The Only One Biblical Condition Sets For Divorce, even at that….. By Gracious Akintayo
“For the LORD God of Israel says that He hates divorce, For it covers one’s garment with violence,” Says the LORD of hosts. “Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously.” Malachi 2:16
According to a report, divorce rates among Christians are surprising, more Christians divorce than non-believers. The assumption that people of the same Christian faith are less likely to divorce, painted a different picture from the well known slogan: “The family that prays together, stays together” among Christians.
But this was not the way God intended for marriage? God, the Creator of man and marriage makes clear His decision and arrangement about marriage; for profit, companion and lifelong relationships.
God assured that this was best for His people but if we deviate from the original plan as He had decided and arranged, the results are always not sure.
Unfortunately, the rate of divorce in the church today is similar to that of the world, when most Christian don’t see anything wrong with divorce and where it comes from. But the Bible is specifically clear on marriage and divorce.
God, through His word emphasized three aspects of marriage:
- Marriage is sanctified and intended for husband and wife to be one.
- Marriage is designed to be pleasure and rejuvenation.
- God hates divorce, it is evil. But desires companionship for holiness.
Christ in His ministry days associated the holiness and importance of marriage in His teachings. However, the Pharisees wanted to know His stand on the issue of divorce. 
In His wisdom, Jesus answered by taking them first to the king at a wedding feast, quoting Genesis 2:24: “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh”. The verse is still a relevant and important declaration of marriage from the Old Testament to the New Testament.
Marriage involves the abandonment of your parents and that of your spouse, also emotional, biological, moral and spiritual attachments to cleave together for the restoration of “one flesh” in the biblical order of marriage that God set before us as the perfect plan for life and marriage.
Not satisfied, the Phаrisees insisted on their questions about divorce, referring to Moses’ instructions in the Old Testament that a man writes a decree in an attempt to divorce his wife. But Jesus surprised them by letting them know that divorce is not good. “It was not so from the beginning”, Jesus said.
Further, in his response to the Pharisees, Jesus said to them: “Moses allowed you to decide among yourselves, for your hearts were hardened and you were not willing. But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced commits adultery. And whoever marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.”(Matthew 19: 8-9)
According to Jesus, there is only one condition for divorce: sexual immorality. Any other reason is not readily reasonable.
Any other message contrary to this as a reason for divorce, no matter how it is painted, is not biblical truth and should be disregarded.
The harsh reality of our capacity for depravity and sinfulness of divorce in marriage is where the spirit of return, repentance and forgiveness is not present with ignorance, arrogance (hardened heart), unforgiveness, lack of respect for one another and comparison from either one of the couple or both of them. These now form the major cause of divorce and termed, irreconcilable differences. (1 Corinthians 7 : 10-11)
If there is mutual respect, submission to one another, oneness, truthfulness, faithfulness, fear of God and justice in a marriage between a man and a woman, there will be no reason for divorce. (Ephesians 5:21)
Even at any matter or circumstances concerning division, disagreements, disappointment and quarrels in a marriage, there is always a room for reconciliation, restoration and recovery that brings total revival and rebirth over marital crisis, if only the couple are willing and ready to be obedient to the word of God and the admonition of the Holy Spirit to genuinely forgive one another, amicably settle themselves and reconcile their differences.
(Isaiah 1:18; Colossian 3:13)
Above all, God desires godly offspring and the Bible teaches and declares; “For the LORD God of Israel says that He hates divorce, For it covers one’s garment with violence,” Says the LORD of hosts. “Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously.” (Malachi 2:16). But let discretion protect you and understanding guide you (Proverbs 2:11)
