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QUESTION: 83
Can a divorced man or woman who is a believer remarry?
ANSWER: This is a very controversial question. I will give you the two possible scriptural views.
1.There are those who believe that they can remarry. They base it on Joseph being mindful of putting away Mary because he thought she had committed fornication. The Jewish espousal (our engagement) was legally binding and could only be broken if one committed fornication. The espousal was not marriage although the espoused virgin was called and considered a wife. Matt 1:20 “ . . .fear not to take unto thee Marry thy wife.”
This is based on Matt. 5:32 and 19:9. Where we read, “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.   So they conclude that if a partner commits adultery then the innocent party has the right to remarry.
2- Then there are others who believe that what is mentioned in Matthew and omitted in the other Gospels and the rest of the Bible, was strictly associated with Jewish espousal customs.  They see other verses on marriage like 1 Cor. 7: 39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.
Mark 10:11,  Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
These two views are held generally be evangelical Christians.  Other views would have no scriptural support.  It is either one or the other.
The beautiful thing about marriage is that the Lord likens it to a believer’s  union with Christ. Rom. 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Dear reader, “Are you joined to the Lord Jesus Christ?  You are if you have repented of your sins and trust Christ as your Saviour. If not, why not?

All comments and questions to: Harold Smith

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Updated July 2009, by Shelly Allen