MONDAY March 2, 2020
Marriage and Divorce
“Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ ”
Matthew 5:31
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addressed the subject of marriage and divorce. In the Old Testament, in Deuteronomy 24, laws were established in regards to marriage and divorce. God’s people were trying to divorce their wives for any reason. It could be the wife placed too much salt in the food, or the husband did not like the way she cleaned the house.
Moses had created a document––a divorcement paper. When Jesus was asked about marriage and divorce in the New Testament, He revealed the true reason why men divorced their wives. It was because of the hardness of man’s heart. God, from the beginning, never intended for a man and woman to divorce (Matthew 19:8).
Marriage was instituted in the book of Genesis. God established the holy union of one man and one woman before the law was ever given. He had seen the heart of man––his emptiness and loneliness––and He made him a helper. God brought the woman to man. Then God blessed the union between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:18-25).
Notice what else Jesus said: “Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Mark 10:9). Marriage is sacred. Yet men oftentimes leave their wives for younger women! The vows spoken before God are to be kept––until death do us part! God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16). Yet married couples are breaking their sacred vows and divorcing for any apparent reason. Restoration is always God’s goal, not the destruction of a marriage.
It is important to understand that if you came to the Lord after a divorce, all things have become brand new (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is important to remain faithful to the person with whom you are now married.
There is no more lovely, friendly or charming relationship, communion or company, than a good marriage.
~Martin Luther~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!