God’s View of God’s View of DivorceDivorce

Matthew 19:3-9Matthew 19:3-9(3) Some Pharisees came (3) Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and to Jesus, testing Him and asking, “Is it lawful for a asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?”for any reason at all?”

Matthew 19:3-9Matthew 19:3-9(4) And He answered and (4) And He answered and

said, “Have you not read said, “Have you not read that He who created them that He who created them from the beginning made from the beginning made

them male and female, them male and female, (5) and said, ‘For this(5) and said, ‘For this

Matthew 19:3-9Matthew 19:3-9reason a man shall leave reason a man shall leave

his father and mother his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become and the two shall become

one flesh?’one flesh?’

Matthew 19:3-9Matthew 19:3-9(6) So they are no longer (6) So they are no longer two, but two, but oneone fleshflesh. What . What therefore God has joined therefore God has joined

together, let no man together, let no man separate.”separate.”

Malachi 2:16Malachi 2:16

(16) “For I (16) “For I hatehate divorcedivorce,” ,” says the LORD, the says the LORD, the

God of Israel, …God of Israel, …

Matthew 19:3-9Matthew 19:3-9(7) They said to Him, (7) They said to Him,

“Why then did Moses “Why then did Moses command to give her a command to give her a

certificate of divorce and certificate of divorce and send her away?”send her away?”

Matthew 19:3-9Matthew 19:3-9(8) He said to them, (8) He said to them,

“Because of your “Because of your hardness of heart Moses hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce permitted you to divorce your wives; but from your wives; but from the beginning it has the beginning it has

not been this way.not been this way.

Matthew 19:3-9Matthew 19:3-9(9) And I say to you, (9) And I say to you,

whoever divorces whoever divorces his wife, his wife, except for immorality, except for immorality, and marries another and marries another

woman commits woman commits adultery.”adultery.”

1 Corinthians 7:10-111 Corinthians 7:10-11

(10) But to the married I (10) But to the married I give instructions, not I, give instructions, not I,

but the Lord, that the but the Lord, that the wife should not leave wife should not leave

her husbandher husband

1 Corinthians 7:10-111 Corinthians 7:10-11(11) ((11) (but if she does leave, but if she does leave,

she must remain she must remain unmarried, or else be unmarried, or else be

reconciled to her reconciled to her husband), and that the husband), and that the

husband should not husband should not divorce his wife.divorce his wife.

God’s View of God’s View of RemarriageRemarriage

Matthew 19:3-9Matthew 19:3-9(9) And I say to you, (9) And I say to you,

whoever divorces whoever divorces his wife, his wife, except for except for immoralityimmorality, ,

and marries another and marries another woman commits woman commits

adultery.”adultery.”

An objection: An objection: It is unfair to demand It is unfair to demand

that someone remain that someone remain celibatecelibate..

Counterexample: what Counterexample: what about about unmmarriedsunmmarrieds??

Repenting of an Repenting of an Unscriptural MarriageUnscriptural Marriage

Matthew 19:3-9Matthew 19:3-9(9) And I say to you, (9) And I say to you, whoever divorces his whoever divorces his

wife, except for wife, except for immorality, and marries immorality, and marries

another woman another woman commits commits adulteryadultery.”.”

Similar relationships Similar relationships that require similar that require similar

repentance:repentance:

HomosexualityHomosexualityFornicationFornication

Why would God want Why would God want to add a second to add a second

divorce?divorce?

Does baptism make a Does baptism make a sinful marriage OK?sinful marriage OK?

What if children What if children are involved?are involved?

Ezra 9-10Ezra 9-10

Ezra 10:11Ezra 10:11(11) Now therefore, make (11) Now therefore, make confession to the LORD confession to the LORD

God of your fathers and do God of your fathers and do His will; and His will; and separate separate

yourselvesyourselves from the people from the people of the land and of the land and from the from the

foreign wivesforeign wives..

Ezra 10:44Ezra 10:44

(44) All these had married (44) All these had married foreign wives, and some of foreign wives, and some of them had them had wives by whom wives by whom

they had childrenthey had children..

FINAL REFLECTIONFINAL REFLECTION

God takes marriage God takes marriage VERY seriously – VERY seriously –

we should also!we should also!