Divorce and Remarriage

The following comes from three articles originally published in 1998 by Steve Gregg.

The moral complexity of the divorce and remarriage issue presents, in my opinion, the single greatest pastoral challenge for evangelical Christianity in our time. Evangelicals, theoretically, take a more restrictive position on the issue of divorce than does the dominant culture, though in practice, recent polls suggest that the divorce rate among evangelicals is not much different from that of those who profess no Christian convictions at all. Also, the sheer numbers of divorced and/or remarried persons seeking admission into the church, or desiring counsel from Christians, places a burden of heretofore unknown proportions upon those charged with pastoral care and instruction of the saints and the integrity of the church.

This is not just a problem for pastors, either. Almost every Christian has been called upon to advise some friend or loved one about this issue at one time or another. Those who care for the temporal and eternal well-being of others are increasingly thrust into the position of having to decide what, precisely, the Scriptures teach with reference to 1) couples contemplating a divorce; 2) those already divorced and contemplating remarriage; and 3) those who have already been divorced and remarried prior to presenting themselves as candidates for inclusion into Christian fellowship.

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Author: Steve Gregg

Keywords: Marriage, Divorce, Bill of divorcement, Certificate of divorce, Certificate of divorcement, Bill of divorce, School of Hillel, School of Shammai, Any cause, Every cause, Divorce for any cause, Divorce of every cause, Rabbinic debate, Commits adultery, Continues to commit adultery, Remarriage, Divorcement, Exception clause, Except for fornication, Except for adultery, Put away, porneia, Separation, Putteth away, Put asunder, divorce and remarriage, divorce and marriage

Bible reference(s): Leviticus 20:10, Deuteronomy 22:22, Deuteronomy 24:1-4, Isaiah 50:1, Jeremiah 3:8, Hosea 2:1-3, Matthew 5:18, Matthew 5:31-32, Matthew 19:3-9, Mark 10:4, Mark 10:11-12, Luke 16:18, 1 Corinthians 6:5-6, 1 Corinthians 7:15, 1 Corinthians 7:39, 1 Corinthians 7:28

Source: “Divorce and Remarriage,” The Narrow Path, thenarrowpath.com, 1998.

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