'Do Not Divorce!' - Matthew 5:31-32

[Jesus continued:] "You have heard the law that says, 'A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.' But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery."

—Matthew 5:31-32 NLT

Key Thought​

God said it forcefully, "I hate divorce!" (Malachi 2:16) Jesus' words here are equally emphatic. Jesus' condemnation is specifically directed to men because they were the only ones in Jewish culture in Jesus' time who could divorce a marriage partner. A woman was left with few options other than remarriage or poverty. While God hates divorce, Jesus' ministry demonstrates God's love for those broken by it (cf. John 4). Still, God hates divorce because of the brokenness it creates in the lives of those involved and because of the loss of character in one or both parties that often causes divorce. Based on their love for God, husbands and wives have as their goal two key things: (1) loving each other and (2) learning faithfulness through their relationship with each other. By pursuing a loving relationship and remaining faithful sexually, they are guarding themselves against divorce and are honoring God by maintaining their covenant with him and with each other. In an age where promiscuity and sexual indiscretion run rampant, we must heed the call to sexual purity and loving commitment so that strong families can be built and divorce and its devastation can be prevented.

Today's Prayer​

Holy and faithful God, please help me keep my heart loyal and true. I want to be a person of character. Empower me by your Spirit to stay free of sexual sin and to be faithful in the commitments I make. In addition, dear Father, please strengthen and bless those that I know who are in marriage distress and ransom their marriage from impending divorce. (For those who are married Holy God, I pray that you not only keep me from divorce, but that you also lead me to a life of loving service and faithfulness with my marriage partner. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings​

• Malachi 2:13-16
• Matthew 19:9
• 1 Corinthians 7:10-11

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Ⓒ 1996-2021 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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[Lavelle]

[Jesus continued:] "You have heard the law that says, 'A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.' But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery."

—Matthew 5:31-32 NLT

Key Thought​

God said it forcefully, "I hate divorce!" (Malachi 2:16) Jesus' words here are equally emphatic. Jesus' condemnation is specifically directed to men because they were the only ones in Jewish culture in Jesus' time who could divorce a marriage partner. A woman was left with few options other than remarriage or poverty. While God hates divorce, Jesus' ministry demonstrates God's love for those broken by it (cf. John 4). Still, God hates divorce because of the brokenness it creates in the lives of those involved and because of the loss of character in one or both parties that often causes divorce. Based on their love for God, husbands and wives have as their goal two key things: (1) loving each other and (2) learning faithfulness through their relationship with each other. By pursuing a loving relationship and remaining faithful sexually, they are guarding themselves against divorce and are honoring God by maintaining their covenant with him and with each other. In an age where promiscuity and sexual indiscretion run rampant, we must heed the call to sexual purity and loving commitment so that strong families can be built and divorce and its devastation can be prevented.

Today's Prayer​

Holy and faithful God, please help me keep my heart loyal and true. I want to be a person of character. Empower me by your Spirit to stay free of sexual sin and to be faithful in the commitments I make. In addition, dear Father, please strengthen and bless those that I know who are in marriage distress and ransom their marriage from impending divorce. (For those who are married Holy God, I pray that you not only keep me from divorce, but that you also lead me to a life of loving service and faithfulness with my marriage partner. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings​

• Malachi 2:13-16
• Matthew 19:9
• 1 Corinthians 7:10-11

---

Ⓒ 1996-2021 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Continue reading...

Dear to whom it concerns Re: Do Not Divorce! What we should be warning to those believers are Do Not Get Married to unbelievers according to Gods word. Pray that God will send the right spouse in your life and pray the will of God to keep your marriage. If for some reason your marriage ends in DIVORCE PLEASE KNOW THIS GOD WILL NOT CONDEMN YOU TO HELL HE WILL NOT HOLD THIS AGAINST YOU, NEITHER MUST YOU REMAIN UNMARRIED BECAUSE YOUR SPOUSE CHOOSE TO LEAVE THE MARRIAGE THROUGH DIVORCE. LET ME SHARE WITH YOU WHAT ALMIGHTY GOD DID REGARDING MY OWN PERSONAL TESTIMONY ABOUT MY MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE I WAS DIRECTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT NOT DRIVEN BY MAN.
The bible does say that God hates divorce on of many things that God hates! The word of God also says this Whom God has joined together let no man put asunder. Marriage and Divorce is a sensitive scared issue what prayers may have been effective in one case will not be the same as another divorce situation.. Many people do not understand that just because 2 parties join together in marriage means that God is in it. Absolutely NOT!! There are many divorces in this Country daily. Marriage vows taken for many reasons and God is no where in the marriage so since or when God is no where involved in the marriage in the beginning then why should God be involved in a divorce? When we are Christians we are told that we should not marry a person unequally yoked, Meaning if you are a Christian and your husband is not a Christian a born again Christian then you do not marry. My ex-husband was a believer saved but he was not dedicated to Christ and when a person is not dedicated to Christ they hearts and eyes starts roaming and his did. His desire was no longer to serve Jesus or to live for Him. One morning while making the bed I found his wedding ring on the floor by my side of the bed..I knew that this was the end of our marriage, God revealed other things to me that my husband thought that he was being sneaky but God exposed his secrets. He filed for divorce. It hurt me deeply because I did all that I thought was right as a Christian wife. He told me that I was a good wife but that I did not deserve to remain married to him because he was unfaithful and desired to remain that way. He moved out so I prayed that God would touch his heart and return him back to our home and restore our marriage. Then one night the Holy Spirit gave me wisdom how to pray. And this is what he lead me to pray. Lord I desire to have my husband return home and our marriage to be saved, but you know what is best for us. If your desire for us to remain in marriage I ask Lord that you touch his heart and send him back home and if not I ask you Lord to remove the desire to have him back from my heart. Just over night! the desire was completely gone!! The reason why because I was willing to allow the Lord to direct me not my emotions or feelings. The best thing that could ever happen to me in my life that he did leave me and remarried someone else because had that not happened I would not have been married to the man I am now that God has set a part for me the real man of God who's heart is for the Lord! NO matter what you are going through in life there is nothing to hard or too painful that God cannot bring inner healing and restoration to your life not nessasary with your spouse but your own self. You can move forward without him in your life if this is God's will not to return him back in your life because He knows what is best and what is in his heart or what he is doing behind your back or with whom? When we give it to the Lord and trust His will to be done meaning with all our heart God will give you and answer so when He does move forward either way the answer comes. God bless you love in Christ Lavelle