"Let no man put asunder" etc

[Ryenwine]

I wish to propose an alternative take on the verse which goes more or less as follows: "Whom God hath brouht together, let no man put asunder". Usually this is taken to be a prohibition of divorce. But the first half of it suggests more. "Who God hath brought together..." God, it seems, acts as a kind of matchmaker, arranging circumstances in such a way that we get to meet our ideal partner. If we let Him, that is. This reminds me of a jewish story about a n old and wise rabbi, and his young disciple. The younger man was a bit of a puritan. He asked the master, of all the things God does, what is it that gives Him most satisfaction? The rabbi answered straightaway "Acting as matchmaker, bringing man and woman together." The young man was horrified. "God would never soil his hands with such activity, surely? The older man smiled, and said, "If you understand this, wou will understand the whole of Torah".

Of course it cannot be said that all couples were brought together by God. If you pick up a girl at a night club, get her pregnant, and then marry her, was it God Who brought you together? At a nightclub? So the prohibition on separation and divorce presumably wd not apply here. But then, perhaps God would not approve of your going to nightclubs in the first place.

Comments?

 

[CecilW]

Re: "Let no man out asunder" etc

Hmmm... or perhaps God has a use for nighclubs that we're too puritan to discern? Or ...

Perhaps that's where His daughter WAS, and He had to get you there to connect with her? Or ...

Can you run ahead of God? Yes.
Does He always have a backup plan by which he can turn your impetuousity into something good? Also yes.

So if anyone is looking for an "out", planning to claim that God didn't REALLY join them together so they're free to bail, (not saying that is what you've got in mind, mind), my comment would be, "Riiiiiiiiiiight! Try again!"

 

[Anonymous]

Re: "Let no man out asunder" etc

Marriage is a covenant relationship.
Even when two unbelievers wed, they make various promises to one another. I believe God supports people keeping their promises, especially in respect to an institution that He created !
Blessings,
Fairlight

 

[staylor]

Re: "Let no man out asunder" etc

Marriage is a covenant relationship.
Even when two unbelievers wed, they make various promises to one another. I believe God supports people keeping their promises, especially in respect to an institution that He created !
Blessings,
Fairlight

i agree with you that god supports people keeping their promises. however, we should also recognize that sometimes even true believers make promises to do something that is DIRECTLY and SPECIFICALLY forbidden in his word. for example, if a man "marries" anoher man and promises to be his husband, do we think that god supports these men keeping their promise?> did god bring them together? oath is important but obedience is paramount. we can't justify such sin by claiming "i'm having to keep my promise". unbelievers are lost anyways. believers are required to repent and turn away from such sin.

 

[Anonymous]

Marriages (good & bad) are not made in heaven, but here on earth. They are formed and strengthened in the furnace of trials and the gardens of delight. I think it would be very unkind of us to credit our Lord with the condition of our marriage just as much as it would be for us to blame the devil for making us do it (whatever it was that we did wrong). God established the institution of marriage for all people and then let us decide to participate at our will. Problem is, that we cannot change the rules and still expect it to work right. If we don't play by the rules, we can't blame Him for the game not working out as expected.

 

[CecilW]

I merely suggest, brethren, that we be careful about deciding that "God didn't REALLY join us together" is a valid excuse, um, reason to bail.

Adultery, aye.
Abuse, yup.
Blatant rebellion and refusal to accept aut1hority in the home? Probably. Having received freedom of choice, we gotta honor it in others, but it does carry consequences. I'll take my chances on being right with this one, while hoping and leaving doors open for change.

"Well, looking at our circumstances, it wasn't GOD who brought us together, so I'm free to toddle off at will"? Unh-unh. Waaaay too easy.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: "Let no man out asunder" etc

Marriage is a covenant relationship.
Even when two unbelievers wed, they make various promises to one another. I believe God supports people keeping their promises, especially in respect to an institution that He created !
Blessings,
Fairlight

i agree with you that god supports people keeping their promises. however, we should also recognize that sometimes even true believers make promises to do something that is DIRECTLY and SPECIFICALLY forbidden in his word. for example, if a man "marries" anoher man and promises to be his husband, do we think that god supports these men keeping their promise?> did god bring them together? oath is important but obedience is paramount. we can't justify such sin by claiming "i'm having to keep my promise". unbelievers are lost anyways. believers are required to repent and turn away from such sin.

I was specifically referring to heterosexual marriage.
No, I don't believe anyone is obligated to keep a vow regarding something God has defined as sinful.
Blessings,
Fairlight

 

[Who is like God?]

Would it not be arrogant to assume that we could possible know what was and what was not the acts of God or question his will in allowing things to happen? We see such a little piece of the entire picture.