Additonal note: Can Christians remarry?

Please read the sermon and Bible readings first.

Just a note on the sermon. The question on everyone’s lips afterwards was “Can Christians remarry”.
I believe that the answer is yes (I, not necessarily God – I could be well wrong here! Many eminent Bible teachers much smarter than I say no here, so it’s very likely that I’m wrong!).

As I said, I think the emphasis in the passage is on not getting divorced (rather than remarrying). It is at the time of divorce that you make yourself and your spouse adulterers, as remarriage is a given - of course people will get remarried! We were created for marriage (it is not good for man to be alone)** Particularly for a woman in the 1st century, divorce was a death sentence if remarriage was not allowed. In Malachi which underpins this passage, the emphasis is on breaking the covenant of marriage, abandoning your wife, in the same way Israel has abandoned God and broken faith with Him.

I also believe the answer is "yes" because of the gospel. There is a new Israel being formed here (in Mark's gospel), and it’s formed not on the basis of being good, but on recognising that you’re not good and you need Jesus. You cannot change what is past, but you can repent of your sin of unfaithfulness and start afresh, walking in newness of life. For a divorced man that means picking up his cross, rebuilding a family in service and sacrificial love, patching up relations with his old family, no matter the cost, and dealing with all the consequences of his sin.
I do believe that if your spouse is still around and still available that you should reconcile with them before running after someone else. Otherwise I would question whether you have really repented of your sin of divorcing your wife. Do you believe the problem lies within, from your heart, or are you unrepentant, believing that the problem was the other person? An unrepentant divorcee should not be married, not because of their divorce, but because they are unprepared to be married!

The gospel proclaims new hearts for old, new lives for old, grace instead of law. Yes, divorce is serious and an abomination against God. But all of us are sexual sinners and adulterers, if not physically, certainly mentally. All of us are divorcees and adulterers, and all of us can find forgiveness and reconciliation at the cross of Christ.




**The great thing is that in Christ singleness can be just as fulfilling, since whether married or single fulfilment is only found in Christ. In fact, there’s a big danger in marriage which is finding fulfilment in your husband or wife, and that leads to severe problems. So although marriage is the norm, singleness is not wrong or an aberration. After all, Jesus was single and he lived a perfect, fulfilled life! Many people have chosen a very difficult path by getting married to non-Christians out of desperation, instead of finding fulfilment in Christ and being patient and obedient. Trust Jesus. He knows what you're going through, and his grace is sufficient for you.