For someone who is seeking baptism, the only reason the sacrament cannot be given is that he or she still desires to live in a lifestyle that is contrary to the gospel.
Although divorce is not part of God’s plan, divorce itself is not a sin. Today, many who are married are not open to the truth of marriage. And if one person in a marriage is like that, their life together would be a series of pain and suffering.
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Often in these relationships we cannot even say who is right and who is wrong, because many of them are truly ignorant of the truth. And there are also some, because of emotional scars from childhood, or brokenness within, or mental illnesses, who are truly incapable of entering into marriage. Genuine ignorance and incapacity, these cannot be mortal sins. They are mistakes and tragedies.
And then there are those situations, where, either unilaterally or bilaterally, there are verbal, emotional, financial, physical or sexual abuses. These are violations of basic human dignity. In these cases, separation would be necessary.
And if these situations present a threat to the innocents involved, especially children, and would require legal protection, divorce may even be necessary.
And then, of course, a divorcee could be the victim. And even for the culprit, even though there may not be the possibility of repairing the marriage, there is always room for repentance and conversion.
Therefore, a divorcee can receive the sacrament of baptism.
But those who are remarried cannot receive baptism, since Jesus repeatedly stated in the gospel, those who are remarried are committing adultery. It is not pleasing to God.
