Divorce "exception clause"

[NothingIsImpossible]

So you are saying our Lord taught against the Law of Moses?

Well I'm saying God says He hates divorce and the only real reference to "heres why you can divorce" it is always taken out of context. In context its a lesson to show how people will come up with a new reason every time to leave their marriage no matter what you tell them is unacceptable. And somewhat ironically his lesson is proven since his own lesson is used as an excuse to divorce someone.

Such as someone who marries an unbeliever shouldn't divorce later if its hard. The bible already warned what happens when unequally yolked. Granted obviously no marriage is perfect and things change. But even in those cases your married for life until when of you dies. I do realize I seem to take the minority view on this. At least when it comes to other americans. And God forbid my wife should ever leave me, I'd fight for the marriage but in the end I can't force her to not leave. I'd just remain single until she passed then.

Which I am ok with. We all have trials and crosses to carry. Sadly marriage is put on a pedastool as something that is the most important part of being alive. So if it messes up people think its the end of the world. BUt its not. This life is temporal, marriage is just a event that can happen. Just like there are those women who may never be able to have a child. Or people who die young....etc. Life is never fair if we only focus on this tiny end of things.

 

[snoochface]

But Jesus says whomever divorces his wife EXCEPT FOR sexual immorality commits adultery. Therefore, if you divorce your wife FOR sexual immorality, you do not commit adultery if you remarry. That's a pretty good indication that adultery is the one cause for divorce that God will accept. This is as opposed to divorcing for any old reason, which people were using the law of Moses as an excuse to do. He clearly says that marriage is for life, two being joined together as one by God. It's not something he takes lightly. But he does give an acceptable reason for it.

As for unbelieving spouses, that context is two people who marry before they are believers, and one becomes a believer, and the OTHER - the unbelieving spouse - decides to leave over it. In that case, not in the case of marrying an unbeliever and it becomes too hard, but in that particular situation, it's okay to let the unbelieving spouse leave, to end the marriage. Another situation that is not to be taken lightly, but where God does allow an acceptable reason for divorce.

"God hates divorce" is also often taken out of context. Malachi 2 is speaking of priests not honoring God. The Jews were not honoring their covenant with God. They worshiped other gods. They were divorcing themselves from God - and God hates divorce. The wife of their youth was their covenant with God. He uses the metaphor of marriage to demonstrate their faithlessness to him. It's not a chapter that deals with marriage, it is a chapter that deals with turning away from God.