DOES GOD PERMIT DIVORCE?

While governments permit divorce for almost any reason, God does not. The Bible tells us that God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16). Divorce is contrary to His divine plan that a man be joined to his wife and form a new family unit as long as they both shall live (Genesis 2:18-25). Jesus answered this very question when He said: "Have ye not read, that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together let not man put asunder" (Matthew 19:4-6).

God permits, but does not require, an innocent party to get a divorce when his or her spouse commits fornication (has a sexual relationship outside of marriage); but to divorce and remarry for any other reason is adultery (Matthew 19:9; 5:31-32). There are also times when an innocent spouse is deserted or divorced and can do nothing about it. Regarding such cases, St. Paul writes: "If the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace" (1 Corinthians 7:15). It should be pointed out that divorce in God's eyes is not necessarily the same as the legal divorce granted by human governments. To divorce in God's eyes is to "put away" the spouse--to be unwilling to continue in the marriage union. It sometimes happens that one deserts his spouse, or forces his spouse to leave, and the innocent party makes that divorce legal in the state by petitioning the courts.

Marriage is difficult and full of trouble because of our selfish and sinful natures, but divorce is not a God-pleasing solution. Adultery and divorce are not unforgiveable sins. In Christ and His cross, there is forgiveness for these sins against God's holy will. But, the grave danger in committing adultery, or in seeking a divorce, is that one is never truly sorry for his sin and continues on in it wilfully, thus spurning the grace and forgiveness of God and receiving the eternal consequences (cf. Hebrews 10:26-31).

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