Marriage and Divorce in Christian Age

Marriage and Divorce in Christian Age:

Jesus gave commands for marriage and divorce in our Christian Age that changed the regulations for marriage and divorce as previously given under the Mosaic Law. This new marriage and divorce law was based upon God’s original intent for marriage to be one man for one woman, married for life as He referenced God’s joining of Adam and Eve in marriage in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 2:24)

Since sin and death had entered into the world, Jesus also provided a change in the marriage law from the one given in the Garden of Eden, and did provide for one exception for divorce. (Matthew 19:9) Also, Paul made it clear that death of the husband frees a woman from the law of her husband, and she is free to remarry. (Romans 7:1-3) He also wrote that the widow, if she remarried, should marry “only in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 7:39)

Paul answered questions from the church at Corinth concerning whether it was better to marry or not marry and whether to remain married. (1 Corinthians 7) These questions concerned single people, Christians married to Christians, and Christians married to unbelievers, fathers planning their daughter’s marriage, virgins and widows. Paul wrote that marriage partners bodies are their partners, so we must not refuse sex to our marriage partners except by mutual agreement and then only for a short time of prayer & devotion.

A matrix of scriptures is provided to help with your bible study and the scriptures are arranged based upon one’s situation, see below.

Conclusions: It is vitally important that individuals with marriage or divorce problems become knowledgeable about what God’s will is and not what they want it to be for them. Jesus urges that all men respect God’s intent for the marriage bond: “let not man put asunder” what God has “joined”. Even though civil laws may permit easy divorce, the divorce must be based upon God’s word to be effected. Much prayer is needed for those involved in marriage and divorce difficulties as well as for parents and those church leaders, ministers & elders, which are trying to advise and counsel the troubled. Then we must obey God’s laws as revealed in the New Testament. (2 John 9,10)

Marriage & Divorce

One of the most important problem areas confronting families and churches today is concerning marriage and divorce. The purpose of this article is to provide information to guide the reader to make safe decisions regarding marriage and divorce based upon God’s holy word.

Marriage and Divorce in Previous Ages:

To better understand God’s will for us today, we must study from the Old Testament and be familiar with God’s laws in previous ages.

In the Garden of Eden God instituted marriage beginning with Adam and Eve; “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24) It is important to note that this was before man had sinned and before death. Therefore, God’s original plan for man was one man for one woman, married for life. Man did not follow God’s plan as we find the practices of polygamy (Gen. 4:19), concubines (Gen. 22:23-24), sexual immorality (Gen. 6:2) and homosexuality (Gen. 18:20). Men even gave up the knowledge of God. (Romans 1:28ff)

Under the Mosaic Law, the Israelites, God’s chosen nation:

· They were not permitted to marry from among certain nations that worshipped other Gods. (Deuteronomy 7:1-4).

· God forbade sexual relations with kin, which would have been incest. (Leviticus 18:6; 20:10-21)

· One of the Ten Commandments was “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”(Exodus 21:14)

· Once a woman was divorced from her first husband and remarried, she could not return, if divorced from her second husband, or even if her second husband died. (Deuteronomy 21:1-4)

There is a difference between what God allowed and what he approved. He allowed

1) An earthly king for Israel, (1 Samuel 8:7; Deuteronomy 17:14-20),

2) Instrumental music, (2 Chronicles 29:25; Amos 6:5), and

3) Polygamy, concubines, (Exodus 21:10-15; Deuteronomy 21:10).

God did not command divorce but a “writing of bill of divorcement” to regulate easy divorce that was already being practiced. There was controversy over the reason for divorce “she find no favor in his eyes, because he found some uncleanness in her” (Deuteronomy 24:1-4) and this controversy was used by the Pharisees in the First Century to try and trap Jesus with questions about which position was right.

For marriage and divorce situations, the following scriptures should be read, studied and followed:

HOME	MISSION WORK	"BAPTISM"	COMMUNION	INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC	ORGANIZATION
CHURCH of CHRIST	GOSPEL MEETING	FELLOWSHIP	DIVORCE ADULTERY	SEXUAL IMMORALITY	MARRIAGE DIVORCE