The issue of divorce and remarriage has become a constant discussion in many and several fora. Even many Christians these days do not see anything bad in divorce. If any issue happens, the next option is to separate through divorce and remarry while their legal husband is still alive. This article explains clearly what the Bible says about divorce.
Controversial issue about divorce
The issue arises among the Pharisees about the divorce when Jesus Christ was ministering. The Pharisees asked the questions about the law of divorce. They want to know how Jesus Christ will answer and what He will say. Mathew 19: 3-9, Mark 10: 2-12.
Matthew 19: 3-4, “Some Pharisees came to Him (Jesus Christ) to test Him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” (4) “Haven’t you read,“he replied, that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female”.
Lesson: In the above verses, Jesus knew their minds that the Pharisees wanted to put Him to the test to know what He would say. Jesus referred them to the Bible to recheck what the Bible say about divorce. Everyone too must know and understand what the Bible says about the thing bordering your heart.
5-6, and said, “For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh? (6) “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate
Lesson: The solution to your enquiry is in the Bible. Jesus Christ arrested the heart of the Pharisees through what is written in the Bible. If the husband and wife come together in marriage, they are no longer two, but one. No one or nothing should separate them. Husbands and wives should understand that there is no room for divorce while still alive.
7-9, “Why then, they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”(8), Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. (9) “I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
Lesson: The Pharisees referred Jesus Christ to the approval of Moses about divorces. Is it not contradictory? Jesus replied that Moses approved divorce because he knew that you liked it. Your heart did it, not just because it is the will or approval of God to do so. The couple should understand that when you marry, you marry forever. It is the only death that can separate you. No one! Nothing!
He who divorces commits adultery
Several verses in the Bible speak against divorce. It is obvious and glaring that divorce is not the will or approval of God. When you do it, it means you break or violate the marriage covenant of God between you. Learn from the verses below. Mark 10: 11-12; Mathew5: 31-32, Mathew 1: 9; Luke 16: 18,
Mark 10: 11-12, He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. (12), “and if she divorces her husband and married man, she commits adultery.”
Lesson: Both husband and wife commit adultery if each of them divorces. The marriage mandate of God is to live together until death sets you apart. If any of you serve another paper, he or she has committed adultery.
You must divorce or you must remain without.
Another alternative for you when you are thinking of divorce is to reconcile with each other but you will not remarry. You will remain there until your husband or wife dies. It is only when he or she dies, that you are free. Study the Bible verses below. 1 Corinthians 7: 10-11
1 Corinthians 7: 10, “To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.”
Lesson: In this verse, it has also been confirmed that it is not the approval of God to divorce once you come together as husband and wife legally.
1 Corinthians 7: 11 “But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.”
Lesson: As this verse explains, the alternative for those who are thinking of divorce is to remain without remarry. The interpretation of this to me is that you should not take the step of divorce. How will it be possible for both of you to separate without remarrying? If you do not do it, you will be tempted to have extra-marital sex.
Command to unbelieving husbands and wives
The Bible also warned against divorce in 1 Corinthians 7: 10-15. A husband who married an unbeliever as a wife or a wife who married an unbeliever as a husband must not divorce each other. Divorce is not an alternative, but to help each other. 1 Corinthians 7: 10-15.
1 Corinthians 7: 12, “To the rest, I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.”
13, “And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and she is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.”
Lesson: The verses pointed at an interest of God in marriage and family. God frowns at divorce and illegal separation after the marriage. He does not want anything to tamper with the Christian family. That is why it is important to understand the marriage bond and covenant before you are joined together as husband and wife.
14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.”
15, “But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.”
Lesson: It is clear that once the husband and the wife are joined together, they have been yoked together. It means that they cannot be separated easily. Every man and woman should learn and understand that no matter the challenges, divorce is not an option.
Divorce is violence.
The book of Malachi explains clearly that the husband must not hate his wife let alone divorce her. Any man that does that commits violence to the one he should protect. The Lord Almighty says. Malachi 2: 16
Malachi 2: 1, “The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the LORD, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect, “ says the LORD Almighty. So, be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.”
Lesson: The husband must not think of hating his wife, so also the wife must not think of divorce let alone think of divorce.
Marriage is bound and covenant.
In the Bible, some verses describe marriage as a bound between husband and wife. If the bond breaks, the marriage covenant breaks. If the marriage covenant breaks, the relationship between you and God breaks. 1 Corinthians 7: 39; Romans 7: 2-3
1 Corinthians 7: 39, “A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.”
Lesson: The lesson that you have to learn is that the husband or wife is bound to her wife or his husband once they are alive. But if each of them is dead, they are free to remarry.
Romans 7: 2-3 “…So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.”
Lesson: A woman who has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive commits adultery. She has the certificate only after her husband is dead.
Marriage is honoured
The Book of Hebrews 13: 4 warns against adultery and encourages marriage to be pure and clean. It continues that the adulterer will be judged.
Hebrews 24: 1 “Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexuality immoral.”
Other Bible verses about for study.
Deuteronomy 24: 1, Mathew 18: 15-17, Malachi 2: 14-16, 1 Timothy 5: 8, 1 Corinthians 7: 17-24, Luke 6: 30, Mathew 19: 10-12, Jeremiah 3: 8, Romans 4: 15, Acts 2: 38, 1 Corinthians 7: 27-28.
