Divorce And Remarriage In The Eyes Of God ~ Day 22

October 23 2006 - Day 22

Mark 10:1-12

Passage: This passage is anti-post-modern-American and maybe just plain anti-American. In today’s passage I find Jesus confronted with the issue of divorce. Jesus as He often does, refers back to the Old Testament. Specifically He refers back to the creation account in Genesis. I love to see Jesus affirm the Old Testament. Even more, I love to see Jesus give a fuller understanding of the Old Testament. That is what He does with the issue of divorce. The Pharisees want to know if it is lawful to get a divorce. Jesus says, “What did Moses say about it?” They say that Moses said to write a certificate of divorce and send her away. Jesus responds with an incredible rebuke and further explanation. Jesus said that the only reason Moses gave this instruction was because he had to deal with the sins of the people of Israel in an orderly fashion. Divorce was not God’s intention for marriage. God originally said after creation to not let anyone separate what God has joined. In other words, it is sin to divorce. Jesus goes on to say that not only is it sin to divorce but it is also adultery to remarry after divorce (Mark 10:11-12, Luke 16:18, Matt 19:7-9, 1 Cor 7:10-11, Rom 7:1-3).

Application: These verses are incredibly counter-cultural in the USA. People believe they have the right to marry and divorce as many times as they very well please. They will not accept the idea that there is a God who tells them what they should and should not do. Divorce and remarriage run completely against the intention of God for marriage. Marriage is supposed to reflect the loving relationship between God and man. Humans have distorted this relationship ever since Adam and Eve first sinned. It is my job as a minister of the Word of God to uphold His standards for marriage. First, I will never divorce my wife. I am a son of a divorced family. I have experienced what it does. I will not divorce for the sake of God’s glory, for the sake of my wife and for the sake of my future children. It’s affects are horrible. Secondly, I will not marry (as in administer a marriage) a divorced man or woman. It would be sin for either one to remarry and it would therefore be a sin on my part for joining together those who should not be joined together. The only exception to this remarriage rule is if the spouse of the divorcee is no longer living (Romans 7:1-3).