Biblical interpretation is important‼️Romans 7:2-3 says nothing about divorce and remarriage ‼️
Posted : 11 Apr, 2025 07:25 PM
By Never Thirsty
Bible Question:
Does Romans 7:2-3 prohibit divorce and remarriage?
Bible Answer:
Confusion exists about the meaning of Romans 7:2-3. This occurs because an important principle in biblical interpretation is not always followed. That principle will help us understand, “Does Romans 7:2-3 prohibit divorce and remarriage?”
Does the Bible Prohibit Divorce?
Believers Are Freed from the Law
Beginning in Romans 6:19-20, the apostle Paul states that before a person becomes a believer in Jesus Christ, he or she was a slave to sin. But when an individual believes in Christ, he or she died in Christ and was freed from sin (Romans 6:6-8). The result is the person is no longer bound to sin. In Romans 6:12 believers are urged to not allow sin to reign in their bodies again or get back on the throne in their lives. So, at the moment of saving faith, a person is freed from slavery to sin.
Then beginning in Romans 7:1, Paul begins to show that just as believers are freed from slavery to sin, they are also freed from the Mosaic Law. Verse 1 states,
Or do you not know, brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives? Romans 7:1 (NASB)
Then in Romans 7:2-3 the apostle illustrates his point using the marriage relationship. He states that according to the law, a married woman is bound to her husband while he is alive. But after he dies “. . . she is released from the law concerning the husband.” He said,
For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man. Romans 7:2-3 (NASB)
But if she marries another man while he is alive, she commits adultery and becomes an adulteress. When he dies, she would not be an adulteress should she marry another man. Paul’s message is that the marital relationship is broken when a spouse dies.
Then in Romans 7:4, Paul summarizes his point that when we died in Christ, we were not just freed from sin but also from the Mosaic Law. We died to the Law too!
Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. Romans 7:4 (NASB)
Paul’s message is simple. Salvation is not obtained by keeping the Law but by being joined to Christ. That is, believers have been freed from the Law and joined to Christ by faith (Romans 7:5-6).
This helps us understand that Paul only used the marriage relationship in Romans 7:2-3 to illustrate his conclusion that believers have been released from the Law (Romans 7:6). Salvation is not by keeping the Mosaic Law. He was not trying to give us new instruction about marriage. Paul ignored Mosaic Law instruction which is explained in the next section.
Principle about Lifetime Marriage
The Old Testament repeatedly teaches us that an adulterer or adulteress was to be put to death. If a man or woman had sexual relations with someone who was not his or her spouse, that person was to be stoned to death.
If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. Leviticus 20:10 (NASB)
If a man is found lying with a married woman, then both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel. If there is a girl who is a virgin engaged to a man, and another man finds her in the city and lies with her, then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city and you shall stone them to death; the girl, because she did not cry out in the city, and the man, because he has violated his neighbor’s wife. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you. Deuteronomy 22:22-24 (NASB)
In addition, Numbers 5:12-31 outlines a test which an Israelite could request to be performed by the priest to determine if a woman was suspected of committing adultery. These verses clearly establish an unstated principle that marriage is between two people and not more. Consequently, the “law” that Romans 7:2 refers to is a principle embedded in the Mosaic law.
Jesus reinforces this principle in Matthew 19:3-9 when He says that from the beginning “What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” This principle was established in Genesis 2:24. Here Jesus is in a discussion with the Pharisees.
Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?” And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said, ‘FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY?” He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” Matthew 19:3-9 (NASB)
Jesus indicates that the principle of lifetime marriage was an established principle from Genesis. Divorce was only permitted later due to the hardness of man’s heart. He reveals remarriage is allowed when adultery has been committed.
Deuteronomy 24:1-4 is the passage that Jesus referred to in Matthew 19:3-9. It is part of the Mosaic Law. In this passage, Moses gives constraints about divorce and remarriage. Here is the passage.
When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out from his house, and she leaves his house and goes and becomes another man’s wife . . . Deuteronomy 24:1-2 (NASB)
Moses acknowledges that divorce was occurring among the Israelites. But notice that he does not condemn it. Instead, he states a woman could become another man’s wife. Deuteronomy 24:4 is especially important since God also tells us that it is an abomination if she marries another man and later wants to remarry her first husband. But God never calls her divorce and remarriage an abomination.
. . . then her former husband who sent her away is not allowed to take her again to be his wife, since she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the LORD, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance. Deuteronomy 24:4 (NASB)
Then in Matthew 19:7-8, Jesus confirms that Moses allowed divorce. Notice that Deuteronomy 24:1-4 limits divorce. The passage does not command divorce. So, Paul was referring to the principle embedded in the Law and established in Genesis in his teaching in Romans 7:1-4.
Teachings of Jesus and Paul
Both Jesus and Paul fulfilled and broadened the Mosaic Law regarding marriage. Early in Jesus’ ministry, He told us that He did not come to abolish the Mosaic Law but to fulfill it.
Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. Matthew 5:17 (NASB)
Then fourteen verses later, Jesus abolished the death penalty for adultery from the Mosaic law when He does not command that a spouse be put to death for committing adultery. Instead, He says this,
“It was said, ‘WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE’; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” Matthew 5:31-32 (NASB)
It is clear from the passage that Jesus allows a “divorced woman” to marry another man. She was not killed. Jesus repeats the same message in Matthew 19:9. But the most important principle to notice is that Jesus does not disagree with Moses’ instructions in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 about divorce. Jesus agrees with Moses’ limitations on divorce; but Moses’ limitations do not prevent divorce. This helps us understand that Deuteronomy 24:1-4 modified the principle regarding lifetime marriage. Remember that Jesus said He did not come to change the Law but to fulfill it. Other passages in the gospels about divorce can be found at Mark 10:5-12 and Luke 16:18. Please read “A Biblical Divorce.”
Paul also permitted divorce in 1 Corinthians 7:10-16. He instructs us that if an unbelieving spouse wants a divorce, the believer is to allow them to leave. Then he adds that the believer is no longer under bondage (1 Corinthians 7:15). Please read “What is the meaning of the word “bound” in 1 Corinthians 7:15?”
Therefore, under the New Covenant, which was enacted by Christ, He and Paul permitted divorce. Romans 7:2-3 is not a treatise on marriage and divorce but simply an accurate teaching that believers are no longer bound to keep the Law. Believers are free from sin and the Law and bound to Christ. We must remember a very important principle in biblical interpretation. The Holy Spirit wrote all of Scripture. If Jesus and Paul permitted divorce and remarriage in a number of different and inspired passages, why should one passage in the New Testament become more important than all of the others? Romans 7:1-3 does not override the other passages.
Conclusion:
Those who claim that Romans 7:2-3 teaches God prohibits divorce have a major biblical problem. They have ignored the biblical principle that Scripture does not contradict Scripture! God the Holy Spirit, who wrote all of Scripture (2 Peter 1:20-21) does not contradict Himself. He is not a liar. Why would the Holy Spirit allow Romans 7:2-3 to contradict the teaching of Moses, Jesus and Paul permitting divorce? Why would Paul prohibit divorce in Romans 7:2-3 and then permit divorce in 1 Corinthians 7:10-16 since he is the author of both passages? The passages are not contradictory. The correct understanding of Romans 7:2-3 is that it does not prohibit divorce. But Moses, Jesus and Paul allow divorce when one spouse engages in sexual sin or an unbelieving spouse wants out of the marriage.
It is important to understand that God has given us the principles for a happy marriage in Ephesians 5:22-31. You are encouraged to read the studies at “Marriage In Splendor – God’s View.”
Biblical interpretation is important‼️Romans 7:2-3 says nothing about divorce and remarriage ‼️
Posted : 25 Mar, 2026 01:06 PM
Wow! You skip a lot of Bible verses, LD, and you fail to quote some many.
Truly, Moonlight will embrace your Moonmush. She likes to dismiss a whole lot of scripture too for her own stance on divorce and marriage after divorce. But both of you get away from the scriptures.
Biblical interpretation is important‼️Romans 7:2-3 says nothing about divorce and remarriage ‼️
Posted : 25 Mar, 2026 01:39 PM
LD did not lie about you, ML; you are a false teacher.
LD, I agree that ML is a false teacher.
I wholly agree with you that ML is a false teacher.
But here, I am shocked that ML even attacked you. It is obvious that she did not even read what you wrote before deciding to attack you. You actually support divorce against Christ's teachings and you actually support marriage after divorce against Christ's teaching. The very things that Moonlight supports, you also support. Moonlight is two thumbs up for divorce and two thumbs up for marriage after divorce. So, why would she attack you on such a subject when you make the same scripture error that she makes? Very clearly you are both way off from what the scripture teaches. I can go point by point where you are off. Your post is so very long that it would be much typing for me to say all the errors you made in this post. But since ML reopens this post in her efforts to degrade men, I will address the post further though I have not seen any sign of you here for many months and there has not been much activity from you on here for many months. Very good you have found better things to do than responding to Moonmush. But now I will respond to your errors where you uphold the scripture but do not because you think you know the scripture yet do not on matters where the Bible is very clear and very plain, yet your review of scripture is wrong.
Biblical interpretation is important‼️Romans 7:2-3 says nothing about divorce and remarriage ‼️
Posted : 25 Mar, 2026 01:49 PM
Little David writes, "If a man or woman had sexual relations with someone who was not his or her spouse, that person was to be stoned to death."
Wow! You missed a lot of scripture there LD by such a broad and false statement.
Somehow you missed Exodus 22:16. “If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife."
Somehow, you missed Deuteronomy 22:28-29. "If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, he shall pay her father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the young woman, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives."
Biblical interpretation is important‼️Romans 7:2-3 says nothing about divorce and remarriage ‼️
Posted : 25 Mar, 2026 02:09 PM
Little David says, "Then in Romans 7:4, Paul summarizes his point that when we died in Christ, we were not just freed from sin but also from the Mosaic Law. We died to the Law too!"
Little David goes on to say,
"That is, believers have been freed from the Law and joined to Christ by faith (Romans 7:5-6)."
So, what you are saying is we are FREE FROM ROMANS 13:9.
ROMANS 13:9 says,
“Thou shalt not commit adultery,” “Thou shalt not kill,” “Thou shalt not steal,” “Thou shalt not bear false witness,” “Thou shalt not covet,” and if there be any other commandment, all are briefly comprehended in this saying, namely: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”
But Little David says that we don't have to do that anymore.
We are free from those laws in Christ Jesus.
Of course, if we are free from those laws in Christ Jesus, then we don't have to worry about Jesus words against divorce and marriage after divorce since we are now free to sin in Christ Jesus because we are no longer under the law.
Yet Jesus says, Matthew 5:17-20,
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
But now LD teaches us that we don't need to follow the Law and that we are free to divorce and free to marry after divorce after Christ spoke against divorce and after Christ spoke against marriage after divorce. It is all okay now because LD has studied the matter and scripture does not mean what it says.
Biblical interpretation is important‼️Romans 7:2-3 says nothing about divorce and remarriage ‼️
Posted : 25 Mar, 2026 02:28 PM
Jesus says that we will be recognized by our fruit.
Divorced women are recognized by that fruit.
Divorced Christian couples are recognized by that fruit.
People who do not follow the scriptures are recognized by that fruit.
Some people repent of their sins and enter heaven before the Pharisees and Sadducees. But we will be recognized by our fruit.
Right now you are teaching people that right is wrong and wrong is right by your teachings on divorce and your teachings on marriage after divorce, LD. That puts you in the same class as Moonlight who is a "FALSE TEACHER" and Moonlight wants to teach her error to others. She wants that everybody follows her error. She does not want people to follow the words of Christ against divorce and against marriage after divorce. She wants that we all follow her in her error. So, now too, you are teaching error. Why would not Moonlight support you except that she did not read what you posted before she began to attack you even though what you typed is exactly what she wants to hear: "the twisting of scripture in matters of divorce and the twisting of scripture in matters of marriage after divorce." Moonlight loves this stuff. She wants every twist and turn away from scripture. She hates the words of Jesus against divorce. She hates the New Testament teachings against marriage after divorce.
I expect better from you LD.
From Moonlight I expect her to do as she does. But you are more one to study the Bible. So, I hope you correct yourself on these matters.
Biblical interpretation is important‼️Romans 7:2-3 says nothing about divorce and remarriage ‼️
Posted : 25 Mar, 2026 02:48 PM
Little David says, "Jesus abolished the death penalty for adultery from the Mosaic law when He does not command that a spouse be put to death for committing adultery."
Jesus did not abolish the death penalty for committing adultery. Instead he said, "Let he who is without sin before first to cast the stone" (John 8:7)
He ushered in a time of grace. We are no longer stoning people for such offenses. We all deserve to be stoned for one offense or another. The Bible says to remember the Sabbath Day and keep it Holy. Many would be stoned to death for not keeping that. Many others would be stoned to death for misuse of God's holy name or for cursing God. So, it is a time of grace we have entered. But the commands are the same. Jesus just ushered in a time of grace. Jesus did not come to condemn the world but to save it. But we should not be fooled. The only ones to get to heaven LOVE GOD and LOVE JESUS AND GOD ABOVE ALL ELSE. Jesus says that if we love him that we will obey what he commands. (John 14:15, John 14:23, John 14:24)
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. (John 14:23)
Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. (John 14:24)
“If you love me, keep my commands." (John 14:15)
When Christians divorce when God says not to divorce, HOW MUCH LOVE IS THAT FOR CHRIST JESUS?
When people marry someone else after divorce, HOW MUCH LOVE IS THAT FOR CHRIST JESUS?
Biblical interpretation is important‼️Romans 7:2-3 says nothing about divorce and remarriage ‼️
Posted : 25 Mar, 2026 03:20 PM
Luke 16:18, Jesus says, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery."
Jesus says, Mark 10:12, "And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery."
Jesus is very clear.
But people like to confuse a verse and twist a verse.
Jesus says Matthew 5:32, "but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery." (NAS)
Jesus says, Matthew 19:9, "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
These are popular verses to twist. People like to think that if a husband is guilty of sexual immorality that a wife can divorce her husband. No where in scripture does that occur. Deuteronomy 24:1-4 does not give it to a woman to write her husband a certificate of divorce. Nor does 1 Corinthians 7:10-11. People twist the Bible all the time. In the Bible, a woman belongs to her husband. She is bound to her husband. (Romans 7:2-3 and 1 Corinthians 7:39) Only a husband is given authority to write a certificate of divorce. Not government. Not wife. And Jesus speaks against it and calls it hardness of the heart which you full well know yet you are trying to find occasion for divorce for a woman to divorce her husband.
How can Jesus be more plain? (Matthew 5:32) "but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."
Yet you are saying it is okay to marry a divorced woman. After Jesus spoke against it and tells us it is adultery to marry a divorced woman, LD says because a woman's husband committed adultery it is okay to marry a divorced woman. Jesus said that the husband causes her to commit adultery by divorcing her, but LD says adultery is okay as long as the X is at fault. These are not the words of Jesus, but of Christians who explain away the teachings of Christ. You are so very much in error. But ML is even more in Bible error than you. She really has lost her lid.
