Can a divorced woman remarry according to scripture?

Answer 1

Jesus said at Matthew 18:9: "I say to YOU that whoever divorces his wife, except on the ground of fornication, and marries another commits adultery."

And at Matthew 5:32 The Bible says: "However, I say to YOU that everyone divorcing his wife, except on account of fornication, makes her a subject for adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery".

Jesus Christ allows for divorce if the innocent spouse files for it. If you divorce your spouse because of adultery (a form of fornication), or they divorce you, you are free to remarry as soon as the divorce is legally final. Some religious organizations forbid divorce for any reason, but the Bible doesn't agree. If someone tries to tell you that you can't divorce and remarry, ask them to show you in your Bible, not from some "so-called 'holy writings', or 'traditional teachings' of their church, written many years after the True Apostles died. These "writings" are not inspired by God and at 1Timothy 4:1-3: "However, the inspired utterance says definitely that in later periods of time some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired utterances and teachings of demons, by the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, marked in their conscience as with a branding iron; forbidding to marry, commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be partaken of with Thanksgiving by those who have faith and accurately know the truth. " If you mean to remarry after a death of a spouse, you can remarry after the funeral, but I'd wait a while.

- Divorce is not an option in finding a perfect marriage or a solution for ending a sour one. Divorce is not an idea from God "whatsover God join together, let no man put apart" but because of mans hardheartedness, divorce is allowed "on grounds of adultery". It is to separate the offender partner to the innocent one, the offended can choose to divorce the offender. But it is not a license to remarry specially the offended one who is innocent. Remember, God teach us to forgive. Forgiveness and reconciliation is possible including in marriage.

Answer 2

Widowhood

In the Bible remarriage after widowhoodis perfectly alright and is not condemmed at all.

In the Old Testament divorce was permitted under the Law, but in the New Testament Christ did not permit a man to divorce his wife and remarry unless it was for adultery:-

Mat 19:8-9 ISV He said to them, "It was because of your hardness of heart that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives. But from the beginning it was not this way. (v.9)I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."

Paul explained that this did not apply if her husband died:-

Rom 7:2-3 ISV For a married woman is bound by the law to her husband while he is living, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning her husband. (v.3)So while her husband is living, she will be called an adulter[ess] if she even lives with another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from this law, so that she is not an adulter[ess] if she marries another man.

1Co 7:39 ISV A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord.

[Obviously all this previous segment applies both to widows and widowers as well!]

Divorce

In the Bible .remarriage while the other divorced partner is still alive is considered adultery and is not permitted UNLESS they were divorced because of:

-fornication,

-adultery,

-upon conversion of one partner to Christianity the other wants to leave. [See next section]

1Co 7:15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in suchcases: but God hath called us to peace.

Conversion

Divorce and remariage is permitted without any condemnation if upon conversion of one partner to Christianity the other unconverted partner is unhappy about it andwants to leave.

It is NOT permitted if:

- the unconverted partner stays with her husband/wife,

- the converted partner actually leaves home instead of staying there. It must be stressed that in this case the christian must NOT leave. (Do not usurp God's authority: let God drive the other out).

This is because in the early church it was common for only one partner in a marriage to be converted to this new religion, and unless remarriage was permitted the Christian would be shackled for life and unable to remarry until the other died, while the non-christian could do whatever they liked and couldn't care less anyway. ..

1Co 7:12-15 KJV But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let himnot put her away. (v.13) And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. (v.14) For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. (v.15) But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

Answer 3

According to the bible the only ground for divorce and remarriage is if one mate committed adultery or if the first marriage wasn't a true sacrament. For example, to receive the sacrament of marriage, you must have the intentions of being committed, but if the marriage is reexamined and it is obvious that the intentions weren't true, it wasn't a true marriage, and you can remarry.

Jesus said at Matthew 19:9, " I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except on the ground of fornication, and marries another commits adultery."

Answer

Unlike some cultures, in the Bible remarriage after widowhood is perfectly alright and is not condemmed at all.

Although in the Old Testament divorce was permitted under the Law, in the New Testament Christ did not permit a man to divorce his wife and remarry unless it was for adultery:-

Mat 19:8-9 ISV He said to them, "It was because of your hardness of heart that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives. But from the beginning it was not this way. (v.9) I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."

Paul explained that this did not apply if her husband died:-

Rom 7:2-3 ISV For a married woman is bound by the law to her husband while he is living, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning her husband. (v.3) So while her husband is living, she will be called an adulter[ess] if she even lives with another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from this law, so that she is not an adulter[ess] if she marries another man.

1Co 7:39 ISV A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord.

However, remarriage while the other divorced partner is still alive is not permitted, unless they were divorced because of fornication or adultery.

The only exception was if one partner left because the other became a Christian.

1Co 7:12-15 BBE But to the rest I say, and not the Lord; If a brother has a wife who is not a Christian, and it is her desire to go on living with him, let him not go away from her. (v.13) And if a woman has a husband who is not a Christian, and it is his desire to go on living with her, let her not go away from her husband. (v.14) For the husband who has not faith is made holy through his Christian wife, and the wife who is not a Christian is made holy through the brother: if not, your children would be unholy, but now are they holy. (v.15) But if the one who is not a Christian has a desire to go away, let it be so: the brother or the sister in such a position is not forced to do one thing or the other: but it is God's pleasure that we may be at peace with one another.

Even in these circumstances the Christian must let the other go but not leave themselves, or else they would be guilty of adultery.

Answer 4

Here are Jesus' most direct statements on this matter. The first is from the "Sermon on the Mount":

Matthew 5:31, 32 - "Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery."

"Except sexual immorality" is a key phrase. When one spouse is unfaithful, the faithful spouse is released from the vow the other broke, and is free to divorce and remarry.

If the divorce is for any other reason, neither spouse is free to remarry without committing adultery. Jesus makes this clear in Mark's account, which is not a mere parallel of Matthew's, but a separate incident:

Mark 10:2-12 - The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him. And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her."

And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter. So He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."

Where Matthew's Jewish leaning presents only the male point of view, Mark's more Roman viewpoint presents both sides.

These passages present the principle of God's intent for marriage; the union of one man and one woman for life, to be dissolved only in the case of unfaithfulness.

Before naysayers cry foul and claim the Bible is contradicting itself, it must be noted that Jesus' teachings were given while under the Law of Moses. What follows was written by the Apostle Paul, and comes under Jesus' Law of Liberty and Grace:

1 Corinthians 7:10-17 - Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.

But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches.

Perhaps the most elegant beauty of this teaching is that, while enforcing and maintaining the integrity of Jesus' original gospel teachings, it very likely releases the innocent party from practically all abusive marriage relationships.

This isn't intended as a "yes or no" answer; there really isn't one. Every set of circumstances is unique, and ultimately, whether or not a divorce is "Scripturally justified" will be a matter of conscience before God (Romans 2:15).

[Quotes from NKJV]

Answer 5

Malachi 2:16 does say that God "has hated a divorcing" but when you read further and get to Matthew 19: 9 it states " I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except on the ground of fornication, and marries another commits adultery." So the bible does not condemn remarriage, but doing so after a biblically unlawful divorce does displease our heavenly Father.