I was presented with an interesting situation not specifically covered in scripture. It involved a woman who hadn't studied scripture who enters into adultery with honest intentions (a pastor married her to a divorced man). Six years later the man's wife died. Then several years after that the man divorces this woman, his 2nd wife, and marries a 3rd wife. The divorced 2nd wife now studies the scripture to see that she wasn't supposed to marry the man to begin with. Did she become his God-given wife the moment his 1st wife died?

In On Marriage and Concupiscence, Augustine covers the situation of an adulterous couple committing adultery against a man who dies. He wrote, "if the husband die, with whom a true marriage was made, a true marriage is now possible by a connection which would before have been adultery." Augustine likely had repentance in mind followed by an exchange of vows. Nevertheless, for this interesting scenario presented to me that can only arise during an apostasy, I have prayerfully come to believe that God sanctified this woman's marriage the moment the man's 1st wife died. The reason is because of her honest intention coupled with circumstance of the woman's death. Honest intention alone is not enough to get God's sanctification. Circumstance alone is not enough to get God's sanctification. However, I have come to believe honest intention coupled with circumstance is enough to get God's sanctification.

I recommended that the pastor be taught the Lord's command to not let man separate what God has joined together anymore, and that the man who married the 3rd wife while his 2nd wife is living be taught that the Father's will for him is to turn from this adultery, and that the 2nd wife remain unmarried and pray for her husband to reconcile with the heavenly Father through Jesus Christ.

Beacon, I've prayed over what you wrote here and I believe it is right on the mark. I would recommend the woman confess in private face-to-face to parents or siblings (hers, his, and the deceased woman) regarding the 6 years of adultery; because regardless of whether sexual sins are "fornication" or "adultery," they are still sins against the family name (Lev 21:9).

I pray that a man who knows her husband finds out about the Children of The Way, so that such a man will be moved to help her by teaching the gospel to her husband. She and her pastor cannot teach the gospel as effectively as a male friend or family member can since she and her pastor have something in this current world to gain out of it (either a body in the bed or a body in the pews).

Thank you so much for taking the time to care about me and my unique situation. I am feeling somewhat "shocked" at what I am reading I will admit.

I am sure you are expecting me to study intently your beliefs. As a christian, my Lord Jesus has warned me to beware of false doctrine. I am not saying you are of a false doctrine, I am just saying I need to study for myself.

I will be back to converse further with you when my Lord Jesus gives me the spirit of discernment and words of knowledge and wisdom I need regarding your beliefs.

Thank you again for responding to me. I pray that truth continue to be revealed as God wills.

My first question to you is... why is there a need for you to denounce being called "christian"? A "christian" is one who follows Christ Jesus.

Are you not followers of Christ?

Your way is not my WAY.

I am a christian. I am a christian because I am a follower of Jesus Christ.

I cannot receive from any "spiritual" entity that denounces christianity; although the name of Jesus is invoked in your doctrine.

As a christian, I walk by faith and not by sight and recognize that without faith in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; it is impossible to please my God. I need NO science to prove that my God is real. HE lives within me. I leave you with the following word of God:

Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Thanks 4Christ. Your decision to proceed cautiously to avoid false teachers is wise, and I encourage you to continue in that approach in your spiritual growth. Always test the spirit, before you believe something (1Jo 4:1). The Children of The Way are not about converting people to our faith. We praise Christianity above all other world religions because we believe it is extremely close to the bullseye. The bullseye is truth, which is Jesus Christ (Joh 14:6). All of the other world religions don't even come close to the bullseye. Do not ever leave Christianity for another world religion.

You will never see us trying to advertise our faith to the world or speaking out about our faith in the churches. We are very quiet. All speaking that we do is done in private face-to-face with pastors and with those individuals, particularly Christians, who are straying away from the bullseye by violating another person's marriage covenant (present or future). These straying Christians are the souls that are in great need of spiritual help (Mat 9:12-13). We cannot change the way we approached this issue in the past, but we can change the way we approach it in the future and we can have the assurance that we have been forgiven for our past sins through our Lord's sacrifice on the cross. Do not ever let the enemy play a guilt trip on you for past sins that you have confessed to the Lord and to the ones you sinned against.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.