Dear DM,
If adultery breaks and destroys the marriage covenant, what happens to couples who don’t divorce, forgiveness is shown, and then go on to reconcile? Does the marriage covenant just magically become whole again after it was destroyed? It’s all so confusing.
Thank you.
-Hett
Dear Hett,
Thanks for your questions. As these were follow ups to Pamela’s, I hope you found that post clarifying.
You write,
If adultery breaks and destroys the marriage covenant, what happens to couples who don’t divorce, forgiveness is shown, and then go on to reconcile? Does the marriage covenant just magically become whole again after it was destroyed?
My short answer to this is that these would situations where God has worked a miracle. The marriage has experienced a resurrection–assuming repentance from the cheater.
It is a new marriage, in my opinion.
I don’t think the covenant is magically whole again. A lot has to be addressed that isn’t magic–e.g. adultery trauma, repentance from the cheater, and forgiveness for the relationship to continue. These are processes that naturally take time. It isn’t magic but healing processes.
The miracle part is the ability for these to take place so that the marriage is reborn. That is not the normal course of things as cheaters are more likely to leave or implode the marriage with more sin than repent.
Hope that helps!
