What Does The Bible Say About Divorce?
The Bible clearly tells us that God hates divorce. He said Himself in Malachi 2:16, “I hate divorce.” God intended marriage to be a lifetime commitment. Marriage is when God joins together man and woman. Whatever God has joined together, let no one separate (Mark 10:9 Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”). Regardless of how we view the issue of divorce, the dissolution of a marriage that is blessed by God is not good. Once the man and the woman are joined together and become one, husbands and wives should do everything they can to preserve their marriage. They need to trust in the power of the Holy Spirit and rely on the mercy and grace of God. However, the Bible also tells us that there are some grounds for divorce. This is because God knows that marriage involves two sinful human beings. In God’s great wisdom, He laid down some laws to protect the rights of His children, especially women (Deuteronomy 24:1-4).
Grounds for Divorce
Jesus said that divorce was created due to the hardness of people’s hearts and not because such laws were God’s desire (Matthew 19:8 He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.). Divorce is allowed once there is a “marital unfaithfulness.” Marital unfaithfulness, or adultery, is definitely a sin. Marital unfaithfulness can come in any form of sexual immorality. It can be adultery, prostitution, or fornication. Jesus tells us that divorce is permissible if sexual immorality is committed by the husband or the wife. Sexual relations are an integral part of marriage. The Bible tells us that once marriage happens, “the two will become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be[a] joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.); Matthew 19:5; and Ephesians 5:31 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”). When the spouse breaks the bond by sexual relations that are outside of their marriage, then divorce becomes permissible. Jesus said in Matthew 19:9, “And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful.”
Marriage as a Symbol
In order to avoid divorce from happening, the couples must understand their unity in Christ. They need to remind themselves every day that the Biblical idea of marriage is a lifelong union. The union between the husband and the wife is meant to be a sign of His unbreakable covenant with us. Marriage is an important symbol throughout the Bible. In fact, God is compared to a husband and His people to a wife. Your marriage is supposed to last your lifetime since it is a symbol of God’s lasting love for us. When thinking of divorce, think about Jesus first and the commandments of God. Filing a divorce should not become an easy thing for Christians. It requires you to ponder and meditate on the Word of God before you do it. You need to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit before you dissolve your marriage. And you need to make sure that you go to your pastor and seek advice.
The Role of the Church
The church of Jesus Christ should be a place of trust where you can express your frustrations and disappointments in your marriage. Your brothers and sisters and Christ exist in order to encourage you to do what is right in the eyes of God (1 Thessalonians 5:11). You don’t want to make any decisions about marriage without seeking help from God and from your pastors or other believers. The truth is, divorce can be easily avoided if both the husband and the wife regularly go to church. Both of them should make it a habit to pray and worship together in the house of the Lord. The joy of the husband and wife should be focused on glorifying Jesus Christ. In this way, problems, challenges, and differences between you and your spouse are subdued. Conquering divorce is easier if both the husband and wife fear the Lord.
Christian couples are called to hate divorce just as God hates it. Forgiveness and reconciliation should mark a believer’s life (Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.). It is vital that the Christian couple knows how to forgive one another just as God through Christ has forgiven them. God is aware that divorce can occur even among His children. And if it happens, remember that a divorced child of God should not feel any less loved by Him.
