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ORIGINAL: keepingfaith

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ORIGINAL: dianetavegia

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ORIGINAL: SealedEternal

According to scripture it is the first, because God joins it for life:

Malachi 2:13 "This is another thing you do: you cover the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because He no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 "Yet you say, 'For what reason?' Because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15 "But not one has done so who has a remnant of the Spirit And what did that one do while he was seeking a godly offspring? Take heed then to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of your youth. 16 "For I hate divorce," says the LORD, the God of Israel, "and him who covers his garment with wrong," says the LORD of hosts. "So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously." 17 You have wearied the LORD with your words Yet you say, "How have we wearied Him?" In that you say, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and He delights in them," or, "Where is the God of justice?"

The man is told that his first wife is still his wife by covenant even after he divorced her. This is because the marriage covenant is joined by God, who is the author of marriage, and lasts for as long as the two who made it live:

Genesis 2:21-24 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. 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." For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

Matthew 19:4-6 And He answered and said, "Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said, 'FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH'? "So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate."

Mark 10: 6-12 "But from the beginning of creation, God MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE. "FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH; so they are no longer two, but one flesh. "What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate." In the house the disciples began questioning Him about this again. And He *said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; and if she herself divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery."

Ephesians 5:22-33 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

Romans 7:2 For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man.

1 Corinthians 7:39 A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

Since it is for life, the first marriage is still valid for as long as the two who made it live. All subsequent covenants while the spouse lives are therefore invalid since the person making it is not eligible to marry.

Luke 16:18 "Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery.”



SealedEternal


Yep. Exactly what I would have posted.


Agreed.

Me three!!!

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ORIGINAL: Chrystal-J-007

What happens to the children from a 2nd marriage? Are they illegitimate? Who is their father? The 1st husband? (Cuz the law here in Michigan says the children are the husband's children regardless of who the "real" father is.) Do you take the kids away from their real Dad and make them children of the 1st husband? (Even if the 2nd husband is a Christian and the 1st husband isn't and won't allow the children to be Christian.)
Just curious... (I don't want to debate this--I was just wondering about kids in these situations.)

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ORIGINAL: lastblast

I think many men who do not want the woman will gladly allow another man to assume the role of father to their children..............

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ORIGINAL: lastblast


Hi Crystal,

I dont' think "covenant" affects who are the true parents. As in case of Sara/Abraham, Ishmael was not a "covenant" child (meaning he was not a child who belonged to the covenant marriage), yet it did not change the fact that Abraham was his true father.

As for the law in Michigan, the biological father can contest that and then he would be named the "father" of the children with all of it's ensuing obligations. I think many men who do not want the woman will gladly allow another man to assume the role of father to their children.............but truly that is a whole nother topic.

In any case, I don't really see how children validate/invalidate a covenant marriage. Children are born of lawful and unlawful relationships. It does not appear anywhere in scripture where the birth of a child makes a covenant marriage. They either are the product of a covenant marriage or the product of an illicit union in the sight of God (in both cases though, children ARE a blessing!).

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ORIGINAL: DenimDiva

Those are probably great questions for the MDR thread.

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ORIGINAL: SealedEternal

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ORIGINAL: doinkdom

so if unbelieving spouse leaves and divorces believing spouse, then believing spouse must forever remain single because why? seems that the whole "not be enslaved" would free them from that.

All the text says is that they are not enslaved to live with the unbeliever who refuses to dwell with them, but Paul and Jesus both say that the marriage covenant is for life and cannot be dissolved except by death. They must remain single because they made a commitment to this person for life, and are responsible for that commitment regardless of the actions of the other person. That's what an unconditional lifelong commitment (covenant) is. There is no sin or anything my wife could do to make me not honor my commitment (covenant) to her because it is unconditional and I will be held accountable for my end of it regardless. Otherwise it isn't unconditional and simply becomes a waiting game for the other person to make the first move and, then to claim it's his/her fault and I'm free from my covenant and innocent of all wrongdoing.

SealedEternal