DOES GOD APPROVE OF DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE? 

The Bible, God's word, deals with the subject of divorce and remarriage. This is a very crucial issue and we need to know what God says on the subject. I feel deepest sympathy for those people whose homes have failed. But we must not allow our emotions to cloud the real issue. What does God say? When Jesus was questioned on the subject he said, "Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery" (Luke 16:18). If this was the only teaching of the New Testament on the matter, NO divorced person would have the right of remarriage following divorce. So the general rule which God established is simply this: No divorced person has the right to marry again. But, Jesus has given one exception. 

A single exception to the rule is stated by the Lord, "And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery" (Matthew 19:9). The exceptive phrase in this verse is obviously intended to bestow a right on one category of divorced persons. The Lord's rule now stands as this: no divorced person has the right of remarriage except the one who has been faithful to his or her companion only to be betrayed by that spouse's sexual infidelity. To make it more simple, only the innocent parties in divorces  for  fornication  may  remarry. The verb "committeth" denotes a continuing action, that is, the person continues to live in adultery in the unlawful marriage relationship.  

From a human standpoint it is so easy to justify our divorce, especially if the other spouse was to blame. God allows divorce, but it is the remarriage that God has placed restrictions upon. I have had ladies to say: “you know God doesn’t want me to remain single. My husband beat me often, or he was  drunk all the time, or he abused me in so many ways.” It is so sad  to see someone in this condition. But God gave one exception for divorce and remarriage. That is fornication.  Weak kneed preachers can lie about what a person can and cannot do. But God is the ONE in charge! No preacher can change the word of God! We must follow what God reveals in His word, or else our actions will condemn us in judgment. 

This law of God is for every person upon the earth. For we will all be judged by God's word on the great judgement day Jesus said, “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”  (John 12:48). 

We are living in a very permissive society. The laws of our land allow things that God never approved. But if we hope to be saved in eternity, we must obey God rather than man.   ---Charles E. Burch