind, why would we want to do something He hates?

I have always believed the plain words were the main words. If Scripture is not plain it leaves room for man to manipulate the Word, and manipulate they have.

Jesus says in Luke 16:18: “Whosoever (same whosoever used in John 3:16) putteth away his wife and marrieth another, committeth (ongoing) adultery, (if God didn’t consider the man and woman still married it wouldn’t be considered adultery, it would be fornication) and whosoever (same as John 3:16) marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery. THOSE ARE PLAIN WORDS!

Jesus says in Mark 10:11,12:  “Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband AND be married to another, she committeth adultery. THOSE ARE PLAIN WORDS!

Paul tells us in Romans 7:2-3 that if a woman marries another man while her husband is alive, she SHALL (a command) be called an adulteress though she be married to another man. THOSE ARE PLAIN WORDS!

The Scripture that is unclear to most Christians is Matthew 5 and Matthew 19 about remarriage. Instead of searching out the background of this Scripture which uses the word fornication instead of adultery, Pastors have taken it as a carte blanche to remarry divorced members of their church and to divorce and remarry themselves. Now Christians find themselves in the position of being less forgiving of their mates than non-Christians. The divorce rate in America is over 50% while among Christian believers it is approximately 60%. Shouldn’t, at the very least, those stats be reversed? When it comes to remarriage, according to a 2002 study by the Center for Disease Prevention, among women age 14-44, 82% of Fundamentalist  Christians are most likely to remarry within ten years of divorce, while in ten years 66% of non-religious people are likely to remarry. The Word says in Matthew 6:15 that if we don’t forgive others, God won’t forgive us. So, where does this leave us?  Since divorce is an act of unforgiveness, it follows that we have a problem receiving God’s forgiveness.

We were privileged to travel to the Holy Land and while there, a Jewish guide explained Matthew 5 and 19 to us. Matthew was written to the Jews, who had the custom of arranging marriages.  The father of the groom paid the bride price, struck hands with the father of the bride and the marriage was a done deal. But the marriage was not consummated until the night of the wedding feast, usually at least a year after the fathers’ arrangement. This was to prove her virginity. If there was no blood on the marriage sheet from breaking the hymen, she was not considered a virgin but was considered a fornicator and her husband could put her away (divorce her).  That is why Matthew 5 and 19 say fornication. It was written to the Jews in accord with their customs.

Joseph chose to put Mary away quietly before the Angel told him to not be afraid to take her as his wife. In Jesus’ time the Jews didn’t divorce because of adultery, because adulterers were stoned and then the “innocent” party was free to remarry. God says in Mark 10:8 that “They twain shall be one flesh so that they are NO MORE twain (two), but one flesh. In other words He makes you one and you will NEVER AGAIN be two. I had to ask God to forgive me for remarrying divorced people and going against His Word.

We have a ministry called “New Hope for Broken Marriages” which came about because of my wife and I going through the valley and almost divorcing. Then I believed like a lot of Pastors and Christians believe today. I could divorce her and God would forgive me and it would be under the blood. I found out later no sin is under the Blood if it isn’t confessed and relinquished. You have to ADMIT IT AND QUIT IT! Christians today in the churches don’t find it hard to admit it but they find it very hard to quit it.

The number of pastors divorcing their wives is appalling. My only conclusion is that they don’t believe God’s Word to be true. It’s the old story of the frog in the boiling water. It’s not too bad in the beginning, but by the time the water is boiling, it’s too late. I plead with pastors and pastors’ wives to COUNT THE COST. Not only do they put themselves in danger of missing Heaven (no adulterers will enter Heaven), but they endanger all who follow their teaching, and as Pastors, will be held responsible.

PLEASE PASTORS, COUNT THE COST!

THE PRICE IS TOO HIGH TO BE WRONG!

 

Signed,
Pastor Dana Hartong

 

Copyright© 2003 by Rev. Dana and Val Hartong.  All rights reserved except as noted below.

This article was written for Theological Foundations Ministries at www.marriagedivorce.com for purposes of publication on its web sites. It may be reproduced for non-commercial reasons by others provided it is copied as is, and is unaltered in anyway whatsoever and this full copyright notice is included in all copies.

[vic66]

10 hours ago, Fidei Defensor said:

Christ certainly said you could divorce over adultery: 

“And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” (Matthew 19:9) 

“But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” (Matthew 5:32) 

Now sexual immorality is broader and would allow a person to divorcr if s husband decided to chsnge gender or a wife became lesbian.

i would also say physical abuse is grounds for divorce because a man whi o beat his wife would have been stoned to death. 

The apostle Paul states if a unbelieving spouses leaves, that is grounds for swversnce, “But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace.” (1 Corinthians 7:15). For it is not good to be yoked to unbelibers, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness.” (2 Corinthians 6:14). 

The Apostle Paul says if your partner dies you are free from law of marriage, “For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage.” (Romans 7:2). Which sounds like hrounds to remmary. 

If you unbelieving spouse leave you are free but you must remain single in accord with luke16:18, 

Edited July 5, 2020 by vic66

[Fidei Defensor]

7 minutes ago, vic66 said:

If you unbelieving spouse leave you are free but you must remain single in accord with luke16

I just read Luke 17 and I don’t see “if an unbelieving spouse leaves, you cannot remarry.” 

The only verse on marriage is, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” (Luke 16:18). But that doesn’t mention an unbelieving spouse leaving, its divorce.

Did you mean a different chapter in Luke?  

Edited July 5, 2020 by Fidei Defensor

[vic66]

11 minutes ago, Fidei Defensor said:

I just read Luke 17 and I don’t see “if an unbelieving spouse leaves, you cannot remarry.” 

The only verse on marriage is, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” (Luke 16:18). But that doesn’t mention an unbelieving spouse leaving, its divorce.

Did you mean a different chapter in Luke?  

Marriage is honourable in all and the bed undefiled,(hebrews) therefore whether unsaved or christian God still recognizes the marriage covenant which is bidding until death of one of the spouses.

Edited July 5, 2020 by vic66

[Fidei Defensor]

6 minutes ago, vic66 said:

Marriage is honourable in all and the bed undefiled, therefore whether unsaved or christian God still recognizes the marriage covenant which is bidding until death of one of the spouses.

What is interesting, is at a weddings people make vows like ”tell death do us part and in sockness and health,” and yet Jesus said of vows: 

“But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more comes from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:34-37). 

Edited July 5, 2020 by Fidei Defensor

[vic66]

28 minutes ago, Fidei Defensor said:

What is interesting, is at a weddings people make vows like ”tell death do us part and in sockness and health,” and yet Jesus said of vows: 

“But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more comes from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:34-37). 

making vowls / covenants is recognized especially when it concerns the things of God

Edited July 5, 2020 by vic66