What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder?

Question

Is knowing that someone is having an affair putting a marriage asunder? I have refused to participate, but know it is going on-help me to avoid anything that puts this asunder!

Answer 1

The affair is putting it "asunder".

"Go lay your sins bare before your brother" does NOT mean you talk about someone elses sin. (I really wish people would work on their reading comprehension.) It means that the sins You have done, You should lay bare...

Whatever you do plan on doing with this... don't turn it into a gossip session.

Answer 2

Tell the person to stop having the affair. If that does not convince you that person will stop,then you should expose the issue for the marriage to have a chance of therapy or separation. It is not your fault and are not putting it asunder, it was the actions of the unfaithful that ignorantly made that choice.

Do unto others what you would want done to you is the rule to follow.

Answer 3

It means that when a couple get married in a church before a minister and a congregation they make their vows before the congregation and God. So that what it means that what God has joined together let not man put asunder, in order words dont be a homewrecker or come between a man and his wife.

Answer 4

No, the people who are having the affair are putting the marriage asunder. My advice would be to pray and leave it with God. Let him handle it and stay out of it yourself.

Go lay your sin before your brother, as mentioned above means YOUR sin, not THEIRS..You aren't participating in the sin as you mentioned in the question. Leave the matter alone and let God deal with them.

Answer 5

The unfaithful spouse and his illegitemate partner are the ones breaking the marriage. If you choose to inform the innocent party, you are merely leveling the field, and allowing for the possibility of repentence and renewal. Don't be afraid to help save this marriage.

Answer 6

No you are without guilt here it is those involved in the affair that are `Putting it asunder`.

Answer 7

A marriage is the responsibility of the two married parties and no one else.

You may counsel the offender to be honest, but otherwise, stay out of it. Is really is not your place to intercede. Maybe the guy will come clean on his own at some point and they can work it out. You may be pushing the couple towards divorce if you take a way that chance for him.

Answer 8

If someone is pushing for a divorce outside of your family it's best to stay out of it.
Getting involved can cause heart break at home.
Normally if the people aren't spiritual, there's little you can do.
Personal contact should be avoided. It's the physical attraction that started it, tempers will flare, and you need to distance yourself from that.

Answer 9

So you want to use the bible as justification to put your nose in somebody else's marriage? Cheeky monkey!

Answer 10

Knowing that a person is committing a sin and keeping it quiet is tantamount to committing the sin yourself. In both instances, you are allowing the sin to happen, either through your actions or inaction.

"Go lay bare your sin before your brother." You have an obligation to confront the spouse involved in the affair and tell them that if they don't make amends, you will. ('Go lay bare your sin' means to confront another person about a PROBLEM you have with them, whether or not it involves a wrongdoing on your part. It indicates you should always talk to that person first, not go spreading it around.)

[Obviously it's other people who need lessons in comprehension *eye roll*]

The point is God does not tolerate sin or those who ignore it.

EDIT: Do you remember the high priest Eli? He served at the tabernacle at the same time as Samuel. Eli had two sons- Hophni and Phinneas. Though they were of the priestly tribe of Levi and had duties to perform, they were openly sinful and adulterous, not at all obedient to the standards God set out for priests. Being their father, Eli turned the other cheek, so to speak, and ignored his son's errors even though they were bringing reproach upon God's name and worship.

So what did God do? He sent a prophet to reprove Eli for his silent approval of his sons. The prophet told Eli that "33 And yet there is a man of yours that I shall not cut off from being at my altar so as to cause your eyes to fail and to make your soul pine away; but the greater number of your house will all die by the sword of men. 34 And this is the sign for you that will come to your two sons, Hoph´ni and Phin´e·has: On one day both of them will die." 1 Samuel 2:33-34.

When that failed to work, God next used the young Samuel, saying :"On that day I shall carry out toward E´li all that I have said respecting his house, from beginning to end. 13 And you must tell him that I am judging his house to time indefinite for the error that he has known, because his sons are calling down evil upon God, and he has not rebuked them. 14 And that is why I have sworn to the house of E´li that the error of the house of E´li will not be brought to exemption from punishment by sacrifice or by offering to time indefinite.” 1 Samuel 3:12-14.

What was the result? "Accordingly the Phi·lis´tines fought and Israel was defeated, and they went fleeing each one to his tent; and the slaughter came to be very great, so that out of Israel there fell thirty thousand men on foot. 11 And the ark of God itself was captured, and the two sons of E´li, Hoph´ni and Phin´e·has, died. " 1 Samuel 4:10-11.

What of Eli, who did not actually commit the sins? "18 And it came about that at the moment that he mentioned the ark of the [true] God, he [Eli] began to fall from the seat backward beside the gate, and his neck got broken so that he died, because the man was old and heavy; and he himself had judged Israel forty years. 19 And his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phin´e·has, was pregnant near to giving birth, and she got to hear the report that the ark of the [true] God was captured and that her father-in-law and her husband had died. At that she bowed herself and began giving birth, because her pangs came unexpectedly upon her. 20 And about the time of her death, the women standing by her began to speak: “Do not be afraid, because it is a son that you have borne.” And she did not answer and did not set her heart on it. 21 But she called the boy Ich´a·bod, saying: “Glory has gone away from Israel into exile,” [this] with reference to the ark of the [true] God’s being captured and with reference to her father-in-law and her husband. 22 So she said: “Glory has gone away from Israel into exile, because the ark of the [true] God has been captured.” 1 Samuel 4:18-22.

So not only were the actual sinners punished, but also the one who had allowed the sin to continue, as well as the rest of the family. One person's sin has many far reaching consequences that we may not be aware of until they arise.