Terry wrote:
Still, even without this example, Jesus indicates in Matthew 5:32 that the
Verages are living in adultery.
Not necessarily. It is a matter of interpretation, and a matter of judgment
which requires more facts.
Terry wrote:
The solution obviously is not for her to return to her real husband, but
the solution, just as obviosly, to me, cannot be to continue to live in
sin.
Nobody should continue to live in sin, but a major part of understanding the
passage you quote, as well as other passages where we can find Christ's
doctrine on this subject, is that the act of divorce is the act that causes
adultery in the other partner. (There is a very long answer that I could
give you on this subject, but I really don't have the time for it right
now.) Please allow me to ask you to consider that further sin in this
situation MIGHT BE (depending on other facts) a second divorce rather than a
continued marriage relationship. Put yourself in the position of the entire
past history being wiped out of any legal consideration through grace, and
now look at the marriage situation of this couple. Which would be adultery
from this perspective when considering this Matthew 5 passage? It would be
divorce rather than a continued marriage relationship that would be causing
the sin of adultery.
Although we see how Jesus often is more legalistic in his approach to this
subject, we must understand that he is able to be more strict in regards to
his teaching on holiness because of grace. Consider why the Torah was not
able to address this subject. Also consider that Torah represented God's
mind and will on this matter in the situation where HEARTS WERE HARDENED.
In other words, there is a perfect will of God in these situations, and
there is a permissive will of God depending upon circumstances and the
hardness of hearts involved. It is impossible to say that one who walks
according to Torah in this matter is "continuing to live in sin." Think
about that.
I hope nobody takes my comments here to be excusing divorce and remarriage.
I also hope my comments do not weaken the importance of Christ's teaching on
this subject, that divorce for any cause is sin. I am only trying to point
out that the situation is more complex than just taking a few sentences out
of Matthew 5 and forbidding remarriage after divorce in every situation.
Some time ago I had posted some information to how the Roman Catholics annul
marriages. I remember posting a link to a Catholic website where Roman
Catholics asked priests for answers about what made an annulment possible.
If one examines this situation in Roman Catholicism, you will find a picture
of the kind of situation Jesus was in concerning what allowed divorce and
remarriage. It was sickening, how the school of Hillel in Christ's day
allowed divorce for almost any situation, while the school of Shammai
allowed it only for the cause of fornication. This is the context of
Jesus's comment which gives us a more balanced understanding of what Jesus
was teaching.
Peace be with you.
David Miller.
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"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you
ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org
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