Is Divorce Acceptable for Christians

                                 

                                                 

One of the most difficult problems a family will ever face is the break up of the home.

Broken homes were a scarcity years ago in the Christian society. Even most liberal denominational preachers preached against it and dealt with it publically, when necessary. However, now it reigns unchecked in many independent fundamental Baptist churches. The pulpit is not even exempt from this horrible tragedy.

Is it permissible in view of Scripture? Does God allow divorce? Does God bless a remarriage? The answers to these questions I believe are clearly given in Scripture with a truthful unbiased study. 

A common Bible study method many use today is called the "law of first mention".  Using this for our study where does God speak about marriage for the first time?

We find this in Genesis chapter two. Before there was a church, before there was a government, there was a home. In Genesis 2:25, After God made a woman, God told Adam, "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh".  We are given this same command in Ephesians 5:31.  This is a picture of Christ and His church. As Baptists we preach the security of the believer and yet condone divorce? You can't have it both ways.  In Ephesians 5:25 the husband is told to love his wife as Christ loved the church. There isn't any gray area here!

I believe in the permanency of marriage. William J. Hopewell, former professor of Missions at Baptist Bible Seminary of Clarks Summit in Pennsylvania,  cites eight passages of Scripture to squelch any argument for divorce.  These Scriptures are, Gen.2:24, Mal.2:14-16, Rom.7:2-4, I Cor.7:10, 39, Matt. 19:3-8, Mark 10:1-12 and Luke 16:18.

Many use the "exception clause" in Matt. 19:9 to condone divorce, however a study of Israeli customs will find that this is in reference to the betrothal period of the Jewish marriage.  The only example in Scripture of this clause is found in Matt.1:19. This was before Joseph and Mary had consummated their marriage, and agrees with our Lord's teaching in Matt. 19:4-6. You will not find this clause in Mark 10:1-12 or in Luke 16:18.

We have not exhausted this study, but I would like to give you two more things to think of. First of all in regard to the qualifications of a pastor we are told he must be the husband of one wife,
in I Timothy and again in Titus. Why didn't Paul just say, he must be a married man? Than in Genesis 2:24 we read that the man shall cleave unto his wife and "they" shall be "one" flesh. How can you divide one flesh?

Some years ago the argument was in the "preachers fellowships" if a person was divorced before salvation it was "under the blood." Now, however we have evangelists and pastors who have divorced their wives and remarried and never missed a lick.

Lets take a look at a few verses together, I Peter 4:11, how can God be glorified by divorce? In Ephesians 5:1 we read that we are to be "followers of God" how can we work divorce in to that equation?

If God condones divorce and remarriage, why don't these divorced evangelists advertise that in their brochures?

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled; but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.