whitehorse,
I didn't say I disagreed with everything you posted;

But Jesus wasn't saying it was okay not to be able to accept His teaching. What He was saying, is that some couldn't, and if they can't, they should not put themselves in a position to sin

Can't is a word which is closely associated with the word won't.
Usually when children disobey there father or mother, it is because they won't, it is a matter of the will, because it has to do with obeying fathers word, not that they can't.
The fact is they can, but they do not want to.
Do you see it this way at all?
Blessings,
Petro

Petro,
Isa.1:19 I can see what you are saying and in my experience that is true. I'll see something I am unwilling to do and camp there, until the Lord in His wisdom moves me on to a place that I am willing. Sometimes the road is hard so now when I see something that I need to do and I recognize it as the flesh that is resisting, saying it's impossible, I persist in seeking God's will. This is better than going through a lot of "tederizing". He will prevail! amen?
rapha4u

[she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.]

By the way,  go back to;
 1 Cor 7
1  Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
2  For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
3  So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

Now ask yourself,

If a man can put his wife away for fornication, and he re marry, why is is his first wife still considered an adulteress, while he lives, and if he dies, she is no longer called ajn adulteresss, or as the Word says above;

she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
Go figure...??
Blessings,
Petro

Petro,
 That's how we were set free from the bondage of sin! Christ died and we died in Him. That is a powerful truth. God is so awsome. When sin presents it's self just point it back to the cross. It died there and so did I. So I am now free to live the new life in Jesus Christ, glory!

What does the Bible say about divorce? and the "Church"?
What affect has this had on our society?

Hellow rapha,

 

I want to inject a new thought  into a somewhat tense interpretation of marriage.  

So what does the church think?    Well, those that have endured a divorce learn a new word, and it is

"justification"  

Just like they believe that when their sins are forgiven and God no longer remembers them, is is "just as if I'd" never sinned.  

People have "justified" divorce.... they seek forgiveness from God and think that it is "just as if I'd" never been married, and then they think they are "free" to marry again as though there was never a first marriage.

Justification is a forgiveness and a forgetting of sins, but those who are "just as if I'd" ---still have to live with the repercussions of their forgiven sins.  For example, if one smokes cigarettes for years, and seeks deliverance from that bad habit which harms the "temple" given by God, then certainly, the person is justified, their habit is "just as if I'd" never smoked cigarettes.  But justification doesn't take away the possibility of lung cancer because of their actions.

The same is true for marriage and divorce.  If one is "justified" of their divorce, that they have repented of their sins involved in the divorce, while the sin is justified, it doesn't make the marriage covenant with God disappear.  

God never changes.  He still hates divorce, and "justification" doesn't change that.

The "church" and the believers of the "church"  need to go back to the basics in marriage, and seek God's will.  
~serapha~

serapha,
Do you think this may be the reason the divorce rate in the "church" is greater than in the world?
rapha4u

Petro,
 I read Restoration of Christian Marriage A Call for Reformation
By Stephen W. Wilcox and did my flesh squirm!  I guess that means it's still able to move. (Rom.6:7, 11, 8:10, Col.3:3)  
Thank you again!
God is sooo good!  
http://www.marriagedivorce.com/mdgodswordfulltext.htm

May the purification of His Church be our goal, to His glory (Pet.4:17) in the Name that's ubove all other names, our Lord Jesus Christ, so be it and whatever it takes...

Petro,
 I read Restoration of Christian Marriage A Call for Reformation
By Stephen W. Wilcox and did my flesh squirm!  
Thank you again!
God is sooo good!  
http://www.marriagedivorce.com/mdgodswordfulltext.htm

May the purification of His Church be our goal, to His glory (Pet.4:17) in the Name that's ubove all other names, our Lord Jesus Christ, so be it and whatever it takes...

[It hath been said]

Petro,
 Thank you for your insightful response to this very tragic state of the "church". The statistics say that the divorce rate in the "church" is higher than in the "world". Of those who are initiating divorce 65% are women and if children are in the equation it's up to 85% of women initiating divorce . Is there something wrong with this picture?
 Thanks for the link. It's lengthy but I'll read it and, if I desern it's merits, will pass it on.
 We as a people need to repent! (Isa.6:5)
rapha4u

Greetings,

The Word of God does not, teach anything anywhere about being set free to remarry another by divorcing ones husband or wife, believers who obey the Lord are to remain unmarried, unbelievers do whatever they plaese.
 
God never allowed divorce, it was Moses who allowed it, because of  hardness of their hearts,  and whosoever is bound to be divorced is to remain single, this is what the Lord has commanded.

Jesus made this very clear;

 It hath been said (you will not find God saying this anywhere is scripture), Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:   But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.  (Mat 5:31-32)

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. (Mat 10:11-12)

For those who disagree with Jesus;

Consider these principles taught of Gods Word, elsewhere.

http://www.marriagedivorce.com/mdgodswordfulltext.htm

Malachi 2:13 - 17

"…You flood the Lord's altar with tears. You weep and wail because He no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, "Why?" It is because 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 is 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, "and I hate a man covering himself with violence as well as with his garment," says the Lord Almighty. "So guard yourself in your spirit and do not break faith." (NIV)

Malachi's teaching:

1. Breaking faith with a covenant marriage partner is breaking faith with God.
2. The breaking of the covenant by a wayward spouse results in a severing of their relationship with God as He refuses to hear or pay attention to offerings or prayers, no matter how sincere. Obviously repentance must be sincere and restorative covenantly.
3. God was party to the marriage covenant as witness and an active participant by making the man and woman His own personal possession.
4. Faithfulness to the marriage covenant is necessary to produce Godly offspring. Without it the future of God's people is threatened.
5. The covenant relationship belongs to the wife or husband of the youth, the first one. This is the union that God is a witness to and the enforcer of.
6. Even though one of the parties may be unfaithful, as described here, to the original covenant, it remains in force for God says that the betrayed one remains the partner. This dispels the notion entirely that adultery dissolves the marriage covenant.
7. God twice warns specifically not to break faith with the spouse of your youth, the original union. These are direct warnings against divorce and remarriage.
8. Divorce is a spiritual attack with spiritual results and lasting spiritual consequences.
9. Divorce is a violent ripping away of the cloak covering the husband provides for his wife, and the wife for the husband.
10. God Hates Divorce! He truly does. That's why He never severs the covenant bonds and punishes those who violate them.

This is God's final word on marriage and divorce in the Old Testament. Those hoping to apply some earlier Old Testament provision allowing divorce and remarriage should be careful. God was increasingly leading people closer to the New Testament age in which we live. "



Look at what God says, concerning the prayers of a believing husband, who does not honor the wife of His youth, likewise I am sure the wifes prayers are hindered, if she does not submit to the authority of her husband over her.

1 Pet 3
5  For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
6  Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
7  Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Blessings,

Petro

llama,
 Thank you for responding to this query. Thank you also for starting, as Christ did {Matt.19:4), with the Creator, Who hates divorce (Mal.2:16). I believe there is only one reason for divorce, as you say, and that is for the hardness of “our” hearts. For societies sake, I believe, our Lord allowed divorce for “adultery” (pornea) or gross perversion. But in Christ the love that “perseveres” (1 Cor.13:7) is the law we are under.
 When Paul talks about “the unbeliever leaving” (1 Cor.7:15) it should be in the context of the whole of that chapter of “remaining in the situation he was in when God called him” (vs.20)
 I believe the so-called “church” is under God’s judgment and that is why the divorce rate is higher in the “church” than out in the world. The “leaders” are not preaching the truth in this area…
 I believe the “not bound” is not for the freedom to remarry but for the freedom to be single or be reconciled. Love, forgiveness and prayers are powerful weapons of our warfare.
 
rapha4u

What does the Bible say about divorce? and the "Church"?
What affect has this had on our society?