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Transcript 100E — Remarrying the Wife You Divorced
HC: Good evening. Welcome to Open Forum.
CALLER: Good evening. I would like your views, from the Word of God, on a Christian remarrying the wife he has divorced. What are your views on that?
HC: Now your question is: A man has divorced his wife, and now wants to remarry her; what does the Bible say about that?
CALLER: Right.
HC: Has there been a marriage by either one of them in between?
CALLER: No
HC: Neither has remarried since the divorce.
CALLER: That's true.
HC: Then there is no reason at all why they should not remarry. They belong to each other. The Bible teaches that until death separates them they remain husband and wife. Even though there is a divorce, they still belong to each other, and they ought to make every effort to remarry. However, if either one of them became involved in another marriage after the divorce, and then, through the death of the second partner, or through the divorce of the second partner, desired to go back to the first partner, that would be prohibited by the Bible.
But if there has been no intervening marriage, then there is nothing in the Bible that would suggest that they should not belong to each other, and as a matter of fact, all the implications of the Bible are that they still belong to each other and they ought to remarry.
When two people are married, regardless of how poor the marriage was, regardless of how great difference might exist between their religious beliefs or whatever, that alone, of course, would make it a sinful marriage, because the Bible says, "Do not be unequally yoked with an unbeliever." But the moment they get married, they are one flesh. And "What God has joined together, let not man put asunder." And then all the rules that apply to marriage have to be recognized.
We read, for example, in I Corinthians 7:10: "To the married I give charge, not I but the Lord, that the wife should not separate from her husband. But if she does, let her remain single or else be reconciled to her husband." In other words, if there is a separation, either through a legal separation or through a divorce, let her remain single, or else be reconciled to her husband. This is the rule, that they are to come together again.
CALLER: Even though either party has not changed their views on the reason for divorce. But there should be a reconciliation anyway?
HC: Well, yes. Now if a wife, for example, is married to a husband who was vehemently opposed to her believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, and he used every effort to get her to renounce her belief in Christ, to renounce Christ, it may be that she has to be disobedient in her marriage in order to stand for God, and pay the consequences of it. The Bible does say that we have to put Christ first and anyone else second.
But the fact is, she still is the wife of her husband, and she should try to keep the marriage in tact. Now if the reason for the divorce is these spiritual differences, obviously, on what grounds would you remarry? In other words, why would the two partners be interested in coming together again, if the fight is just going to begin again? It is desirable that you remarry, of course.
I think the problem will resolve itself, in other words. There must be some kind of reconciliation, because it takes two people to remarry. And unless both were equally decided in their minds that this ought to be, you're not going to get remarried even though you want to remarry.
CALLER: Thank you very much. This helps a lot.
HC: Pray the Lord for wisdom. Pray the Lord for wisdom and for patience in this matter.
CALLER: Thank you very much.
HC: Thank you for calling. Good night.