As Christians, we must always ask, “What does the Bible say?” And what the Bible teaches about divorce must be our belief and practice. In this series, Tom explains from Scripture that God hates divorce and will not allow it among His people, with only two exceptions—we’ll discover those exceptions in this series
As Jesus taught His disciples about divorce, He not only wanted them to understand God’s view of divorce but also how that view would be completely counter-cultural. For those who profess Christ, our view of divorce will be very different from those who advocate for divorce on demand.
Sadly, many professing Christians haven’t been adequately taught from Scripture on the topic of divorce, and many churches have neglected to equip their people to deal with this difficult but relevant issue. When Jesus taught His disciples about divorce, He set a precedent as it relates to God and His Word: we must believe what He has said and also obey it. And this applies to the issue of divorce.
Jesus demonstrates that God established marriage and gave it a prominent place in His creation—this is clear in Genesis 1–2. God also established the parameters of marriage: male and female, and only two: one man and one woman. And he established the priority of marriage—you are to make that the highest human relationship in life. Finally, God established the permanence of marriage—the two becoming one indivisibly and inseparably.
In this powerful passage, Jesus Christ teaches that God hates divorce and will not allow it among His people, with only two exceptions. But it was common during Jesus’ day for the emphasis to be placed on the exceptions in order to get out of a marriage rather on its solidarity and importance as an institution before God. Jesus seeks to clear the air, sharing God’s heart for marriage, divorce, and even remarriage.
As we continue to live in a culture that devalues and is even hostile toward marriage while promoting divorce, it is critical for us to be confident in God and His Word. We can be confident that He has equipped us to uphold the truth and defend the institution of marriage.
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