SHARING BREAD
31 “It has been said, 'Anyone who
divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his
wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress,
and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.”
Matt
5:31-32 (NIV)
In all sincerity, I do not write this tritely or without immense
compassion, yet it is clear in Scripture that God does not like divorce. Indeed, He hates divorce and understandably so
as it divides what He initiated – the marriage covenant – that two shall become
one flesh - and further, it destroys what is best for mankind – the family unit.
Remember in Genesis God states:
18 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to
be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Gen 2:18 (NIV)
What the man lacked the woman supplied and what the woman
lacked the man supplied that is what the term “suitable helper” means. This culminated into one flesh – the complete
unity of man and woman in marriage.
Further, Genesis tells us after Adam had named the animals he was found
sorely wanting and God provided for his need through a helpmate from man’s own
flesh:
But for
Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So
the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was
sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had
taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23 The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and
flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman, ' for she was taken out of
man." 24 For
this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,
and they will become one flesh. Gen
2:20-24 (NIV)
God intended for husbands and wives to live together
permanently the only exception for divorce being marital unfaithfulness. Marriage was created to be an inseparable
bond holding an even higher calling than the parent-child relationship. It was created to be a one-flesh relationship
which God joined together and man ought not to separate. God does not take our vows made before Him
regarding this lightly and neither should we.
We discover the following Truth in Malachi:
13 Another thing you do: You flood the LORD's altar with
tears. You weep and wail because he no longer pays attention to your offerings
or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. 14 You ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is
acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have
broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage
covenant. 15 Has
not [the LORD] made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why
one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not
break faith with the wife of your youth. 16 "I hate divorce," says the LORD God of
Israel, "and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with
his garment," says the LORD Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit,
and do not break faith. Mal 2:13-16
(NIV)
Later in Matthew, Jesus was asked by the Pharisees if
divorce was lawful and His reply is as follows.
I find it extremely interesting that our Lord’s own disciple’s reaction
to His answer indicated their opinion of how hard it can be to flesh out a faithful
marriage! Indeed, it is two big fat
sinners living under one roof each seeking their own way!
3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked,
"Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every
reason?" 4 "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and
female,' 5 and
said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to
his wife, and the two will become one flesh' ? 6 So they are no longer two, but one.
Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." 7 "Why then," they asked, "did Moses
command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her
away?" 8 Jesus
replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your
wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the
beginning. 9 I
tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness,
and marries another woman commits adultery." 10 The disciples said to him, "If this is the
situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry." Matt 19:3-10 (NIV)
While I am acutely aware that Scripture allows divorce for
marital unfaithfulness - though not mandated - I am also just as aware that in
our times we embrace divorce for a myriad of other problems or reasons. Problems are a part of living in a broken
world amongst broken people and Christians are not to use them as an excuse to
not practice generous grace. Certainly
no one is perfect and I dare say we want to be on the receiving end of mercy
when we goof up. Also, it behooves us to
pray to love our spouses with a Christ-like love and respect and even if we do
have a Biblical reason for divorce we should make every effort through the
Spirit’s power to seek reconciliation.
God is fully aware of the sincerity of the heart and blesses His children
with peace who seek to do His will. He is compassionate toward those who hurt
and sees sacrificial living (sans murmuring) on our parts. Furthermore, if we find ourselves sitting on
the other side of divorce, God is also a Master at making “beauty from ashes”. We are to return to Him – His mercies are new
every morning and there is certain peace in God’s pleasure.
What I glean from this:
· In
marriage, God has made man and woman one flesh.
We are not to separate what God has made one.
· God hates
divorce as it pillages rather than builds up the family.
· God is a Restorer
of the broken.
