Misapplication of Justification by Faith in Divorce Cases
Misapplication of Justification by Faith in Divorce Cases
The concept of justification by faith is a cornerstone of Christian theology, emphasizing that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ rather than through works or adherence to the law [4, 5]. However, its misapplication in divorce cases has been a point of contention across various Christian traditions.
In the context of divorce, the biblical teaching on justification by faith is sometimes misapplied to suggest that a Christian who has been divorced and remarried is justified in their new marriage, regardless of the grounds for the divorce. However, this interpretation overlooks the biblical teachings on divorce and remarriage, which permit divorce in cases of adultery or other serious offenses [3].
The biblical basis for divorce and remarriage is rooted in passages such as Matthew 19:9, where Jesus teaches that divorce is permissible in cases of sexual immorality. The early Christian church grappled with the implications of this teaching, with some traditions interpreting it more strictly than others [1, 2].
Theological traditions differ on the issue of divorce and remarriage. The Catholic Church, for example, has historically taken a more nuanced view, recognizing the sacramental nature of marriage and the complexities of divorce [10]. In contrast, some Protestant traditions have been more permissive, allowing for divorce and remarriage in certain circumstances [6, 7].
The misapplication of justification by faith in divorce cases can lead to a lack of pastoral sensitivity and a failure to acknowledge the complexities of human relationships. As John Calvin notes, justification by faith is not a license for sin, but rather a declaration of God's grace and mercy towards believers [8]. Similarly, the Eastern Orthodox tradition emphasizes the importance of understanding justification in the context of theosis, or the process of spiritual transformation [9].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Divorce — The dissolution of the marriage tie was regulated by the Mosaic law (Deut. 24:1-4). The Jews, after the Captivity, were reguired to dismiss the foreign women they had married contrary to the law (Ezra 10:11-19). Christ limited the permission of divorce to the single case of adultery. It seems that it was not uncommon for the Jews at that time to dissolve the union on very slight pretences (Matt. 5:31, 32; 19:1-9; Mark 10:2-12; Luke 16:18). These precepts given by Christ regulate the law of divorce in the Christian Church.”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Divorce — "a legal dissolution of the marriage relation." The law regulating this subject is found (24:1-4) and the cases in which the right of a husband to divorce his wife was lost are stated ibid ., (22:19,29) The ground of divorce is appoint on which the Jewish doctors of the period of the New Testament differed widely; the school of Shammai seeming to limit it to a moral delinquency in the woman, whilst that the Hillel extended it to trifling causes, e.g., if the wife burnt the food she was cooking for her husband. The Pharisees wished perhaps to embroil our Savi”
- Matthew “I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery.” -- Matthew 19:9”
- Galatians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Galatians 2:16: Knowing that a man is not justified - See the notes on Rom 1:17; Rom 3:24 (note), Rom 3:27 (note); Rom 8:3 (note). And see on Act 13:38 (note) and Act 13:39 (note), in which places the subject of this verse is largely discussed. Neither the works of the Jewish law, nor of any other law, could justify any man; and if justification or pardon could not have been attained in some other way, the world must have perished. Justification by faith, in the boundless mercy of God, is as reasonable as it is Scriptural and necessary.”
- Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 3:20: Being justified freely by his grace,.... The matter of justification is before expressed, and the persons that share in this blessing are described; here the several causes of it are mentioned. The moving cause of it is the free grace of God; for by "the grace of God" here, is not meant the Gospel, or what some men call the terms of the Gospel, and the constitution of it; nor the grace of God infused into the heart; but the free love and favour of God, as it is in his heart; which is wonderfully displayed in the business of a sinner's justification before him: it appe”
- Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), Article IV. Of Justification.: Article IV. Of Justification.”
- Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), 11.Of Justification.: 11.Of Justification.”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 109: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:2 1:26 1:27 1:31 2:7 2:7 2:17 2:18 2:23 2:23 3:7 3:9 3:12 3:15 3:15 3:15 3:22 4:4 4:7 4:10 4:13 6:3 6:5 6:6 6:18 7:21 8:21 9:6 12:12 12:17 14:18 14:18 15:1 15:1 15:5 15:17 16:9 17:7 17:7 17:10 17:10 17:13 17:15 17:27 18:2 18:23 20:3 20:7 21:1 21:12 21:24 22:1 22:8 22:16-18 23:4 23:19 24:7 24:10 26:27 27:28 27:38-39 28:12 28:20 29 30:2 31:19 31:20 31:40-41 32 32:10 32:13 32:29-30 33 34 36:22 37:18 37:28 37:33 38:18 42 43 43:14 45:5 47:9 47:9 47:29-30 48:14 48:16 49:5-6 49:18 Exodus 2:12 3:2 3”
- CCEL (Eastern Orthodox) “John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, section 105: 9:5 9:5 9:5 9:19 9:21 9:21 10:4 10:4 10:6-9 10:13-21 10:17 11:8 11:25-27 11:28 11:32 11:33-36 11:36 11:36 11:36 12:3 12:13 15:10 15:12 16:25-27 1 Corinthians 1:9 1:10 1:17-25 1:20 1:20-25 1:23 1:23 1:23-24 1:24 1:24 1:24 1:27 1:27 2:2 2:7-8 2:8 2:8 2:8 2:10-11 2:11 2:12 2:12 2:14-15 3:8 3:8 3:16 3:17 3:19 7:2 7:25 7:31 8 8:5 8:6 8:6 8:6 8:6 8:6 8:7 10:1 10:17 10:31 11:2 11:24-26 11:29 11:31-32 12:3 12:3 12:3 12:3 12:4-7 12:4-11 12:5-6 12:5-6 12:8 12:8 12:8-10 12:11 12:12 12:24 13:10 14:32 14:37 15:3-4 15:16-17 15:20 15:2”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Supplement (Supplementum), Of Disparity of Worship As an Impediment to Marriage, Art. 6: Article: Whether other sins dissolve marriage? I answer that, Bodily fornication and unbelief have a special contrariety to the goods of marriage, as stated above (Article [3]). Hence they are specially effective in dissolving marriages. Nevertheless it must be observed that marriage is dissolved in two ways. In one way as to the marriage tie, and thus marriage cannot be dissolved after it is ratified, neither by unbelief nor by adultery. But if it be not ratified, the tie is dis”