Marriage And Divorce outlined

MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE

I. Marriage is Blessed by God

Seven Examples in Scripture – Gen. 2:18 (God made a fit help and brought her)
1. Gen. 2:24 – Two become one flesh
  1. God gave Adam no choices or alternatives
  2. Can’t have many ONE FLESHES
2. Ex. 20:14 – Command not to defile the marriage relationship
  1. God’s judgment for Adultery – Lev. 20:10
3. Matt. 19:6 – God puts together – Man cannot make separate = the
  2 Greek words UnXopos
4. Eph. 5:25 – Comparison of Christ and thechurch. “Becomes a Type”
5. Deut. 17:17 – One man one wife, not many
6. I Tim. 3:1-5 – Deacons qualifications echo God’s monogamous plan of Old Testament
7. Eph. 5:23 – As preparation for eternity thus the picture of permanency in marriage Matt. 25: – The ten virgins show the coming of Christ as Bridegroom.

II. Divorce was permitted by Man only

Moses bill was a deterrent to Divorce
1. Deut. 24:1-4 – Uncleanness very restrictive. Could only be before the marriage is completed she was found to be in fornication. Deut. 22:13-21 – If falsely accused the man could not Divorce. If found true the woman was to be stoned.
2. Deut. 22:23-24 – Betrothal (promise or engagement was considered marriage for the Jew)
3. Mal. 2:14-16 – God hates for you to put away
Jesus gave four statements on Divorce
1. & 2. Matt. 5:32; 19:9 – Answer question of Jewish law seeming to permit divorce of married peoples. Fornication there used as a general term; could not be made specific term adultery
  1. If Pornia = Adultery here – Lev. 20:10 Stoning was prescribed not divorce.
  2. Scripture condemns Incest – I Cor. 5:1 and Lev. 18; marriage between two men or two women Lev. 18:22; or Sodomy Jude 7
    1. Historically divorce for unfaithfulness was not considered till 15th century.
    2. Matt. 19:9 – The exception clause doesn’t modify both phrases in the verse only the first
      1. Thus the verse does not teach remarriage to be permissible because of fornication.
      2. Thus remarriage for a divorced individual is considered adultery – Rom. 7:3
    3. Matt. 19:10 – Shows the strictness in and of the Apostles
      reaction (the privilege of divorce in their eyes was taken away, and the folly of the Pharisees was shown – to marry without intending to stay so is useless and against God’s plan.
  3. Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18 – Gives no allowance, each show only
    God’s original intent for marriage
2. Marriage is not broken by Divorce Prov. 6:30-33 Adultery marks
  your conscience and spirit. Hosea 2:19-21 – Betrothed forever Hosea 3:1-5 – Pictures God not Divorcing an Adulterous, not stoning her; but winning her back
3. Matt. 19:4-6 – Jesus shows Divorce disrupts the plan God had from the beginning
  1. Shows hardness of your heart and unwillingness to accept God’s plan.
  2. Shows divorce is not for adultery
  3. Word Fornication shows this passage speaks to the Jews only as a discussion of Mosiac law.
  4. Moses permission isn’t God’s law vs:8 “Moses…suffered you…but.” But = Nevertheless. Jesus said from the beginning God’s command hasn’t changed

III. How Long the Marriage

Till death
1. Law is binding till death – Rom. 7:1-2 Marriage is binding till death – Rom. 7:3
  1. No mention of Divorce or exceptions
  2. Thus no statement of remarriage
2. God’s plan Matt. 19:6 – man can’t separate is the original
  language
  1. Hard sinful hearts asked for less
  2. Jesus made it harder than Law
    1. Three steps in Jewish wedding Betrothal = Engage = Fornication = Divorce Time for testing Vows = Adultery = Stoning Consummation = Adultery = Stoning
3. For the Christian and unbeliever I Cor. 7:13-15 – Christian not
  under bondage = dedoulotai = subjection of the flesh as in I Cor. 9:27 (binding the body)
  1. No question of remarriage because no ability to Divorce
  2. Still husband and wife in vs. 16
  3. God says stay where He has distributed (grace) and called you (in your present condition) walk in peace with the Lord
    - vs. 17, 24
4. Marriage is till Death Rom. 7:1-2, I Cor. 7:39 – Never a mention
  of Divorce for Gentiles
  1. Yet Fornication is used in Acts 15:20
  2. Innocent party told to cleanse the adulterous wife – Eph. 5:25-28, Hos. 3:1-5 not divorce her.

IV. Objections Examined

Bound and Loosed – I Cor. 7:25-27 some say loosed = free or unmarried.
1. I Cor. 7:10-11 – Allow departure only to be reconciled
2. Paul was not divorced, I Cor. 7:6-8 speaks to the unmarried and widows
  1. Paul could not consider himself unmarried if Divorced Rom. 7:1-2
Isa. 50:1 – God did not put away Israel, but asked where is the
divorcement you (Israel) says has put you away.
1. Isa. 49:3 – God glorified in Israel
  1. vs. 8 – Promises preservation
  2. vs.13 – God was comforting His people
2. vs. 14 – Because Israel sinned they were in distress and blamed
  God for forsaking them
  1. vs. 15-16 – God could not put away
  2. They were graven on Christ’s hands
3. Put away = TLSH = put away corruption punishable by death, NOT
  Divorce
Jer. 3:8 “I had PUT HER AWAY” = TLSH SAME AS Isa. 50:1 not divorce
1. Context tell us: (Jer. 3:)
  1. vs. 1 – Once put away Israel could not return Deut 24:1-4
  2. vs. 1 – Yet God says return – thus she could not be divorced
  3. vs. 14 – She is still married to the Lord, in spite of her adultery
  4. vs. 22 – She will come = swiftly return
  5. Jer. 31:31-33 – Israel broke their covenant but God was their husband at the time
  6. I Cor. 7 – Paul’s Teaching

vs. 8-9 – Statement to UNMARRIED & WIDOWS – better to marry than burn.

To the Married The LORD’S Command: vs. 10-11 – You should not leave your spouse if you do remain unmarried or be reconciled vs. 39-40 – Married till death
1. Then and only then is remarriage mentioned
Mixed Marriage
vs. 12-14 – The believer is not to leave if the unbeliever be pleased. There is a godly influence with the believers present vs. 15 – If unbeliever departs =
1. You are still married – terms wife and husband are still used vs. 16
2. There is nothing you could have done so be at peace vs. 15
3. Prior directive stands – separate if no other way but remain unmarried vs.11
4. You may still see the Unbeliever saved vs.16 – so don’t destroy God’s first and only plan (Matt. 19:6) by remarriage
5. vs. 17 – Walk where you are and remain there vs. 18-19
  1. You can’t get uncircumcised or unmarried
  2. Gentiles have NO need to seek circum. so don’t.
  3. Physical states – marriage – circumcision etc. are not as important as obeying God’s command vs. 19
6. Through the section No remarriage is ever mentioned
Difference between Virgin and Married vs 32-35
1. It is profitable for those married to try to please each other vs. 35
  1. Eliminate temptations
  2. Learn to attend to Christ without distraction – I Pet. 3:7

Questions to Ask

Is there really an innocent party – II Cor. 13:1 must prove by witnesses. Then no mention of this part in the scripture.

Is divorce of God or world? – What does it do to my testimony?

Does Jesus then break or contradict his own law as he stated it?
Such provision was unnecessary – Deut. 22:13-21, Lev. 20:10. If true, Scripture teaches divorce on an easy ground adultery which could take place in the heart and never in the flesh.

Ps. 19:7-8 If the law is perfect then there can be no exception to it.

Arguments Against Divorce and Remarriage

God says he hates it even though we will tolerate it.
The person daily and utterly must depend upon God each day of their life – strength and deliverance.
The testimony of suffering for Christ will strengthen the brethren.
They gain patience and Godliness in trial.
The marriage partner may come to Christ and be reconciled – I Cor. 7:10-11 thus uniting the family in Christ.
They can be used to comfort others in the trial – II Cor. 1:4.
Self-denial is only a part of discipleship – Luke 9:23. If divorced God can give grace to overcome your flesh.

for more information, contact:

GOSPEL OUTREACH
Box 7078 Phila., PA 19149
(215)831-1122