Does the Lord REALLY permit divorce?

[Herald]

What's ironic is that the marriage covenant is intended to show the permanency of God's covenant with his elect, whereas, you are attempting to show that God's covenant has an escape in it which justifies breaking the marriage covenant.

I'm just saying.

God's covenant with His elect is unbreakable because of the originator of the covenant. God establishes His covenant with His elect. The covenant is enduring and unbreakable because God is enduring and unbreakable.

The marriage covenant is a type of God's covenant with His elect, but this covenant is made between two imperfect people. The intent of the marriage covenant is one man and one woman for life. The imperfection of this covenant, because of human sin, only serves to underscore the superiority of God's covenant with His elect.

So, am I trying to show that God's covenant has an escape? No. Moses and our Lord did not state that marriage has any escape. Marriage is intended to last for a lifetime.

 

[ChristianTrader]

If God does not permit divorce, then would God recognize the former spouses as single/unmarried or recognize any marriage that comes afterward?

I think Jesus' dialogue with the Samaritan woman where he asks her to call her husband is clarifying. She said that she did not have one. Jesus did not say that she had a husband then committed adultery with five other men, but said that she had five husbands and the one she was with now is not her husband.

CT

 

[UKPuritan40]

I highly recommend this sermon from our dear friend David Silversides called "Divorce: Is it ever right?" Those who do subscribe to the WCF will appreciate David's discussion.

SermonAudio.com - Divorce - Is It Ever Right?

Susan Nye Ferrell
Member Sovereign Redeemer OPC, Boise, Idaho

 

[UKPuritan40]

Also, let's recall this is a confessional board - and as Glenn notes above, the WCF is clear on the matter.

Oke, but can the WCF not be wrong on this issue ?
That is one of the reasons why Herman Hoeksema and the PRCA does not subscribe to the WCF.

Mayflower, of course the WCF can be wrong, but if it is, then those who have proof of such should make earnest and continued effort to introduce an amendment of such.

Yes Hoeksema and other's don't subscribe to the WCF but Bob belongs to a denomination that does.

Any Men who serve as elders in denominations that subscribe to the WCF have the obligation to announce their scruples/exceptions to said subscription.

Susan Nye Ferrell
Member Sovereign Redeemer OPC, Boise, Idaho.

-----Added 3/23/2009 at 07:54:08 EST-----

Oh Bill! You speak Greek! How romantic!

Is the text permitting divorce or permitting remarriage? I know what the pharisees asked but did Jesus change the subject?

Bob, perhaps I am misreading you, but how a you separate permitting remarriage from permitting divorce? If no divorce were permitted remarriage would be a moot point.

I would be very interested to hear your response to the sermon I posted from David Silversides on Divorce on Sermonaudio.

Susan Nye Ferrell
Member Sovereign Redeemer OPC, Boise Idaho.

 

[MW]

For what it's worth, I believe Bob is bringing out the proper emphasis of Scripture, and that the Westminster Confession really only speaks to the regulatation of civil proceedings in this matter. It is one of those cases where the "legal" and "moral" rights of an individual are prone to come into conflict specifically because of the fact that we live in a fallen world, or, to adopt the biblical language, because of "hardness of heart."

 

[TheocraticMonarchist]

God allows men to sin, but does not give them permission, or license, to sin. During a divorce at least one party is in sin. God gives the victims of sin permission, or license, to remarry.

Would it be safe to say that God hates divorce because it means that at least one, or both parties are in sin?

 

[Marrow Man]

Just to (just a little!)...

Jay Adams is fond of pointing out that God Himself is "divorced":

And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a writ of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also. (Jeremiah 3:8)

But, of course, it was a biblical divorce.

 

[Galatians220]

Just to (just a little!)...

Jay Adams is fond of pointing out that God Himself is "divorced":

And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a writ of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also. (Jeremiah 3:8)

But, of course, it was a biblical divorce.

Prof. David Engelsma on Jeremiah 3:

Protestant Reformed Theological Journal: April 2006

(He's agin' divorce...)

Margaret

 

[satz]

Sarah, Jesus said, "What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate." This describes both his eternal covenant and the marriage covenant. I equate based on that description.

Bob,

You didn't respond to my second post.

When Jesus said "what therefore God has joined together, let not man seperate", he had a specific aim in mind - rebuking pharisees for their doctrine of easy divorce. He was not saying he would not allow divorce under any circumstances.

 

[Marrow Man]

Prof. David Engelsma on Jeremiah 3:

Protestant Reformed Theological Journal: April 2006

(He's agin' divorce...)

Margaret

Well, technically, he's agin' remarriage after divorce, not divorce itself:

Therefore, God’s dealings in His covenant are the pattern for the behavior of Christian husbands and wives in earthly marriage. If He divorced His covenant people, as Jeremiah 3 certainly says He did, Christian husbands and wives may likewise divorce their marriage companions. At the very least, they may divorce on the ground of the adultery of their wife or husband. To this point, the argument is sound.

And

[D]ivorce is permissible, sometimes even necessary, in the case of adultery, especially when one’s wife or husband continues impenitently in adultery. Adultery is a lawful ground for divorce. The New Testament bears this out in Matthew 5:31, 32 and Matthew 19:9.

 

[Galatians220]

Prof. David Engelsma on Jeremiah 3:

Protestant Reformed Theological Journal: April 2006

(He's agin' divorce...)

Margaret

Well, technically, he's agin' remarriage after divorce, not divorce itself:

Therefore, God’s dealings in His covenant are the pattern for the behavior of Christian husbands and wives in earthly marriage. If He divorced His covenant people, as Jeremiah 3 certainly says He did, Christian husbands and wives may likewise divorce their marriage companions. At the very least, they may divorce on the ground of the adultery of their wife or husband. To this point, the argument is sound.

Ah, you caught me red-handed! I was trying to rope people into reading the article by a wee bit of puffery!



Margaret

 

[Marrow Man]

Ah, you caught me red-handed! I was trying to rope people into reading the article by a wee bit of puffery!



Margaret

Margaret, methinks you are now trying to be like Theognome with his fallacious fruit thread from earlier today.

 

[BobVigneault]

Thanks everyone, I wasn't looking for a debate, I just wanted to get some feedback and some responses. I'm content and very pleased with the thread. Now I am going to close it. Blessings.