The Bible makes it clear that God does not like divorce, and it should not be an option among Christians.
Matthew 5:31,32 |
Furthermore it has been said, "Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a
certificate of divorce." But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. |
Matthew 19:3-12 |
The
Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him,
"Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just
any reason?
" And He answered
and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning
'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man shall
leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become
one flesh'? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore
what God has joined together, let not man separate." They said to
Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put
her away?" He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your
hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not
so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual
immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who
is divorced commits adultery." His disciples said to Him, "If such
is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry."
But He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only those to
whom it has been given: For there are eunuchs who were born thus
from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men,
and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of
heaven's sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it." |
Luke 16:18 |
Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever
marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery. |
Mark 10:2-12 |
The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his
wife?" testing Him. And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses
command you?" They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a
certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her." And Jesus answered and
said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and
female.' 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and
be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then
they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined
together, let not man separate." In the house His disciples also
asked Him again about the same matter. So He said to them,
"Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.
And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery." |
I Corinthians 7:1-39 |
Now
concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for
a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, because of
sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let
each woman have her own husband. Let the husband render
to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife
to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her
own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does
not have authority over his own body, but the wife
does. Do not deprive one another except with consent for
a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer;
and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you
because of your lack of self-control. But I say this as a
concession, not as a commandment. For I wish that all men
were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God,
one in this manner and another in that. But I say to the
unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they
remain even as I am; but if they cannot exercise
self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than
to burn with passion. Now to the married I command, yet
not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her
husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain
unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is
not to divorce his wife. But to the rest I, not the Lord,
say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she
is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And
a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is
willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. For
the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the
unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your
children would be unclean, but now they are holy. But if
the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister
is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to
peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save
your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will
save your wife? But as God has distributed to each one,
as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I
ordain in all the churches. Was anyone called while
circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone
called while uncircumcised? Let him not be
circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision
is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what
matters. Let each one remain in the same calling in which
he was called. Were you called while a slave? Do not be
concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use
it. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the
Lord's freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is
Christ's slave. You were bought at a price; do not
become slaves of men. Brethren, let each one remain with
God in that state in which he was called. Now concerning
virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give
judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made
trustworthy. I suppose therefore that this is good
because of the present distress -- that it is good for a man
to remain as he is: Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek
to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a
wife. But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and
if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such
will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare
you. But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that
from now on even those who have wives should be as though they
had none, those who weep as though they did not weep,
those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who
buy as though they did not possess, and those who use
this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is
passing away. But I want you to be without care. He who
is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord -- how he may
please the Lord. But he who is married cares about the
things of the world -- how he may please his wife. There
is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried
woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy
both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about
the things of the world -- how she may please her
husband. And this I say for your own profit, not that I
may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you
may serve the Lord without distraction. But if any man
thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virgin, if she is
past the flower of youth, and thus it must be, let him do what
he wishes. He does not sin; let them marry. Nevertheless he who
stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own
will, and has so determined in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does
well. So then he who gives her in marriage does well, but he who
does not give her in marriage does better. A wife is bound by law
as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be
married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. But she is happier if
she remains as she is, according to my judgment -- and I think I also have the
Spirit of God. |
Deuteronomy 24:1-4 |
When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor
in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her, and he writes her a
certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house,
when she has departed from his house, and goes and becomes another
man's wife, if the latter husband detests her and writes her a
certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house,
or if the latter husband dies who took her as his wife, then her
former husband who divorced her must not take her back to be his wife after she
has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the LORD, and you shall
not bring sin on the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an
inheritance. |
Malachi 2:16 |
For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one's garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts.... |
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