And how is this even moreso true that a believer would not be under "BONDAGE" in such a case as when an unbeliever departs? It is because the principles of determining "adultery" are exactly parallel with those of determining "idolatry".
We know that the marriage relationship is to be after the model of Christ and His Church.
"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it". (Ephesians 5:22-25.)
As the Apostle Paul wrote, "I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." (2_Corinthians 11:2b-c.)
We must then consider the relationship between believers and the Lord as that of wives and their husband.
So, when we call upon the name of the Lord in repentance with a sincere heart, unto the very salvation of our souls, we are then referred to as "espoused" to the Lord, or as married to Him as our Husband. (The Scriptures use various images to portray the relationship of we Christians to Christ. For example, sometimes we are referred to as the Lord's espoused brides-to-be, as in 2_Corinthians 11:2 . Others times, we are shown in the image as being already married to Christ, as in Ephesians 5:22-25. In terms of marriage doctrine, the marriage model we are to follow is that of Christ and His Brides, the Churches, per Ephesians 5:22-25.)
But before we called upon the Lord, where were we?
In sin.
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God". (Romans 3:23.)
So, without God, we were in sin, and thus bound to the false god of this world.
Without YHWH, we would otherwise be as though we were "betrothed" to the devil himself.
When we call upon the Lord, we are to be bound unto Him as our "Husband". And if we ever turn back to wickedness, to apostasy, we are as committing "adultery" to our "Husband" in turning to other gods (by turning to anything BUT our LORD God), "idolatry".
YHWH does not commit "idolatry" when He "marries" each new additional Christian to Himself in the salvation of their very soul. And in like fashion, neither does a man commit "adultery" when he marries each new additional wife.
But when a Christian goes apostate, thereby going into "idolatry" (even if they make their own selves as their false god in which they trust), they are breaking their "wedlock" with their Husband, the Lord GOD. Thereby do they commit "adultery" against their Husband, the Lord.
But thank the Lord that He is merciful!
Consider how the Law (in Deuteronomy 24:1-4) had said that a husband could put away the adulterous wife, but then we see in Jeremiah 3 how the Lord brought mercy!
In Jeremiah 3:8, we see that the LORD had divorced Israel for her adultery, and even despite that, His other wife Judah was copying after Israel's very same whoredoms.
"And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also." (Jeremiah 3:8.)
And that "adultery" (which in this case does also happen to be identified as "harlotry") is clearly spelled out as obvious acts of "idolatry".
"And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks." (Jeremiah 3:9.)
YHWH's whoring wife Israel had committed "adultery" in that she had been commiting "idolatry".
So, "in the sixth year of Hezekiah ((which was the king of Judah)), that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria ((the northern non-Judah tribes, Israel)) was taken. And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria." (2_Kings 18:10b-11a.)
The Lord GOD had divorced His whoring wife Israel unto the Assyrians, but at that time still protected His other wife Judah for 120 more years.
But even though Judah had seen for 120 years how God had divorced His adulterous wife Israel, Judah still went and did the very same whoredoms of "idolatry".
"And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD." (Jeremiah 3:10.)
And because Judah had already had the example of seeing God divorce Israel for her "adultery", where Israel had had no such prior example to know that God would indeed so divorce a whoring wife, Judah was said to be even that much more treacherous than even Israel!
"And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah." (Jeremiah 3:11.)
But the Lord was still being merciful! He was calling out the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel to warn the more treacherous whoring wife Judah. And the LORD even showed that He was even willing to be so merciful to His divorced wife Israel that He would even take her back if she would but repent and be reconciled to her Husband, the LORD!
"Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you". (Jeremiah 3:12-14d.)
Yes, praise the Lord, God was showing that He would forgive those who would repent, that He is merciful, without regard even for the Law! Behold His mercy in calling for his adulterous wife Israel, whom He had divorced to the Assyrians:
"They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD." (Jeremiah 3:1.)
Praise the LORD. He was showing mercy, and as according to the commandment of the Lord in 1_Corinthians 7:10-11 that He let his departed wife (Israel) "be RECONCILED to her husband", the LORD God!
Yes, praise the Lord, "O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." (Psalm 107:1.) Alleluia Hallelujah!
For we can repent our sins and the LORD is merciful and faithful and just to forgive us our sins! Alleluia Hallelujah!
Now, bringing this back into our discussion here, clearly the principles of determining "idolatry" are the same as those of determining "adultery".
Would God CAUSE a believer to commit "idolatry", to leave Him for another? Of course not. Likewise, neither should a husband CAUSE his wife to commit "adultery", to leave him for another.
Now, does God commit "idolatry" when he "marries" a new believer who used to be "married" to unGodly idols in the past? Of course not. Likewise, neither does a believer husband commit "adultery" when he marries a believer wife who used to be "married" to unGodly "husbands" in the past.
As one takes that analogy further and further, it only gets clearer and clearer. The principles of determining "adultery" are exactly parallel with those of determining "idolatry".
And as such, just as God would never say that a believer must then return (or is bound) to their "first" unGodly idol, neither does God say that a believer wife must then return (or is bound) to her "first" unGodly "husband" to whom she might have been so-called "married" BEFORE coming to the Lord Jesus Christ.
And let it also be remembered how God applied mercy even "above" the Law, as we saw in Jeremiah 3:1 (as associated to Deuteronomy 24:1-4).
For surely, consider what a stumblingblock it would be to lay before some woman who might be desiring to receive the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, if she was then told that in order to "call upon the Lord", she would have to supposedly forsake a believer husband to then return to some unGodly man to whom she had been so-called "married" long ago in her past. Torment! What a stumblingstone that would be indeed, and certainly a stumblingstone with no mercy ---as well as even a requirement that would force her to HAVE to be "unequally yoked with an unbeliever" (as per 2_Corinthians 6:14.)!
Therefore let us ever not lay such a stumblingtonstone before such a one who would seek to receive the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, with our remembering how our Lord explained the intent of Hosea 6:6 when He said, "But if ye had known what this meaneth,
I will have mercy, and not sacrifice,
ye would not have condemned the guiltless." (Matthew 12:7.)
Therefore, instead, let us ever "give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." (Psalm 107:1.) Alleluia Hallelujah!
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9.)
"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Romans 14:17.)
"If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:36.)
And "ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." (1_Peter 2:9-10.)
"And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi ((my husband))"... (Hosea 2:16a-c.)
Amen. Alleluia! Hallelujah!
++++++++++++++
So, as we see, from all of these 6 parts of this 6-Part Post, truly, there is much to this matter of the "re-marriage" of a woman.
In order to glean the Truth, we surely need to know the issues about Pre-CHRIST FORNICATIONS. We need to understand that FORNICATION is NOT always ADULTERY, and a HARLOT is NOT always an ADULTERESS. When we come to the Lord, we are a NEW CREATURE IN CHRIST JESUS. When an unbeliever husband or wife departs from a believer (in a hybrid-marriage), a brother or a sister is NOT UNDER BONDAGE IN SUCH CASES. And lastly, the principles of IDOLATRY exactly parallel those of ADULTERY.
I pray that all of this now has been both a blessing and a revelation for you.
And last of all, dear Friend,
YOU WROTE~~~
I await your comments. I will respond separately, as detailed in your email, concerning my support for this ministry you have been given.
In Yahushua Messiah's Love
Friend
~~~I REPLY
Thank you ever so much for your very kind patience, edification, and love.
I look forward to more communication with you, my dear friend.
May the love of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Yehoshua ha'Mashiyach, Joshua Messiah, our King and High Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek King of Salem (King of Righteousness King of Peace), ever be with you and in you.
Amen. Hallelujah! Praise ye the LORD!
TRUTH BEARER
Acts 24:14
http://www.TheStandardBearer.com/Acts2414/Exodus2110/TruthBearer/
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