Can Christians divorce?

[Jonaitis]

Some argue that there is an "exception clause" for divorce, specifically if the spouse commits adultery. Is this true? I don't think so.

It is clear from Matthew 19:3-6 that Jesus affirms the permanence of a marriage union until death. God permitted divorce under the Old Covenant on account of their hardness of heart, but our Lord clearly states that marriage isn't something you can truly make and break. Once God joins two persons as one, they remain one until death. This is why Jesus said that divorcing your spouse makes them commit adultery, and that whoever marries a divorced person commits adultery, because as long as that partner remains alive they remain married before God, despite legally saying otherwise. This is not to say that remarriage is a life-long sin, but it is a defiling of another man's wife. Marriage is a serious deal, it isn't some civil contract, it is covenant union between two persons before God.

How about that "exception clause" that people defend? I have heard, and agree, that there is no exception to divorce. The Greek used for "sexual immorality" (inappropriate contentea) is different than the one for "adultery," and I think this is important to understand. It is understood that Jesus isn't referring to an act of infidelity in the marriage bed, but rather a case of fornication during a betrothal. In other words, divorce is permissible if there was sexual misconduct found out during the process of marriage. We see this very thing almost in practice with Joseph and Mary. Despite being betrothed, and not yet living with each other, they were still considered husband and wife according to Matthew 1:18-19 and 24. It was treated as though it they were already married. When Mary was found pregnant, Joseph planned to "divorce her quietly." This wasn't some novel idea of his, but may have been a common protocol in the case of assumed immorality. In the Old Testament, such a person could be stoned if found unchaste. Jesus' audience knew what he referred to more than we do, and this is likely the case. Otherwise, Christ contradicts himself by calling marriage a life-long union.

 

[GingerBeer]

Can Christians divorce?

Christians can divorce under the laws of the land but morally remarriage after divorce is not permitted as long as the divorced partner lives. Some sat that divorce is permitted in cases of marital infidelity - adultery - but others deny it.

 

[Dave L]

Even if Matthew 19:9 were for today, it still doesn't say you can remarry on grounds of adultery. The innocent woman having been divorced from an adulterous husband commits adultery along with husband #2 when they marry.

 

[RDKirk]

Jesus prohibits sin. And it is sin unless forgiveness is not crucial to salvation.

A divorce for a Christian is always within a cloud of sin. It is always a departure from Christ's absolute righteousness.

However:

If anyone causes one of these little ones--those who believe in me--to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea

Jesus knows who should bear the guilt for causing another to sin.

 

[Dave L]

A divorce for a Christian is always within a cloud of sin. It is always a departure from Christ's absolute righteousness.

However:

If anyone causes one of these little ones--those who believe in me--to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea

Jesus knows who should bear the guilt for causing another to sin.

Does truth cause sin?

 

[Tropical Wilds]

Can Christians divorce?

Yes. Anybody who is married can get a divorce, with the exception of those who live in countries where it is illegal.

 

[Tree of Life]

Can Christians divorce?

Christians divorce all the time.

 

[Rubiks]

They can. There are two.Biblical grounds for divorce - adultery, and abandonment of a missionary by a shameful person.

Matthew doesn't say "adultery," he says "sexual immorality."

Luke 18:29 encourages Christians to divorce their wives for the sake of spreading the gospel.

 

[Tree of Life]

Zero scripture confirms this.

Paul teaches that the abandoned spouse is not bound in 1 Corinthians 7.

 

[Dave L]

Paul teaches that the abandoned spouse is not bound in 1 Corinthians 7.

Bound = enslaved. It doesn't mean they are not still married. Marriage is for life. I f my wife deserts me, I'm not bound to bear former responsibilities.

“So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.” (Romans 7:3) (KJV 1900)

 

[Dave L]

Christians divorce all the time.

Divorce = unforgiveness. Remarriage after divorce = adultery.

 

[kkamagwi]

Matthew doesn't say "adultery," he says "sexual immorality."

Luke 18:29 encourages Christians to divorce their wives for the sake of spreading the gospel.

What Matthew says seems at least partially dependent upon what version of Scripture you're using. What version gives, "sexual immorality" friend?

 

[Tree of Life]

Divorce = unforgiveness. Remarriage after divorce = adultery.

How is it possible that the woman at the well had five husbands?

 

[NW82]

Even if Matthew 19:9 were for today, it still doesn't say you can remarry on grounds of adultery. The innocent woman having been divorced from an adulterous husband commits adultery along with husband #2 when they marry.

You are ignoring a key piece of what Christ said.

9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery.

 

[Dave L]

You are ignoring a key piece of what Christ said.

9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery.

But the woman divorced from the adulterous husband also commits adultery along with her new husband when they marry.

 

[Dave L]

How is it possible that the woman at the well had five husbands?

Anyone divorced and remarried has more than one spouse.

 

[Cis.jd]

christians who don't use common sense or understand the concept of "circumstances" forbid themselves from Divorce.

The husband can be someone who beats his wife to a bloody pulp in front of the kids and the wife is still a "sinner" if she divorces him. They can't be legally separated. She could probably stay at her folks for 3 or so months but has to pray, and if that husband still hurts her afterwards then that means she didn't pray enough or knew the "truth about christ".

 

[Tree of Life]

Anyone divorced and remarried has more than one spouse.

So let's think about some pastoral implications of your view.

Imagine that before I became a Christian I had a rough first marriage. After a few years we divorced. Then ten years later I met another woman and we married and had three kids. Then five years after that I became a Christian.

In the meantime, my first wife remarried and had three kids of her own with her new husband. She also later became a Christian.

Now that me and my X-wife are both Christians we want to honor the Lord. Since, in your view, we are still married to one another (even though we haven't seen each other in at least 15 years) and both have two spouses, what are our moral responsibilities to each other?

 

[Dave L]

christians who don't use common sense or understand the concept of "circumstances" forbid themselves from Divorce.

The husband can be someone who beats his wife to a bloody pulp in front of the kids and the wife is still a "sinner" if she divorces him. They can't be legally separated. She could probably stay at her folks for 3 or so months but has to pray, and if that husband still hurts her afterwards then that means she didn't pray enough or knew the "truth about christ".

Christians always fled violence in the NT. Divorce = unforgiveness.

 

[Dave L]

So let's think about some pastoral implications of your view.

Imagine that before I became a Christian I had a rough first marriage. After a few years we divorced. Then ten years later I met another woman and we married and had three kids. Then five years after that I became a Christian.

In the meantime, my first wife remarried and had three kids of her own with her new husband. She also later became a Christian.

Now that me and my X-wife are both Christians we want to honor the Lord. Since, in your view, we are still married to one another and both have two spouses, what are our moral responsibilities to each other?

Pagan marriages are valid according to scripture. And any divorce and remarriage is adultery. Married = married for life regardless.