What does the Bible say about remarriage?

Everyone loves a good wedding story, and there's nothing better than two people falling in love and deciding to marry their love. Oh, the romance of it all.

Unfortunately, as we know, not all marriages last. Some end because death separates them, and for many others they end in divorce. Regardless of how you got there, whether through death or divorce, you may find yourself in a situation where you have gone from married to single. For many people in this situation, they may wish to remarry, but what does the Bible say about remarriage and how can you apply that to your life if you are in this situation?

Does the Bible allow remarriage?

Before I go any further, I want to be clear about what marriage is. The biblical definition of marriage is a legally and spiritually binding contract between a man and a woman. When it comes to marriage, I know we like to focus on the love part, but the truth is that when you marry, you take a binding oath – before God, before the law, and before men. This oath is your agreement to be committed to one person for as long as you both live.

Now that we've defined that, let's consider the issue of remarriage. What the Bible says about remarriage is that yes, it is possible. A person can remarry, but there are conditions where this is permitted and clear, and there are cases where the answer may be a little more difficult. Let's start with the simplest.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Christin Lola

Remarriage after death

The easiest situation to deal with is the death of one of the parties to the marriage. When this happens, the vow that was made has been fulfilled and the remaining living partner is no longer bound by the terms of the marriage. Remember that the oath was to last as long as you both live. Consider what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 7:

"Now, to single people and widows, I say: it is good that they remain single, as I do. But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry, because it is better to marry than to burn with passion" (1 Corinthians 7:8-9).

In this instruction, Paul is addressing those who have lost their wives. For spiritual or ministerial reasons, he would prefer that this person remain celibate. However, he clearly gives his consent for the person in this position to remarry.

I can understand this verse because I was in this position, having lost my wife, and I decided to remarry. If your spouse is deceased, you have every right to remarry if you choose. I will also add one more thing from my personal experience. If you decide to go this route, no one can tell you how soon it is too soon to start dating again. This choice is yours and yours alone. Please don't let other people's opinions deter you from starting to date or remarry if that's what you want to do. (By the way, if you have any difficulties, don't hesitate to contact me, I'd be happy to help you.)

Now that we've solved the easiest scenario, let's tackle some of the more difficult ones.

Photo credit: Unsplash/Tiago Bandeira

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