Repentance After a Second Marriage

Mark 6:17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married.18 For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife."

Do you notice how John the Baptist is still harping on Herod concerning the legality of his marriage to Herodias after the marriage had already taken place? Look at the verb tense…

“ his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married.”

They were already married yet John was saying "It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife."

It seems that John was still protesting the marriage after it had taken place. It seems like there was still repentance work to be done despite the fact that vows had been made and the marriage consummated.

A second marriage is no safe haven from the one who sees the heart. Just because you have remarried, does not mean that you do not have repentance work to do from sin that contributed to the failure of your previous marriage.

Isaiah 30:15 This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.

Know that your heart will resist repentance. May the Holy Spirit harp on those who have hard work to do, cleaning out what has been swept under the rug. Just because you cannot un-digest an apple does not mean you cannot repent of stealing it.