Divorce
God hates divorce. He hates it because it always involves unfaithfulness to the solemn covenant of marriage
that two partners have entered into before Him, and because it brings harmful consequences to those partners
and to their children (Mal. 2:14-16).

Divorce in scripture is permitted only because of man’s sin. Since divorce is only a concession to man’s sin and
is not a part of God’s original plan for marriage, all believers should hate divorce as God does and pursue it only
when there is no other recourse.

In Matthew 19:3-9, Christ teaches that divorce is an accommodation to man’s sin that violates God’s original
purpose for the intimate and permanence of the marriage bond.

He taught that God allows divorce only because of “hardness of heart” (Matthew 19:8). Realizing this, the
believer should never consider divorce except in specific situations that the Bible lays out, and even in those
situations it should only be pursued reluctantly because there is no other recourse.

The only New Testament grounds for divorce are sexual sin, or desertion by an unbeliever. The first is found in
Jesus’ use of the Greek word porneia (Matt. 5:32;19:9).

This is a general term that encompasses sexual sin such as adultery, homosexuality, bestiality, and incest. When
one partner violates the unity and intimacy of marriage by sexual sin-and forsakes his or her covenant obligation
– the faithful partner is placed in an extremely difficult situation. After all means are exhausted to bring the
sinning partner to repentance, the Bible permits release for the faithful partner through divorce (Matt. 5:32; 1
Cor. 7:15).

The second reason for permitting divorce is in cases where an unbelieving mate does not desire to be married
to his or her believing spouse (1 Cor. 7:12-15). When an unbeliever desires to leave (divorce), then divorce is
permitted in such instances. “Let him depart; a brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases.” (1 Cor.
7:15)

Remarriage
Remarriage is permitted for the faithful partner only when the divorce was on biblical grounds. In Matthew
19:9, Jesus includes remarriage as part of the exception statement. The faithful spouse who divorces because
of adultery, therefore, not only has legitimate grounds for dissolving the marriage but for remarriage as well.
That means that the believer will not be guilty of adultery if he or she remarries. In fact, a biblical divorce makes
it clear that the faithful partner is free to remarry, but only in the Lord (Matt. 19:9; Romans 7:1-3; 1Cor. 7:27,39).

Those who divorce on any other grounds have sinned against God and their partners, and for them to marry
another is an act of “adultery” (Mark10:11-12). This is why Paul says that a believing woman who sinfully
divorces “should remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband (1 Cor. 7:10-11). If she repents from
her sin of unbiblical divorce the true fruits of that repentance would be to seek reconciliation with her former
husband (Matt. 5:23-24). The same is true for a man who divorces unbiblical (1 Cor. 7:11). The only time such
a person could remarry another is if the former spouse remarries, proves to be a unbeliever, or dies, in which
case reconciliation would no longer be possible.

The Bible also gives a word of caution to anyone who is considering marriage to a divorcee. If the divorce was
not on biblical grounds and there is still a responsibility to reconcile, the person who marries the divorcee is
considered an adulterer (Mark 10:12).

One of the beautiful things about being a child of God is the grace that He offers to us as sinners. If you are
reading this and have realized that you have sinned in one or more of these areas in the past, then be sure to
thank God for His wonderful forgiveness and mercy to sinners like us. Also, if there is something you can do to
make the sin of the past right in the eyes of God, such as seeking reconciliation with your former spouse, then
it would only be right as a believer as well as pleasing to God to pursue that course of action. However, if you
have divorced unbiblically, and if you have remarried unbiblically, you are called to continue in your current
marriage and be faithful to your spouse and to God so that the marriage you are in is one that is honoring and
glorifying to Him. Your past sins may have abounded, but God offers you forgiveness for those past sins, and

He calls you to be faithful today.