Churches Of Christ/adultry

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Expert: - 7/12/2011


Question
Let me start out by explaining the situation. I was married to a man who cheated alot. He had put me in a situation where me and our children were living with a friend while he went to another state to do as he pleased. While he was gone I decided I was done and wanted a divorce. I did not tell him I wanted a divorce until he came back home because I didn't want to tell him over the phone. After I had decided for a divorce and before I told him I wanted a divorce, I slept with someone else. Is that adultry? If in my heart I was done with my husband? And this all happened before I became a Christian. And another thing, My ex never found out I slept with someone else, but he filed for divorce before I could get the money to. He only filed first because he thought he could get the children from me. After our divorce I met this wonderful man, and we got married and soon after we started church and I got baptized for the remission of my sins. I just want to know if I am living in sin. please help me answer this

Answer
Hi!

Serena, you know the proper passages or you would not know to ask. Just remember, the one who is cheated against is CAUSED to commit adultery. Yes, you committed adultery. At the same time, you did not divorce him for improper grounds, so you are not in the class of those who continually commit adultery because they cannot be divorced. You are putting him away for adultery, regardless of who won the footrace to the courthouse. In God's eyes, he could not divorce you. Now that you are not having sex outside of marriage, and know what happened so you won't anymore (repentance), and were baptized, I believe it is settled.

In His Service,
Marvin Howard

Churches Of Christ

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Marvin Howard

Expertise

I consider myself to be a "doctrine specialist" if there is such a thing. I offer scripture to support or refute (as needed) any doctrine practiced within what is commonly termed "Christianity" today. I am willing to try questions on prophecy and history, though they are weak points. I have learned a little, however. Also, as I am disabled, I have time to research many things. For example, I can find a congregation of the church within twenty miles of your ZIP Code if one exists. If traveling, I can locate a congregation for your visit. I am accountable in this ministry to a group of Christians. I will share my answers with them for review. If a question is private, I will redact the names for privacy.

Experience

I became a Christian on April 7, 1969. I have been a substitute, spur-of-the-moment preacher for thirty years. My last pulpit was with the congregation in Braswell, GA. My sermons have always contained at least fifty percent scripture. On occasion, I have preached in seven states, and four foreign nations. This is beside my online ministry. I am now, officially retired.

I hope to never mislead anyone saying I'm a member of one group, when I'm really in another as one here does. By his own admission, he isn't a member of the church, but of the "Christian Church" (sic) denomination. If I can be honest, I don't know why others would want to lie.

Education/Credentials
Having already acquired significant Bible education from self-study, I attended 1.5 years of Bible college through the church at Dyersburg, TN (before my health waned) in an attempt to get paper to say I know what I know.

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