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This is one person’s opinion of the teachings of Scripture. Some agree. Some don’t. I encourage you talk to your Pastor or other believers who’s opinion you respect. Above all, read the Scriptures for yourself and pray that God will give you wisdom to understand. In the Biblical "Book of Beginnings"-Genesis--God established the divine order for marriage. Before the first couple bore their first offspring, the divine plan for marriage is revealed: "Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed." (Gen. 2:24,25, NKJV) This first marriage was set up even before this first human couple was involved in sin. Prior to sin there was no death (Rom. 5:12), so it seems that God designed marriage to last forever! Adam recognized this: "And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all the living." (Gen. 3:20, NKJV) Adam recognized that this one woman was to bear all of his children, that all of Adam's descendants would issue from Eve. But sin had entered the world and we perverted the divine plan again and again. Men took multiple wives and even mistresses. God never blessed these perversions but He continued to work with man, revealing Himself to them.
In Exodus, God’s Law came through His servant Moses, with the purpose of revealing a holy God to unholy men. And in this Law, God dealt with marriage. God had seen His divine plan distorted and He issued laws to hold man in check, In Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, Moses recorded certain guidelines regulating divorce and divorced persons. The remarriage of divorced persons was not forbidden, but regulated.. All through the Old Testament, reference is made to divorce, and finally in Malachi: "For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce..." (Mal. 2:16, NKJV) As the Old Testament revelation of God was incomplete, God became a man – Jesus Christ – and established the New Testament. And concerning marriage and divorce, new revelation was also given. "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' and said 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate...And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery." (Matt. 19:4-6, 9, NKJV) (Also see Matthew 5:32; Mark 10:9-12; Luke 16:18)
Notice that Jesus equates divorce and remarriage with adultery. Obviously, Jesus holds a high view of marriage! If only for this reason alone, we should guard the marriage relationship against any and all attacks. Divorce is serious--to be avoided at all costs! If cannot be one of those issues which we treat rather casually, being content with "what we don't know won't hurt us." Equating divorce and remarriage with "just one of those things that happens" can never be reconciled with the fact that God "hates divorce" and Jesus says its tantamount to adultery. A closer look is in order. God hates divorce! Divorce is terrible, and the consequences of divorce are farreaching. But divorce is reality, remarriage is reality, and it is with reality we will deal. As stated previously, the Old Testament does not forbid remarriage, but does include regulations to prevent random "mate-swapping" (Deuteronomy 24:1-4). God recognizes divorce as a reality and at one point even commanded it (Ezra 10:1-6). The “central passage” in Testament on this subject is:
the
New
"But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife." (Over)
"But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother `has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him ... But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called unto peace.” (1 Corinthians. 7:8-15)
The Bible says that if you're married or divorced, you should remain married or divorced. But if you do remarry, you will have trouble! Of course this is what God says about all sin – it will bring trouble!
First, the Bible addresses the unmarried and the widows. Widows, of course, are the surviving wives of deceased husbands. Who are the "unmarried?" Excluding widows, they could be those who have never married, widowers, or divorced persons. Later in the chapter, Paul deals with those who have never been married, calling them "virgins." So it remains that this is directing these widowers and divorced persons to stay unmarried, but if they cannot control themselves (probably implying sexual self-control), they should remarry.
Guard the health of your marriage! Protect your marriage! Be willing to do whatever it takes to avoid the sin of divorce!
For believers married to unbelievers, the Bible directs them to remain married if the unbelieving spouse is willing. If the unbeliever is unwilling and leaves, the believer is directed to "let him depart," and the now divorced believer is declared to be "not under bondage.” In both of the situations discussed here, God allows for remarriage after divorce. To sum it up: "Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you." (1 Cor. 7:27-28)
We believers in Jesus Christ need to treat sin – including divorce & remarriage – in the way God treats sin. Hate it; avoid it; have no part with it!
MARRIAGE, DIVORCE & RE-MARRIAGE
“Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her. Wives, submit to your own husbands,as unto the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:25,22) But recognize that it does occur and deal with it when it occurs. We must love sinners in spite of sin and sin's consequences. We must forgive sinners and help the sinner to sin no more.
Two “partner ministries” at Wayside Cross are MASTER’S TOUCH & LIFESPRING. Through these, we offer TRANSFORMATIONAL AFTERCARE! MASTER’S TOUCH (for men) & LIFESPRING (for women & children) are Christ-centered, Bible-based programs that go beyond meeting the primary needs of life food, clothing and shelter - and offer hope for the future to those who sincerely desire to turn their lives around...and to return to job and family as responsible members of society.
New Life Corrections Ministry A Division of Wayside Cross Ministries 215 East New York Street Aurora IL 60505 630-723-3406
