"GOD HATES DIVORCE!"

INTRODUCTION
  1. A troubling trend was revealed by a recent survey from The Barna Group...
    1. Born again Christians are just as likely to divorce as are non-Christians.
    2. Among married born again Christians, 35% have experienced a divorce. That figure is identical to the outcome among married adults who are not born again: 35%.
    3. Barna's figures show that nearly one-quarter of the married born agains (23%) get divorced two or more times.
    -- cf. The Barna Group (http://www.barna.org)
  2. The apparent reason? Evidently many do not believe divorce can be sinful...
    1. Although Bible scholars and teachers point out that Jesus taught that divorce was a sin unless adultery was involved, few Americans buy that notion.
    2. Only one out of every seven adults (15%) strongly agreed with the statement "when a couple gets divorced without one of them having committed adultery, they are committing a sin."
    3. A majority of both Protestants (58%) and Catholics (69%) disagreed that divorce without adultery involved the commission of sin.
    -- ibid.

[A survey like this reveals the need for constant reminder of what God has spoken concerning divorce. God hates divorce, and the reasons why He has made that clear....]

  1. AS REVEALED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
    1. IMPLIED BY MOSES...
      1. Note carefully Deut 24:1-4
      2. Moses forbid the first husband taking his wife back after she had remarried (even if her second husband died)
      3. The reason: despite the bill of divorce from the first husband, marriage to the second husband had 'defiled' her! - Deut 24:4
      4. Notice these comments by Keil & Delitzsch..
        1. "The second marriage of a woman who had been divorced is designated by Moses a defilement of the woman...a moral defilement, i.e., blemishing, desecration of the sexual communion which was sanctified by marriage, in the same sense in which adultery is called a defilement in Lev 18:20 and Num 5:13,14..."
        2. "Thus the second marriage of a divorced woman was placed implicit upon a par with adultery, and some approach was made towards the teaching of Christ concerning marriage (Mt 5:32)..."
        -- In the words of Moses, we begin to see why God hates divorce: it can lead to moral defilement akin to adultery!
    2. DECLARED THROUGH MALACHI...
      1. Note carefully Mal 2:13-16
      2. God did not receive the sacrifices of the priests because they had divorced their wives
      3. God makes it clear that He hates divorce, and gives the reason why - Mal 2:16
      4. God hates divorce because:
        1. It covers one's garment with violence
        2. It treats one's spouse with treachery
        -- In the words of God Himself, divorce is a violent and treacherous act; to which many innocent spouses and the children of divorce can testify!

      [Christians do well to seriously consider these words in the OT (cf. Ro 15:4; 2Ti 3:16-17). Even more so, they should pay careful heed to what God has said about divorce...]

  2. AS REVEALED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
    1. IN THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST...
      1. Note carefully Mt 5:31-32
        1. Many scribes and Pharisees taught that divorce was permissible for any reason, as long as a certificate of divorce was granted
        2. Jesus taught that divorce led to adultery, unless fornication was the cause of divorce
      2. Note carefully Mt 19:3-9 (cf. Mk 10:11-12; Lk 16:18)
        1. The Pharisees thought that divorce was permissible, as long as a certificate of divorce was granted
        2. Jesus first explained that Moses' permitted divorce because of the hardness of their hearts, but it was not God's will from the beginning (of creation)
        3. Jesus then provides the only ground for divorce without it leading to adultery: if the innocent spouse puts away his or her spouse for fornication - Mt 19:9
        -- Jesus allows only one reason for divorce: when a spouse is guilty of fornication!
    2. IN THE EPISTLES OF PAUL...
      1. Note carefully Ro 7:1-4
        1. Here Paul is using what the Law taught on marriage for the purpose of illustration
        2. Even the Law taught that a woman was bound to her husband for life
        3. Even if she legally divorced her husband, she became an adulteress when she remarried
      2. Note carefully 1Co 7:10-16
        1. Paul reminds them of what the Lord Himself taught - 1Co 7:10-11
          1. A wife is not to depart her husband; a husband is not to divorce his wife
          2. If a wife leaves her husband, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled
        2. Paul reveals more concerning marriages with unbelievers - 1Co 7:12-16
          1. Believers are not to divorce unbelieving spouses if they are willing to live with them
          2. If unbelieving spouses depart, believers are not in bondage (to fulfill their marital obligations, in my opinion)
          -- Paul reinforced Jesus' teaching on divorce, and permitted separation only when initiated by an unbeliever!
CONCLUSION
  1. From what we have briefly considered, the following can be gleaned...
    1. God intends for marriage to be for life
    2. God hates divorce, for it is a violent and treacherous act
    3. He does not release the married from their marriage simply because they get a divorce
    4. Unless divorce is for the grounds of fornication, any remarriage results in adultery!
    -- And we do well to remember what is said about fornicators and adulterers - He 13:4
  2. What can be done to stem the tide of divorce? It requires commitment to...
    1. Obeying God's Word concerning marriage and divorce - Mt 7:21; Lk 6:46
    2. Loving the spouses of your youth - Ec 9:9; Pr 5:18
    3. Applying commands concerning husbands and wives - Ep 5:22-33; Co 3:18-19; Tit 2:4
    -- Otherwise, it will be fruitless to claim to be followers of God - cf. Ps 50:15-23

If we are guilty of causing adultery by divorcing, or are in an adulterous marriage, there is forgiveness for those who repent... - 1Co 6:9-11 (though it may require celibacy, cf. Mt 19:10-12)