AUGUST 24TH, 1943

AUGUST 24TH, 1943

Beloved Brother, — A legal divorce would forbid the persons involved to return to the married relation except by a new marriage contract; mutual separation leaves the door open for reconciliation without recourse to law. In the case you mention the divorcer is the woman and her act cuts her off from any legal claim on the man except that for certain reasons the court ordered an allowance. But for the divorced person to open his house for the one who divorced him would be immoral. Legally the divorcer is in no different relation to her divorced husband than any other woman. I am referring to the matter purely from the standpoint of the law of the land. And a question might arise as to whether a Christian divorced according to the law of the land but not according to the law of God, there being no adultery involved, should take advantage of his legal freedom and marry again, and whether this would affect Christian fellowship, in case he was in it, or sought to be in it. The judgment of the assembly enters into this and the general state and history of the brother should be considered. But as to the position abstractly, I believe 1 Corinthians 7: 15 should govern it, that is as linked with Matthew 19: 10 - 12. The latter scripture connected with 1 Corinthians 7: 9 is a merciful provision in view of the capabilities of the person in question. If the woman has married again, of course, the matter is all the clearer — that the man is not bound. The first divorce having occurred when the man was unconverted need not enter into the case, it seems to me.

Affectionately yours in Christ,
James Taylor.