Anchor My Faith

Divorce

Scripture: Matthew 5:31-32

We saw in the previous lesson that the certificate of divorce was permitted on account of their hardness of heart, but that was not God’s original intent. In the beginning God made a single pair and ordained marriage to last a lifetime. In this lesson we will consider what Jesus said about this: ^{Mt 5:31} “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ ³² But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

“But I say to you” indicates that Jesus does not accept the practice of easy divorce that was represented in verse 31. Since divorce was so common in ancient times, the certificate of divorce was devised to protect women from being divorced for no reason, but it got to the point that almost any reason was acceptable. Jesus now tells them there is only one reason for allowing divorce and that is adultery or being unfaithful. Jesus based his teaching on God’s original intent for marriage to be lifelong.

This lifelong event is mentioned in Mark 10:6 – 9 (ESV): “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” That which God has joined together is not to be broken apart by man through divorce. Having a sexual relation with someone other than the marriage partner is deemed serious enough by God to grant divorce.

If a spouse commits sexual immorality, then Jesus says a divorce can be obtained by the injured person. Such a divorce is not considered morally wrong, but if the one who obtains the divorce and the spouse has not committed adultery, then the person causes the innocent person to commit adultery if there is remarriage. That second marriage which begins with adultery is still considered a marriage and once it has occurred it would be further sin to break it up. Thus, the second marriage should not be thought of as living in continuous adultery for they are now one flesh.

It is easy to suggest other reasons for divorce, like abuse and life threatening situations. Consider you as a believer are suddenly faced with persecution for your faith. You are verbally and physically abused and your life may be threatened if you do not deny your faith and break your relationship with Jesus. How much are you willing to give to be faithful to Jesus? Would you give your life for him as he gave his for you? He forgave and loved those who took his life. In a difficult marriage there may be times when separation is prudent, just as it is prudent at times for a persecuted believer to move on to the next village or city or country to maintain their witness.

Prayer

Father, as we close this lesson and this topic of divorce, we need to consider the benefits of suffering through our trials. Here in the west we tend to embrace comfort, safety and security and when things become unpleasant we tend to look for an escape and not how we can grow spiritually through it. Basing our marriage on feeling and not on obedience to a promise made before God, sets us up for other kinds of difficulties, including damage in our relationship with you.