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Romans 7:1-3

"...the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man" Romans 7:1-3

Does this text allow the unscripturally divorced to remarry when one party dies? No!

Reason Number One: The Woman Of Romans 7:2a. The immediate context of Romans 7:2a is Romans 7:1-6. The purpose of which is to help the Jew understand that he was made dead to the Law of Moses by the body of Christ so that he could be married to Christ. To illustrate this important truth, Paul used the marriage relationship.

While Romans 7:1-6 is not primarily a discussion of marriage, divorce, and remarriage, it does have a bearing on those matters. In the areas where it does touch such subjects, what it has to say must be given consideration. But, we must not stretch it to cover matters beyond its scope.

Consider the word translated "hath an husband" (upandros), which is a combination of upo (under) and aner (man) and means "under, i. e. subject to a man" (Thayer, p. 638), "under the power of or subject to a man, the married woman" (A&G, p. 845). This is its only occurrence in the NT. It is used in the Septuagint Version in Numbers 5:20,29 and Proverbs 6:24,29 of a woman married to an husband. The word is an adjective which describes a woman who is married: under the authority of an husband.

What woman is NOT the woman of Rom. 7:2a? (1) She is not one who has unscripturally divorced her husband. This woman is still bound to her husband. She is described by Paul as unmarried for she is instructed to "...remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband..." (I Cor. 7:10,11). This woman cannot scripturally marry anyone but the one she divorced. (2) The woman of Rom. 7:2a is not one who has been unscripturally divorced by her husband. She is still bound to him and I Cor. 7:10,11 would apply to her. She is unmarried and must remain so or be reconciled to her husband. These are her only scriptural alternatives. (3) The woman of Rom. 7:2a is not one who has been scripturally put away for fornication. This woman can never live scripturally with another husband: "and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery" (Mt. 19:9; cf. Mt. 5:32; Lk. 16:18). (4) The woman of Rom. 7:2a is not the woman who is living in adultery for she is living with a husband to whom she is not bound.

Who is the woman of Rom. 7:2a? She is a woman who, having been scripturally eligible to marry, has married a scripturally eligible mate. Who is that woman? (1) A woman who has never been married. (2) A woman who is not guilty of fornication, but who has scripturally divorced a scriptural mate for fornication (Mt. 5:32; 19:9). (3) A woman whose scriptural mate has died. Either of these three could be the woman of Rom. 7:2a.

Reason Number Two: I Cor. 7:10,11. "And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife" (I Cor. 7:10,11). It is evident that "depart" and "put away" refer to divorce, for these are to remain UNMARRIED or be reconciled to one another. After the unscriptural divorce they are not married. Bound, yes, but not married. Their only alternatives are to remain unmarried or be reconciled. The situation under consideration in I Cor. 7:10,11 is not under consideration in Rom. 7:1-3.

Reason Number Three: Luke 16:18a. "Whosoever putteth away (divorces, GM) his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery..." (Lk 16:18a). In this case a man unscripturally divorces his wife. As a result, they are bound, but not married. Now suppose she dies. Can he remarry? No! Because Lk 16:18a plainly says that he committeth adultery if he marries. Also, I Cor. 7:10,11 applies here: It is remain unmarried or be reconciled. It was the unscriptural divorce which caused the problem, not death.

Reason Number Four: Luke 16:18b; Mt. 5:32; Mt. 19:9. "..and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery" (Lk. 16:18b). According to these verses, the "put away party" NEVER has the right of remarriage.