"Divorce has not permitted among the Anabaptists and Mennonites from the earliest times to the mid-20th century except for the cause of adultery, in accordance with the Biblical standard as found in Matthew 19:9, although separation (either legal or privately arranged) was generally allowed.

In a tract entitled Concerning Divorce written by one of the first Swiss Brethren in 1527, possibly by Michael Sattler, appears the earliest known Anabaptist treatment of the subject. The main points in this tract stressed: (1) the permanence of the marriage bond; (2) the supremacy of one's obligation to Christ over obligation to the marriage partner; (3) the only ground for divorce was adultery; (4) to marry one guilty of fornication was itself fornication; (5) the innocent party to a divorce was not forbidden to remarry, and was by implication permitted to do so. Except for the fifth point, regarding which there was some ambiguity and occasional divergence within the brotherhood, this tract can be thought of as summarizing quite well the position of the Mennonite church regarding divorce through the mid 20th century.

Menno Simons also clarified the Anabaptist position on divorce, referring directly to the words of Christ and of the Apostle Paul. He reiterated the theme of adultery being the only acceptable ground for divorce. "And also, that the bond of undefiled, honorable matrimony is so unchangeably bound in the kingdom and government of Christ that neither a man nor a woman can forsake one the other, and take another, understand rightly what Christ says, except it be for fornication, Matthew 19:9. And Paul also holds the same doctrine, that they shall he bound to each other, and that they are to live in union; that the man has not power over his own body, nor the woman over hers, 1 Corinthians 7:4." (Works, 247). The Wismar Resolutions of 1554, (as quoted in Mennonitisches Lexikon I, 530) say: "Adultery on the part of one member breaks the marriage relationship. However, the responsible party may return to re-establish the relationship provided he (or she) gives evidence of due repentance and a changed life. In cases of deliberate adultery, the innocent party may be free to remarry after consulting with the congregation." The position taken by the Hutterian Brethren was ". . . that nothing can break the marriage bond except adultery. In cases where a man is married to an unbelieving woman, and she desires to live with him, he may not divorce her (nor vice versa). If the unbelieving husband threatens her faith or hinders the training of the children in the faith, she may divorce her husband, but must not remarry so long as that man is living."
http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Divorce_and_Remarriage

Michael Sattler :

"He who divorces without fornication, the only reason, and remarries, commits adultery; and he who takes a
divorced woman causes her to commit adultery; for Christ says, "These two are one flesh". But he who cleaves to a
harlot, as Paul says, 1 Cor. 6, sins against his own body and is one flesh with the harlot. Thus he is by this act
separated from his own flesh, in that he has attached himself to the alien flesh of the prostitute, and thus the marriage
is broken; for they are no longer one flesh, since the fornicator has become one flesh with the harlot. The one who
finds herself thereby divorced may now marry, whom she will, only let it be in the Lord..."

Menno Simons:

"These two, one husband and one wife, are one flesh and can not be separated from each other to marry again
otherwise than for adultery, as the Lord says. Matt. 5:19; Mark 10; Luke 16.

Dirk Philips :

"The Lord desired and commanded that men should do this no more (freely divorce their wives for any cause),
except in case of fornication, which is the only and true reason or cause for which a man may leave or put away his
wife (((and take another)))."

P. 401 Martyrs Mirror Article xxv :

"..., that they might not, on any account, separate and marry another, (((except))) in case of adultery or death

RE : /// I would say MANY remarriages are under wrong circumstances. Is it right to tell couples to dissolve their relationship (even with children involved) if its a remarriage under wrong circumstances?///

"Should not separate and live as single people thinking that this would result in less sin because all their sexual relations are acts of adultery. The Bible does not give prescriptions for this particular case, but it does treat second marriages as having significant standing in God's eyes. That is, there were promises made and there has been a union formed. It should not have been formed, but it was. It is not to be taken lightly. Promises are to be kept, and the union is to be sanctified to God. While not the ideal state, staying in a second marriage is God's will for a couple and their ongoing relations should not be looked on as adulterous." - John Piper


edit added more of the quote of Pipers.

_________________
Lisa

Greg writes...

••Would you agree at all with what I am saying brother David? Can there ever be a place where the union needs to be dissolved, do you believe God would demand or ask this of people in their repentance or is it always keep them together and "clean it up" ?••

Brother, respectfully, I cannot agree with what you're addressing to Brother David. Granted that the church is running rampant in no fault divorce. But people such as yourself have gone to the other extreme and have relegated divorced to the unpardonable sin.

You're taking the position that anyone who is divorced or gets divorced wants to get out of an undesirable marriage. But tragically there are innocent parties in divorce. Because men are ""coming out"". There is the heartbreaking situations in which a male who professes Christ may come to his wife and say "Darling I love you. But I am gay. And I am leaving you to marry my gay partner."

What are you going to tell that dear woman of God whose husband left her for his gay partner? Are you going to say that she can never remarry when she is clearly the innocent victim. By the way this is not a hypothetical scenario. But I am aware of a situation in which this has happened. And this is happening all too frequently in our evangelical churches.

We can reverse the situation and it could be a wife who comes in and tells her husband that she is lesbian. And she is going to leave her husband to marry her lesbian partner. Again what are you going to tell this husband. He is clearly the innocent party here. Are you going to say that he can never remarry.

Brother respectfully I take issue with you. And even take you she with those in the Forum who Embrace a hardcore stance saying that the innocent party can never remarry in a divorce. I think this is taking New Testament doctrine to a point that makes divorce under the Old Covenant look more merciful.

If I err then I err on the side of grace. If I err. Then I will err on the side of the gospel.

Simply my thoughts respectfully posted.

Bro Blaine

Bro Blaine,


Greg was addressing : "((if)) remarried in the wrong circumstance..."

I thought it was a rather balanced view.

edit: clarity

This is and always has been a very controversial subject among Christians, and always will be. I look at it two fold, yes God said he hates divorce, but he never said it's unforgivable, I also would be very cautious of telling folks that divorce is a sin God will not forgive, if so this scripture was written in vain. Matthew...12:31 Therefore I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. If everyone could just take that scripture at face value, and not try and twist other scriptures to go against it, I'm sure it would make God happier.

_________________
Bill

Greg writes..........

"This is why I encourage most remarried couples who the Lord brings to me and there is an openness by the Holy Spirit, I have encouraged them to look at the situation scripturally and realize that if remarried in the wrong circumstance they union is sin. Once they admit this then they need to bring it before the Lord and ask Him what to do. Some have recieved assurance of forgiveness and that they could stay together, others felt their repentance included seperation. I am not to judge but to leave them to the JUDGE OF ALL. My job is to share that it is sin and wrong and Jesus calls the person an ADULTERER. We leave the rest with the Lord and the parties invovled."

Greg, I feel like you are trying to hide in the midst of words. I agree that if a Christian divorces his or her husband or wife for any other reasons than adultery, then that divorce is not Biblical, it is sin, and it must be repented of and then the couple or person must do as they are led by the Spirit.

Let me make this real simple for you Greg. Here is a yes or no question. Can a Christian man or woman whose spouse has cheated on them, divorce and remarry in the eyes of God and not be an adulterer ? Yes or no? ............. bro Frank