Where In The Bible Will I Find:

That God Hates Divorce?

One of the references showing God's hatred of divorce is given by the last writer of the Old Testament: "For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away (divorce)..." (Mal. 2:16). Some other things God hates are mentioned in Proverbs 6:16-19. We should never practice what God hates!

Marriage is an institution ordained by God for the happiness and good of society (Gen. 2:18). Following His Word causes faithfulness in our vows. God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit agree that marriage is one man, for one woman, for life, therefore no one can put away an innocent mate (where fornication is not involved) and marry, another without committing adultery (Matt. 19:3-9). Adultery is named in every place sin is listed in the Bible.

Marriage between believers and unbelievers is always a problem, even as it was at Corinth. "...If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she is pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him" (I Cor. 7:13). The Christian and the unbeliever are still bound together by God's law of marriage (Gen. 2). The influence of the believer should be a good reason for thinking that their mate might also become a Christian (I Cor. 7:14, 1 Pet. 3: 1-3).

If the unbeliever does not want to remain married to the Christian, desertion is not a scriptural ground for divorce and remarriage (Matt. 5:32; 19:9). "And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, let not the wife depart from her husband; but and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife" (I Cor. 7:10-11). "Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled; but whore-mongers and, adulterers God will judge" (Heb. 13:4).

Children of divorced parents are more likely to divorce. To stop the sadness of hearing over a million times each year, "Divorce Granted," let us seek to be faithful to our marriage vows.

--Gary Colley