Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage

Friday, May 30th

Marriage, the life of husband and wife, should be an extended time for full hearts and special expressions of love. But in the midst of these expressions of love, there is also heartbreak - the heartbreak of divorce. God does not ignore this. He says, "I hate divorce" (Malachi 2:16). But at the same time, God tells us how divorce should be regulated.

God tells us there are only two legitimate reasons for divorce. The first reason is for adultery. Matthew 19:9 says, "Whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another commits adultery." Second, in situations where a believer in Christ is married to an unbeliever, God permits the unbeliever to file for divorce. He says, "If the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases" (I Corinthians 7:15). In other words, the bond of marriage is broken in such cases and the door is open for remarriage.

But what about the many other cases of divorce? If you have divorced someone for unbiblical reasons or if you have been divorced for unbiblical reasons, the first thing to do is to get right with God. Divorce is not the unpardonable sin. You need to seek God's forgiveness for the sin of divorce and for the related sins which led up to the divorce. Remember, Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty due to others for their sin. You need to trust in the sacrifice of Christ as the only adequate payment for your sin. Then you need to seek help in following the Bible as you unravel your particular situation.

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