COMMITS ADULTERY / LUKE 16:18

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(KJV) Luke 16:18

Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.

Grace, Law, and Restoration: Understanding Jesus’ Words on Marriage in Luke 16:18

Scripture often comforts us, but there are moments when it challenges us to our very core. In Luke 16:18, Jesus delivers a hard hitting truth about the sanctity of marriage: “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.”

To understand why Jesus spoke so sharply, we have to look at the immediate context. In the preceding verse, Jesus affirms the permanent, continuing authority of God’s law (Luke 16:17). He was addressing a culture that had begun to treat marriage casually, using legal loopholes to justify abandoning their partners. Jesus draws a firm line, reminding his listeners that adultery—sexual relations with anyone other than one’s own covenant spouse—is still unlawful, sinful, and deeply damaging to the soul and the community.

Going Deeper into the Original Language

This specific teaching takes things even deeper when we look at the original Greek text. The phrase “commits adultery” is written in the present active indicative form, which denotes a continuing action.

Theological scholars often note that as long as the initial covenant is broken without biblical justification (such as the grounds outlined in Matthew 19:9) and the “innocent” spouse desires and seeks reconciliation, the offending party who enters a new marriage relationship is actively walking in a state of unfaithfulness. God takes the covenants we make before Him with the utmost seriousness.

The Path to Grace, Repentance, and Legitimacy

If you are reading this and feeling the heavy weight of past choices, broken relationships, or a complicated marital history, it is vital to look at the full counsel of God’s Word. Our God is a God of justice, but He is equally the God of redemption and a second chance.

What happens when a past marriage cannot be restored? Scripture and pastoral wisdom show us a clear path forward. If the offending party faces a situation where:

There is no physical or practical possibility of returning to the first marriage,
They have already entered into a secondary marriage relationship,
They sincerely repent to God for past failures and make a genuine, heartfelt commitment to build their present relationship on godly principles,

…then the present marriage relationship can be redeemed. Through true repentance, the current marriage can become legitimate and fully accepted by God. He is entirely capable of taking what was broken, washing it clean through the blood of Christ, and establishing a firm, godly foundation for the future.

A Closing Prayer for Healing and Restoration

Heavenly Father,

We come before you today acknowledging the absolute holiness of your laws and the beautiful design you intended for marriage. Your Word is a lamp to our feet, grounding us in truth even when it convicts our hearts.

Lord, we pray for marriages today. Strengthen the covenants that are currently being tested. Grant couples the endurance, humility, and love required to seek reconciliation, forgive deeply, and honor the vows they made before you.

We also lift up those who carry the heavy pain of broken relationships, divorce, and past mistakes. For anyone feeling condemned or stuck in the wreckage of the past, we pray for the comforting presence of your Holy Spirit. Teach us what true, sincere repentance looks like. We thank you that your grace is greater than our past failures.

For the couples working to build or rebuild their families on your principles today, establish the work of their hands. Let their present relationships be filled with loyalty, purity, and a shared devotion to your Word. Wash away the old, and breathe new life into their homes.

In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

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Blessings, Margarita & Stace