BIBLICAL TEACHINGS: DIVORCE
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Divorce
a) God performed the first marriage ceremony between Adam and Eve, therefore we can say with assurance that God loves marriage and that it is a divine institution (Genesis 2:18-24). God also hates divorce and says so many times in the scriptures (Malachi 2:16). Jesus said the only reason that divorce was permitted was because of the hardness of human’s hearts but this was not done in the beginning (Matthew 19:8). If a husband’s or wife’s mate leave them, then they can not be held responsible for the marriage and some believe that Paul says that they are not bound by the law (1 Corinthians 7:15) because he uses the same Greek word for “bound” when referring to a spouse being bound to their mate.
b) Clearly, God reveals throughout the Bible that He hates divorce and that husband and wife were intended to marry for life. Separation is permissible where spousal abuse occurs or where children are endangered by one of the parties because the higher moral law is to protect children and, in most cases, women from abusive husbands and fathers. It should be noted that some men had to separate from their wives because of spousal abuse too.
c) What the Bible teaches is that divorce is the high exception to the rule and it should always be the very last resort in any marriage and reconciliation and restoration of a good marital relationship should always be the highest purpose for those who are separated. God hates divorce because of what it does to the family which is society’s support system. Divorce is also very harmful to children in almost every case, again with the exception of where abuse is occurring. Where ongoing, unrepentant adultery is occurring, divorce is allowed as Jesus taught.
The End ...
1. Divorcea) God performed the first marriage ceremony between Adam and Eve, therefore we can say with assurance that God loves marriage and that it is a divine institution (Genesis 2:18-24). God also hates divorce and says so many times in the scriptures (Malachi 2:16). Jesus said the only reason that divorce was permitted was because of the hardness of human’s hearts but this was not done in the beginning (Matthew 19:8). If a husband’s or wife’s mate leave them, then they can not be held responsible for the marriage and some believe that Paul says that they are not bound by the law (1 Corinthians 7:15) because he uses the same Greek word for “bound” when referring to a spouse being bound to their mate.
b) Clearly, God reveals throughout the Bible that He hates divorce and that husband and wife were intended to marry for life. Separation is permissible where spousal abuse occurs or where children are endangered by one of the parties because the higher moral law is to protect children and, in most cases, women from abusive husbands and fathers. It should be noted that some men had to separate from their wives because of spousal abuse too.
c) What the Bible teaches is that divorce is the high exception to the rule and it should always be the very last resort in any marriage and reconciliation and restoration of a good marital relationship should always be the highest purpose for those who are separated. God hates divorce because of what it does to the family which is society’s support system. Divorce is also very harmful to children in almost every case, again with the exception of where abuse is occurring. Where ongoing, unrepentant adultery is occurring, divorce is allowed as Jesus taught.
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