Q: Dear Sis, may I ask about this article? Why did CCF allow this remarriage? (Pastor Joby Soriano officiated wedding).
Link: http://ardyroberto.com/2017/12/27/questions-marriage-remarriage-annulment-divorce-happiness/
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Dear Sis, the best persons to ask would be Pastor Joby and Pastor Peter.
Meanwhile, from my limited understanding from browsing thru the article and from former research,
1 – Miriam was called “victim of divorce” as her foreign national (“alien”) husband divorced her and married another woman. She did not initiate, file, nor desire divorce. But her husband being a foreign national of a country which permits divorce, his filing of divorce was granted. If Miriam’s first husband were a Filipino citizen—- even if he goes abroad to file for divorce, Philippine law (as evidenced by his passport) will follow and govern the Filipino citizen even if he goes to a country where divorce is permitted to file it; subsequently, that divorce would be invalid. But in the case you are citing, the unbeliever (alien husband) being eligible in his country to enter into a new marriage and establishing a new family —- which he did—- is what the letter seems to point out as making reconciliation of Miriam to her first husband “humanly impossible.”
She might not have been considered a “victim of divorce” if she initiated divorce, if she was the one who pushed her first husband away, if she was the one who was adulterous, if she is the one who left her first husband, refused to live with her willing husband or similar actions that manipulate the situation to lead towards divorce.
There was no issue with Ardy as he was free to marry, after his marriage ended due to the death of his first wife. Death of a spouse (not murder of one’s spouse, even in thought or words) is God’s clear will of marriage to that person freeing up the surviving spouse to marry. This is the sure sign that God wants you to have another spouse.
2- The cited biblical scholar whose advice they sought was Pastor Nomer Bernardino. This summary from his seminar is worth reading [from http://www.butterflyinthespring.com entitled “Happiness, Marriage, and Remarriage – Dr. Nomer Bernardino “ if the link below doesn’t work]
https://butterflyinthespring.com/2018/02/27/happiness-marriage-and-remarriage-dr-nomer-bernardino/
3- From my own understanding, replacing one sinner with another sinner does not solve the problem. It just compounds it by adding a new sinner in the equation (children still need to deal with their father. To simplify illustration, for example your husband is spiritually ill (as evidenced by addiction, strongholds of demonic oppression/ demonic possession), your children would still be dealing with him. Your children would still need to heal from that. It is likely that the same types of spiritual illness did not start with your husband’s generation but was passed on from prior generations (maybe even for several generations). Unless these generational curses are cut and the familiar spirits dealt with, these will get passed on to your descendants as well.
What stops the cycle and what rids the family line of familiar spirits or spirits that have established themselves in that family line is deliverance thru Jesus Christ… plus serious willingness from the believer to be delivered from strongholds/ footholds of the enemy by renouncing from the heart and not returning to what the bible points to as sin; instead, to continually choose to live free/ remain delivered.
When you stand in the gap in prayer for the spiritual healing and bondage-release of your husband, your children will benefit as well.
In Malachi 2 where it says that God hates divorce and withdraws favor from a spouse who deals treacherously with his/ her own spouse (considering said treachery as violence), God says the reason He hates divorce is because He wants godly offspring.
When you vowed to love in sickness, for worse, or for poorer, and when you read about the calling to be a suitable helpmeet who does her husband good all the days of her life, you may find you are called to stand in the gap in prayer for the deliverance of your husband and restoration of your family relationship, Specially (but not only) if your husband is willing to work on the marriage.
The stages of marriage from romance (the fun wonderful part people are seeking in a marriage enough to commit the rest of their life to) to reality, resentment, rage, retaliation, resignation (or restoration when Christ rules then transforms one person which then transforms the relationship and the other person)—- these apply to all love relationships. It will be a matter of time after marrying the second /third /fourth person when reality will set in. When reality does set in, now there are two unsatisfactory relationships at hand whereas the Lord is trying to deal with us in the first place.
If we don’t have joy in Christ, we won’t have lasting joy anywhere else as Christ is the only constant.
Only Jesus who is unlimited can fully satisfy man’s or woman’s unlimited need for love attention understanding etc. He is the only one who can fulfil the promise of true unconditional eternal perfect faithful unlimited endless love.
God is trying to deal with us with the goal of holiness, training us not only to be victorious over difficult circumstances in marriage but over the range of circumstances life requires us to overcome. In addition, the training also applies to passing on a godly legacy to children and descendants.
It just so happens training is coming thru marriage but the Lord can also choose to mature us additionally thru trials in health, finance, disaster, work, relationships with more people, etc.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
James 1:2-4 NIV
Dr. Bruce Wilkinson in Secrets of the Vine said that the Lord trains us thru 3 stages: rebuke (thru His word), chastisement (includes emotional torment); and scourging (heaviest discipline). We get to choose our track on how to become spiritually mature and bear fruit that is consistent with our Vine (Himself). You can review John 15 and take note of v.7.
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” John 15:7 NIV
It’s a challenge to grow up to be spiritually mature in all respects in Christ and to no longer be children but in Christ we can do all things.
https://butterflyinthespring.com/2012/02/14/perfect-valentine/
#helpusdearGod
