Why divorce is not an option for Christians?

surrendersacrifice · 11-01-2009, 09:31 AM

To be a Christian is to follow Christ. To follow Him we must love Him. To love Him is to surrender our life to Him. To surrender our life to Him is to live a life that is His, and not ours. This means that we do and think what He does and thinks. We know that God is always faithful to us although we have been unfaithful to Him, and rejected Him by our sins. Furthermore, He sacrificed His own life so that we may be free of sin and have His life. To be a Christian, therefore, is to do likewise. In addition, since it is God who seals the marriage covenant no one can separate what God has joined together (Matt 19:6); and those who attempt to break this seal go against God. Divorce is therefore, absolutely prohibited for believers (Mk 10:11-12, Luke 16:18; Matthew 5: 31-32); and remarriage after divorce is adultery. Furthermore, a person whose spouse is unfaithful to him/her must stay faithful to his/her spouse just as God is faithful to us even when we reject Him (Hosea 3:1).

God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16) and is not pleased with the offerings of those who divorce their spouse (Malachi 2: 13-14). Jesus tells us that before making offering to God, we must reconcile with those with whom we have grievances (Matt. 5: 23-24). Therefore, a divorced person must first reconcile with his/her spouse before making an offering to the Lord.

Titus · 11-01-2009, 10:23 AM

It's not the preferred option, but there are conditions spelled out in the Bible under which a Christian may divorce; adultery and if married to an unbeliever who chooses to end the relationship. But as Jesus pointed out the real reason God allows divorce is because of the hardness of our hearts.

trial vet · 11-03-2009, 10:50 AM

For this cause did Christ tell us that we must deny our own will. Christ allows an exception, namely, fornication; yet to be like Him we would deny ourself and consider forgiveness before considering putting away.

Titus · 11-03-2009, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trial vet

For this cause did Christ tell us that we must deny our own will. Christ allows an exception, namely, fornication; yet to be like Him we would deny ourself and consider forgiveness before considering putting away.

Which is why Jesus pointed out the real reason God allows divorce is because of the hardness of our hearts.

Roses · 11-03-2009, 05:15 PM

This subject of divorce reminded me of a true story where this christian lady found out her husband was cheating on her. She was devastated and felt like she couldn't forgive her husband, her husband begged her to forgive him but she refused to. God spoke to her one day and said that she should forgive her husband, he told her if not for his grace she herself would have fallen astray. So after God told her that it changed her. She forgave her husband for what he did and they both have a very strong and solid marriage today.

I believe Christians should seek God whether they should get a divorce or not. However if the christian is getting abused in anyway or their life is at risk from their spouse they should leave immediately. They shouldn't stick around, they shouldn't go back unless God has told them to go back and God will not tell them to go back if the spouse is still a danger to them.

I believe that wisdom is of importance as well.

surrendersacrifice · 11-10-2009, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trial vet

For this cause did Christ tell us that we must deny our own will. Christ allows an exception, namely, fornication; yet to be like Him we would deny ourself and consider forgiveness before considering putting away.

In Matthew’s gospel (Matthew 5:31-32) there appears to be an exception to the prohibition to divorce. The exception in the Greek text is porneia (which means incest or fornication). The exemption is, therefore, against marriages between close relatives, which were considered unlawful (Leviticus 18:6-18), because they were considered incestuous (porneia). The exemption is also against common-law marriages (which are also unlawful marriages), in which couples fornicate by living together. Some people try to equate porneia with adultery. However, in the second half of the 32nd verse in the above referenced Matthew’s gospel the Greek word for adultery is moiceia (not porneia). So the real exception is to unlawful marriages, which are not true marriages in the first place.

Titus · 11-10-2009, 10:08 PM

Paul also says this in 1Corinthians 7:15But 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.

ComplexHuman · 11-11-2009, 05:28 PM

What is great is that we have a God that loves. He Loved us so much that he gave his only son so we might be saved...

And the rest is history - we know the laws, we know how some can lead to a deeper relationship, we know that some are fulfilled in the cross. Divorce, whilst a sin, won't prevent someone from approaching the throne of Grace.

The worst thing for the Church is how we deal with marital difficulties - and in my opinion we as the Church are responsible for more marriage breakdowns than those who don't go to church. Oh we are so well trained to mind everyone else's business, and we fuel the fires of distress - and then we tell people they will go to hell - just to find that the marriage repair never happens...

Doesn't it surprise you that no matter how much you tell someone Divorce is not an option, Divorce still happens. Maybe that is because we are looking at the end result rather than what is happening before that point. Its all right though - most of those people don't come back to church anyway so...

God says to love first. And if we were doing our job properly than Divorce doesn't need to happen and wouldn't. Those struggling would be loved by the church and helped appropriately. But because we don't do our job properly there are sub clauses, and this is what Jesus said to the Pharisees.

And when we fail, when marriage fails... THE CHURCH IS CALLED TO LOVE!!!!!!

And when Jesus talks about settling grievances he doesn't say that things go back to the way they were, just that it is sorted before moving forward.

Unclaimed Treasure · 11-12-2009, 02:11 AM

I agree. The key to preventing divorce is found before there is a marriage. I have watched my pastor and our church elder as they have raised their sons and drummed into them (with love) the passages of Scripture that enjoins men to love their wives. Their daughters, they have taught to respect their husbands. Then they have followed that up with practical means and methods of putting that love and respect into practice. And most importantly, they and their wives have modeled that love and respect in their own marriages.

So many of the young people (and middle-aged people) marrying today have no true model of a loving, committed marriage. All they have are television and movie examples which insist that the measure of "true love" is how it makes ME feel, and that MY feelings are paramount. Self-sacrifice is viewed as psychologically abnormal and unhealthy.

Christians are no different, for the most part, from secular society because they too have consumed the same media message.

But then, what do I know...I'm just an old spinster.

surrendersacrifice · 11-14-2009, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titus

It's not the preferred option, but there are conditions spelled out in the Bible under which a Christian may divorce; adultery and if married to an unbeliever who chooses to end the relationship. But as Jesus pointed out the real reason God allows divorce is because of the hardness of our hearts.

Adultery is not a condition for divorce. The exception mentioned in Matthew's Gospel (5:31-32) is for unlawful marriages between close relatives(the word porneia which means incest is used in the Greek text).

It was Moses and not God who permitted divorce.