This document outlines 6 basic marital situations regarding marriage, divorce, and remarriage:
1. Married and bound - Those in a legal and scriptural marriage.
2. Unmarried and unbound - The single, widowed, or innocent party after a divorce involving infidelity.
3. Unmarried but bound to another - Those divorced without biblical grounds who are not free to remarry.
4. Married but bound to another - Those who divorced without grounds and remarried, living in adultery.
5. Married but unbound - An innocent third party married to a divorcee without grounds.
6. Unbound but bound to God - Those
1. Marital
Situations
Preaching on Marriage / Divorce / Re-marriage is
a difficult topic.
Not because the Bible is unclear.
Because there are so many variables, so many
“what if” circumstances.
2. My preference
I would rather teach this topic in a class that is
open for discussion.
There are too many different scenarios that
must be considered.
We could spend weeks discussing all the
possible situations involved.
TODAY – I am just going to cover the very
basics. There are 6 marital situations.
3. 1 – Married and Bound
Scriptural marriage / Legal marriage
Matthew 19:6 So then, they are no longer two
but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined
together, let not man separate."
Romans 7:1-2 1 Or do you not know, brethren
(for I speak to those who know the law), that
the law has dominion over a man as long as he
lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband is
bound by the law to her husband as long as he
lives. But if the husband dies, she is released
from the law of her husband.
4. 2 – Unmarried and Unbound
Single, widow, widower
“Innocent party” who divorced their spouse
because that spouse committed fornication.
The widow, widower and the innocent party
after a divorce – are free to marry the same as
the single (never married) person.
5. 3 – Unmarried and Bound to
Another
When there is a divorce for some cause other
than fornication - - -
They are divorced under the law of the state
But they are bound under the law of God
1 Corinthians 7:10-11 10 Now to the married I
command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to
depart from her husband. 11 But even if she
does depart, let her remain unmarried or be
reconciled to her husband. And a husband is
not to divorce his wife.
6. 4 – Married and Bound to Another
When the divorce is for a cause other than
fornication - - -
And have entered another marriage.
They are in a legal marriage to the 2nd
spouse.
They are still bound to the 1st
spouse by God.
They are living in adultery.
NOT: Just an act of sin, but they are in a state
or condition of sin.
7. 5 – Married and Unbound
An innocent 3rd
party who is married to one who
has divorced for a cause other than fornication
Matthew 5:32 But I say to you that whoever
divorces his wife for any reason except sexual
immorality causes her to commit adultery; and
whoever marries a woman who is divorced
commits adultery.
They have entered into a sinful relationship –
but in the law of God they are not bound.
8. 6 – Unmarried and Bound to God
When one is put away because of their
fornication:
When one is divorced for any other cause:
They are not free to marry another
BUT they are able to repent, live for God,
continue to be faithful to the church and live
eternally in heaven
9. The Basics
In this lesson we covered the basics
There are still many “what if” situations that
need to be considered
I realize that there are many other
circumstances that need personal discussion
The BASIC RULE – Marriage is one man and
one woman for life. This was God's intent from
creation.
10. The Basics
In this lesson we covered the basics
There are still many “what if” situations that
need to be considered
I realize that there are many other
circumstances that need personal discussion
The BASIC RULE – Marriage is one man and
one woman for life. This was God's intent from
creation.