Divorce

This was not a fun read. Reading about divorce is quite depressing to tell the truth. It is always a tragedy and God hates it. My heart breaks over it. It isn't something we celebrate, but grieve over. Divorce is usually the result of many tears, sleepless nights, betrayal, abuse, and such. It is not the result of happiness, peace, and joy. John Murray spends time in the major passages of Scripture regarding divorce and basically concludes that divorce is allowable in the case of sexual sin and the abandonment of an unbeliever. In both cases, remarriage is allowed. I will continue to do some more research, but I think that allowances would be made for other situations as well. One such example may be a physically and/or verbally abusive spouse. I would say that it would be right for the victimized spouse to leave (live apart from) the abuser with the hope of reconciliation. The offending party should then be approached lovingly by the church elders with the intent to restore. So long as the offending party repents and abides by stipulations in the desire to rejoin the other spouse, the offended spouse must remain married (legal binding). If the offending party should reject the counsel of the elders, then such would be excommunicated from the church body and basically deemed an "unbeliever". In such a case, would this example constitute the departure of an unbeliever, in which the believer is no longer "bound"? Resulting in the offended party rightly freed from the marital bond? Murray also deals with the awkward situation where individuals who were wrongly divorced commit adultery by "remarrying" someone else. This is no easy task to deal with pastorally. Murray essentially states that the "act" of adultery in consummating a new relationship breaks the previous bond. The newly consummated marriage isn't to be broken. Instead, such individuals should acknowledge that they sinned in their actions and then proceed with their new partner with an understanding that their marriage is "valid". Murray struggles with what words to use in reference to such remarriages for fear of either condoning it on one hand or outright condemning it on another hand. Murray sees such situations as the "exception"...even though it is increasingly more commonplace. At the very core of this issue is that God wants marriage to last a lifetime, and any marriage that fails is a tragedy. Adultery is a tragedy, abuse is a tragedy, neglect is a tragedy, lack of intimacy is a tragedy, and on and on with the multitude of reasons why marriages fail. It is all sad. I hope to research some more into this issue...but realize that the best research is to learn how to love my wife more and more everyday. By God's grace, divorce will never be an issue for us. The whole issue of divorce and remarriage has been a hot issue in the church, I admit, and should be discussed...however, it is my prayer that I spend more time pastorally building marriages up rather than understanding all o

a standard long forgotten; especially in conservative churches where the Truth is supposed to be upheld even in the face of cultural pressure. Must a divorced person attend a liberal church to receive compassion? Must truth be sacrificed for love? Perish the thought. This book, along with Dr. Adam's book will show that divorce is not a sin; but it is the result of sin: someone's sin; likely both parties sins. But it is a sin that is to be forgiven. The perfect standard remains, even if man breaks it, but once broken, forgiveness and healing may come.

The question of divorce and remarriage regularly comes up in pastoral counseling and local church ministry. With the growning divorce rate, the church is being forced to deal with divorce and remarriage more and more. Sound and clear Biblical thinking is required. This book by John Murray is both. This work is technical, written to deal with the original languages and does not avoid dealing with the hardest of questions concerning divorce and remarriage. It is not a quick read - it takes time and reflection - but it is worth every once of effort. As a supplement work - an more popularly written also consult Jay E. Adams' work "Marriage, Divorce & Remarriage." Murray's work covers the exegetical problems, while Adams' work is more pastoral. The two together will equip the reader with great insight and Biblical knowledge to counsel members of the congregation. Like on many other issues, Christians are divided on the biblical understanding of divorce and remarriage. Some don't believe in divorce for any reason. Others, while they believe there are grounds for divorce, see no biblical basis for a subsequent remarriage. Others, such as Adams and Murray, hold that there are very limited and specific justifications for divorce and if and only if these are met is there any gournds for remarriage. If you are still working through what the Bible teaches, Adams' and Murray's works will give you a good apologetic for believing there are limited and specific grounds for biblical divorce and remarriage. If you have been taught or believe that there are no grounds for remarriage but want to know the arguements of those who do, these two books will be helpful. You may agree or disagree with Adams or Murray, but you will find excellent development of their position in these books. This is a very serious subject on a lot of levels. Please handle the subject carefully.