birks10 Fri Apr 06, 2012 1:39 pm
Hey clad...
I didn't take a look at the video links yet, but I will comment briefly on the question. First, I really recommend that you listen to my series called "Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage." It's on our website but i do not believe its a free download at this point. I go into great detail on this question there, researching all the relevant Old and New Testament passages concerning this subject. Second, yes, marriages are "designed" by God to be permanent. However, the permanent marriage relationship requires that we follow God in this leading and wait on him to bring his choice of his Adam to Eve, Ruth to Boaz, Isaac to Rebekah, etc. What "God joins together" is the two people he has designed to be together. He does not "join" all married couples together. They rebel against him and marry the wrong person. It is those whom he joins. A lot of folks, Christian and non -Christian, are married "willfully" and not by his design. Hence, the problems. Now, men and women sin against each other. The scriptures do provide specific instructions for a person who is in a covenant breaking relationship of marriage. The short answer is that yes, divorce is not only provided for, but in some cases, it is to be obeyed. If in these certain cases where the scriptures apply to that circumstance, a resultant breaking of the marriage covenant results in the innocent party as being in a state of not being "bound" to the other partner. In which case, they are free to remarry, but only "in the Lord." I really do recommended the series on Marriage Divorce and Remarriage. People who assemble passages in order to teach a no divorce, no remarriage teaching , are really not honestly dealing (without prejudice) with all that the bible has to say on this subject. People like "laws" where no thinking and hard work is required and this is why there are teachings like this permanence view (which I am familiar with)....
Dr. B...