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Marriage, Divorce and OSAS

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Zaac, Jul 17, 2015.

  1. Zaac

    Zaac Well-Known Member

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    A strange combination for discussion, for sure.

    I was asked the question, since God allows for divorce for two married people, does that also mean that those who make up the Bride may choose to divorce themselves from the Bride Groom, thereby rejecting the salvation that He has given?

    My response was that divorce is a man-made concept. It is not a GOD thing. Divorce cannot dissolve a marriage covenant if you are in Christ. Only death can. And as a person who comes to faith in Christ has already died and been granted Eternal Life, they cannot as part of the Bride, do anything to divorce themselves of the Bride Groom.

    What do you think? Does the human concept of divorce that God ALLOWS mean that the parallel marriage of Christ as the Bride Groom and His people, The Church, as the Bride, mean that we are also able to divorce ourselves of Him, thereby giving back salvation for whatever reason?

    I'm a firm believer that BIBLICAL MARRIAGE IS NOT terminated by divorce. Divorce is a separation. It does not end the marriage covenant.

    Thus a person may get mad and claim to reject Christ and no longer want to be a Christian for whatever reason. But we who are saved have been joined in covenant with Christ and given eternal life. Death, for us, no longer exists to "end" the Marriage.

    Thoughts?
     
    #1 Zaac, Jul 17, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 17, 2015
  2. padredurand

    padredurand Well-Known Member
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    Interesting. I think the answer is in your bolded question. The portion that got my attention was, "...Does the human concept of divorce that God ALLOWS..." You defined the root of the problem right there. First is the human concept. That was the concept in mind when the Pharisees questioned Jesus.

    Matthew 19:3-8 NAS77
    3 And some Pharisees came to Him, testing Him, and saying, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause at all?"
    4 And He answered and said, "Have you not read, that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE,
    5 and said, 'FOR THIS CAUSE A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND SHALL CLEAVE TO HIS WIFE; AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH'?
    6 "Consequently they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate."
    7 They *said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY?"
    8 He *said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.​

    The human concept of leave and cleave is tenuous at best. The human concept views the relationship as a contract that requires performance from both parties to the satisfaction of both. The contract is made void when the so-called wounded party feels the other has not held their end of the bargain. Instead of becoming one flesh, they remain as two independent parties under contract for as long as the contract is satisfactory. If at anytime one party is dissatisfied with the other, the contract is void and they go on their merry way.

    The second part is the misnomer that God allows divorce in any way, form or fashion. The Pharisees answered their own question and Jesus confirmed their statement. In verse 7 they ask, "Why then did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY?" The command is of Moses and not of God. Jesus replies in verse 8, "Because of your hardness of heart, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way."

    Again, Moses permitted divorce because of the hardness of man's heart and not because God suddenly changed His mind and permitted divorce. How was it in the beginning?

    Genesis 2:23-24 NAS77
    23 And the man said, "This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."
    24 For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.​
     
  3. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    So, hardness of heart is no longer as issue?
     
  4. padredurand

    padredurand Well-Known Member
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    Hardness of heart is always the issue.
     
  5. percho

    percho Well-Known Member
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    I agree and believe all you need to do for proof is read the book of Hosea.

    The people who were granted a bill of divorce in Jer. 3 return to their husband, how be it, in God's due time, beginning with the firstfruit.
     
  6. JonC

    JonC Moderator
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