Is This Biblical Grounds For Divorce? Or Not?

[1689Dave]

The porn in and of itself would not be grounds. I realize the level at which he was at is horrific. However the fact that he is now going to jail for quite some time seems to be a type of abandonment. I would counsel her based on the whole picture not just one issue at play here that she has biblical grounds for divorce and remarriage. I would also tell her to be very careful in the future. As we should always be.

Only death breaks the marriage bond.
“So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.” Romans 7:3 (KJV 1900)

 

[Revmitchell]

Yep. Lust in heart for another woman is Adultery.

stop every man and woman alive would be guilty of this and every marriage justifiable for divorce

 

[Revmitchell]

Only death breaks the marriage bond.
“So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.” Romans 7:3 (KJV 1900)

the nicest way I know to say this is you almost never know what you are talking about

 

[1689Dave]

the nicest way I know to say this is you almost never know what you are talking about

If you go by what scripture says, I certainly do. You cannot justify Divorce in the NT. Or divorce and remarriage in the OT. You can only help destroy families when they reach their breaking point by teaching Divorce or divorce and remarriage. That's the fruit we judge by.

 

[1689Dave]

For any hoping to find a loophole in the "except clause" of Matthew 19:9, there isn't one. Notice the innocent wife divorced from the adulterous husband in the first part. Jesus says the man who marries her also commits adultery, which would mean the except clause does not work in this case. The State executed adulterers making remarriage legal. But since they did not in this case, she and her husband # two are also adulterers.

 

[Reynolds]

stop every man and woman alive would be guilty of this and every marriage justifiable for divorce

What did Jesus say?
"
Adultery in the Heart
27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

 

[canadyjd]

There are no biblical grounds for divorce in the New Covenant. It means you do not forgive which is a damnable sin.

All sin is “damnable” sin. If she divorces him and it’s not biblically allowed, God is faithful to forgive all our sins.

peace to you

 

[Van]

Does the wife have biblical grounds to divorce her husband and father of her children, because of at least mental infidelity?
Answer: Of course!

 

[George Antonios]

Josh Duggar, 33, was found guilty this week of receiving and possession of images of child rape/pornography of children under the age of 12 [At least one toddler].. Around 65 images and videos. Multiple images and when this broke, a Homeland Security officer said it was in the top five of the "worst of the worst" images he'd ever seen.

He is going to jail for a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of 40. Sentencing is a later date.

Here's my question.

Should his wife, Anna, divorce him? Can she, with a biblical defense, divorce him? I think I read somewhere that he told her about his molesting his sisters when they were teens, but his adultery and adult porn addiction came to her knowledge after they were married and had children.

He needs serious prayer. The children in those images and videos need serious prayer. His family needs prayer.

I understand that she can forgive him. But SHOULD she divorce him? CAN she, biblically speaking, divorce him?

pornography = fornication (literally) and therefore grounds for divorce.

 

[Revmitchell]

What did Jesus say?
"
Adultery in the Heart
27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

yep that’s exactly what he said but you are applying it the wrong way.

 

[Reynolds]

yep that’s exactly what he said but you are applying it the wrong way.

The entire context of that passage is making the comparison that the two are equal.

 

[Revmitchell]

The entire context of that passage is making the comparison that the two are equal.

Ok then if you are right then every marriage has grounds for divorce.

The context isn’t that they are equal it’s that it begins in our thought processes long before we act on it.

 

[Aaron]

the nicest way I know to say this is you almost never know what you are talking about

Agreed

 

[Aaron]

Is there evidence of actual adultery?

LOL. Define 'actual' adultery.

 

[Reynolds]

Ok then if you are right then every marriage has grounds for divorce.

The context isn’t that they are equal it’s that it begins in our thought processes long before we act on it.

Adultery in heart is not sin?

 

[robycop3]

Agree with Reynolds. Lust for anyone besides one's spouse is adultery. And remember, in the days when Scripture was being first written, women didn't have too many rights.

But it's largely a question of one's conscience, same as eating meat offered to idols was in Paul's day.

 

[Aaron]

Josh Duggar, 33, was found guilty this week of receiving and possession of images of child rape/pornography of children under the age of 12 [At least one toddler]
Should his wife, Anna, divorce him?

Yes.

Can she, with a biblical defense, divorce him?

Yes.

He needs serious prayer.

I feel no need to pray for him. He needs to be delivered to Satan. He should give full vent to the fires of his lust till he is utterly consumed. If he is actually saved, that life will rise from the ash heap of his existence, and he will return to the faith, as it were, yet bodily much worse for the wear.

Neither counseling, prayer, multi-step programs, nor prison can reform someone sold out to his lusts. In fact, it's too bad he committed a crime—at least it's still a crime for now. Because prison will interfere with the process. That may be God's design to reserve him for the day of judgment.

Anyway, yes, he should be divorced.

In fact, I will say the marriage union is already dissolved.

If you "church" a man for his sin, his wife isn't "churched" with him, and union with the body of Christ, is a thicker union than marriage. They're both undone.

If you're looking for a legalistic out, I'll give a word about Christ's statement: saving for the cause of fornication. He didn't say for the cause of adultery. It can be any illicit sexual interaction. One's paramour doesn't have to be in person.

 

[Aaron]

Adultery in heart is not sin?

Of course it is, and if it's more than that which is common...in otherwords...if it's an inordinate lust and cannot be controlled (self-control is a fruit of the Spirit) , it will bring forth outward sin, and that is the act that gives ground for divorce.

But not every appearance of evil gives ground for divorce.

 

[Aaron]

If you go by what scripture says, I certainly do. You cannot justify Divorce in the NT. Or divorce and remarriage in the OT. You can only help destroy families when they reach their breaking point by teaching Divorce or divorce and remarriage. That's the fruit we judge by.

Families are destroyed by an opposite and equal error, that one is bound to an abusive or odious spouse.

 

[Revmitchell]

Adultery in heart is not sin?

i didn’t say that.