Matthew 5:31-32
Story & Lessons
God hates divorce but he saves those who have been divorced and remarried. We must not treat them as if they had committed the unpardonable sin; rather we must welcome them into our church.
Moses allowed a man who found some uncleanness in his wife to divorce her. This was a solemn measure to protect the rejected wife and to prevent unlawful divorce. The man was not allowed to remarry the rejected wife if she was later widowed or divorced from the second marriage. Moses permitted divorce in such cases because of the hardness of their hearts, "but from the beginning it was not so" (19:8).
This concession was misused in New Testament times to allow for unlawful divorce and the Lord Jesus teaches here that divorce is only permitted when the spouse was unfaithful.
When adulterers were put to death under Jewish law the marriage was obviously terminated and the surviving partner was free to marry again. But the death penalty for adultery was not permitted under the Roman occupation of Palestine.
Jesus indicated that the wronged partner would be allowed to remarry just as if the guilty one was dead.
Marriage is a covenant in which solemn promises are made before God, including the promise to remain faithful until parted by death.
Whoever divorces his wife. . . (31).
Reflection...
The wicked influences of the world have crept into the church and divorce among professing Christians is becoming common.
What kind of spiritual state are we in if we can so lightly break these sacred promises and disregard God’s word?
Let us seek God’s grace each day to be faithful to his word and to the one to whom we have committed ourselves in marriage.
Story & Lessons
God hates divorce but he saves those who have been divorced and remarried. We must not treat them as if they had committed the unpardonable sin; rather we must welcome them into our church.
Moses allowed a man who found some uncleanness in his wife to divorce her. This was a solemn measure to protect the rejected wife and to prevent unlawful divorce. The man was not allowed to remarry the rejected wife if she was later widowed or divorced from the second marriage. Moses permitted divorce in such cases because of the hardness of their hearts, "but from the beginning it was not so" (19:8).
This concession was misused in New Testament times to allow for unlawful divorce and the Lord Jesus teaches here that divorce is only permitted when the spouse was unfaithful.
When adulterers were put to death under Jewish law the marriage was obviously terminated and the surviving partner was free to marry again. But the death penalty for adultery was not permitted under the Roman occupation of Palestine.
Jesus indicated that the wronged partner would be allowed to remarry just as if the guilty one was dead.
Marriage is a covenant in which solemn promises are made before God, including the promise to remain faithful until parted by death.
Whoever divorces his wife. . . (31).
Reflection...
The wicked influences of the world have crept into the church and divorce among professing Christians is becoming common.
What kind of spiritual state are we in if we can so lightly break these sacred promises and disregard God’s word?
Let us seek God’s grace each day to be faithful to his word and to the one to whom we have committed ourselves in marriage.
