Monday 20th July 2020 Devotion
Scripture:- Matthew 19:1-9
Topic:- God’s Will For Marriage [1]
Text:- Malachi 2:14-16
A. God Hates Divorce:
He hates it because it always involves unfaithfulness to the solemn covenant of marriage that two partners have entered into before Him, and because it brings harmful consequences to those partners and their children (Mal. 2:14-16).
Divorce in the Scripture is permitted only because of man’s sin. Since divorce is only a concession to man’s sin and is not part of God’s original plan for marriage, all believers should hate divorce as God does and pursue it only when there is no other recourse. With God’s help a marriage can survive the worst sins.
In Matthew 19:3-9, Christ teaches clearly that divorce is an accommodation to man’s sin that violates God’s original purpose for the intimate unity and permanence of the marriage bond. See Genesis 2:24.
He taught that God’s law allowed divorce only because of “hardness of heart”. See Matthew 19:8.
Legal divorce was a concession for the faithful partner due to the sexual sin or abandonment by the sinning partner, so that the faithful partner was no longer bound to the marriage. See Matthew 5:32; 19:9; 1 Corinthians 7:12-15.
Although Jesus did say that divorce is permitted in some situations, we must remember that His primary point in this discourse is to correct the Jews’ idea that they could divorce one another “for any cause at all”, and to show them the gravity of pursuing a sinful divorce.
Therefore, the believer should never consider divorce except in specific circumstances (see next section), and even in those circumstances it should only be pursued reluctantly because there is no other recourse.
B. The Grounds For Divorce:
The only New Testament grounds for divorce are sexual sin or desertion by an unbeliever. The first is found in Jesus’ use of the Greek word porneia. See Matthew 5:32; 19:9.
This is a general term that encompasses sexual sin such as adultery, homosexuality, bestiality, and incest. When one partner violates the unity and intimacy of a marriage by sexual sin, and forsakes his or her covenant obligation, the faithful partner is placed in an extremely difficult situation.
After all means are exhausted to bring the sinning partner to repentance, the Bible permits release for the faithful partner through divorce. See Matthew 5:32; 1 Corinthians 7:15.
The second reason for permitting a divorce is in cases where an unbelieving mate does not desire to live with his or her believing spouse. See 1 Corinthians 7:12-15.
Because “God has called us to peace”, divorce is allowed and may be preferable in such situations. When an unbeliever desires to leave, trying to keep him or her in the marriage may only create greater tension and conflict.
Also, if the unbeliever leaves the marital relationship permanently but is not willing to file for divorce, perhaps because of lifestyle, irresponsibility, or to avoid monetary obligations, then the believer is in an impossible situation of having legal and moral obligations that he or she cannot fulfill.
Because “the brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases” and is therefore no longer obligated to remain married, the believer may file for divorce without fearing the displeasure of God. See 1 Corinthians 7:15.
C. The Possibility Of Remarriage:
Remarriage is permitted for the faithful partner only when the divorce was on biblical grounds. In fact, the purpose for a biblical divorce is to make clear that the faithful partner is free to remarry, but only in the Lord. See Romans 7:1-3; 1 Corinthians 7:39.
Those who divorce on any other grounds have sinned against God and their partners, and for them to marry another is an act of “adultery”. See Mark 10:11-12.
This is why Paul says that a believing woman who sinfully divorces should “remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband”. See 1 Corinthians 7:10-11.
If she repents from her sin of unbiblical divorce, the true fruits of that repentance would be to seek reconciliation with her former husband. Matthew 5:23-24.
The same is true for a man who divorces unbiblically. The only time such a person could remarry another is if the former spouse remarries, proves to be an unbeliever, or dies, in which cases reconciliation would no longer be possible. See 1 Corinthians 7:11.
Prayer Points:- Oh Lord God, make me and my spouse to be faithful unto You and obey You henceforth by fire, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Have A Lovely Monday!
