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But I Say. The crowd listening to Jesus was large. There were probably many unhappy husbands and wives present. There was probably at least one Jewish husband who had been thinking about divorcing his wife - maybe for some other, more appealing woman. Jesus’ words must have been disappointing if not a shock. If there was such a man present, Jesus may have even looked at him when He said God does not permit divorce except for unchastity. The husband may have been angry. Maybe he went to his religious leader, asked for his opinion, and looked for exceptions.
Many unhappy Christian husbands or wives who are very familiar with these words of Jesus will come for counsel, looking for the spiritual loophole - God’s blessing upon their desire to divorce. Many husbands and wives believe they have a special situation.
1st Reason For Divorce. But God grants a biblical divorce for only two reasons. The first one assumes both the husband and wife are non-Christians or both are Christians. The second one is about divorce between a Christian and a non-Christian. Jesus gives us the first one. He permits divorce for unchastity. The Greek word is PORNEIA. The word means more than just sexual activity between a man and a woman. The word refers to heterosexual and homosexual activity as well as incest and sex with an animal. It is an ugly word. Jesus is simply saying that God permits divorce if your spouse has violated the physical side of the relationship. If you divorce for any other reason, remarriage causes adultery.
Many couples ignore God’s stop sign. They are so unhappy in their relationships that they go ahead, smash the stop sign, and do what they want anyway. Unfortunately, it is not until later that they realize they have made a mistake and then come to God pleading for forgiveness.
2nd Reason For Divorce. The Bible says there are two reasons for which God permits divorce. He grants a biblical divorce if one spouse has committed PORNEIA. The second reason He grants a biblical divorce with the right to remarry is if a Christian is married to an unbeliever and the unbeliever wants the divorce,
. . . if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, let him not send her away. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, let her not send her husband away . . . Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. (NASB) 1 Corinthians. 7:12-15 One wife claimed that her husband left her emotionally; and therefore, she should be allowed to divorce him. In this situation, the Christian wife does not have the right to leave her spouse. Paul says the believer must remain with the hope that his/her spouse will come to Jesus - this is evangelism by your life (1 Cor. 7:16).
Biblical Divorce. The question before us is, “What is a biblical divorce with the right to remarry? A biblical divorce is a divorce that occurs for one of the two reasons given above. But that does not mean God likes divorce. In Malachi 2:16 he says,
“For I hate divorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with wrong,” says the LORD of hosts. “So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously. (NASB) Malachi 2:16 And in Matthew 19:8, Jesus says,
Because of your hardness of heart, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way. (NASB) Matt. 19:8 What makes a marriage? It is not physical relations. 1 Corinthians 6:16 tells us that physical relations only make us “one flesh” with the person, even if it is a harlot,
Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a harlot is one body with her? For He says, “THE TWO WILL BECOME ONE FLESH.” (NASB) 1 Cor. 6:16 |
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| Sermon on the Mount | |||||
