• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

What are the Biblical grounds for divorce according to Scripture?

Osage Bluestem

Galatians 5:1
Dec 27, 2010
2,488
253
Texas
Visit site
✟26,711.00
Faith
Calvinist
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
Confession of Faith (Chapter 24)


CHAPTER 24
Of Marriage and Divorce
1. Marriage is to be between one man and one woman: neither is it lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor for any woman to have more than one husband, at the same time.a

(a) Gen 2:24; Matt 19:4-6; Rom 7:3; Prov 2:17
Top | Bottom

2. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife,b for the increase of mankind with legitimate issue, and of the church with an holy seed;c and for preventing of uncleanness.d
(b) Gen 2:18; Eph 5:28; 1 Pet 3:7
(c) Gen 1:28; Gen 9:1; Mal 2:15
(d) 1 Cor 7:2,9
Top | Bottom

3. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who are able with judgment to give their consent.e Yet it is the duty of Christians to marry only in the Lord.f And therefore such as profess the true reformed religion should not marry with infidels, papists, or other idolaters: neither should such as are godly be unequally yoked, by marrying with such as are notoriously wicked in their life, or maintain damnable heresies.g
(e) Heb 13:4; 1 Tim 4:3; 1 Cor 7:36-38; Gen 24:57-58
(f) 1 Cor 7:39
(g) Gen 34:14; Exod 34:16; 2 Cor 6:14; Deut 7:3-4; 1 Kgs 11:4; Neh 13:25-27; Mal 2:11-12
Top | Bottom

4. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity forbidden by the Word.h Nor can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful by any law of man or consent of parties, so as those persons may live together as man and wife.i
(h) Lev 18:6-17,24-30; Lev 20:19; 1 Cor 5:1; Amos 2:7
(i) Mark 6:18; Lev 18:24-28
Top | Bottom

5. Adultery or fornication committed after a contract, being detected before marriage, giveth just occasion to the innocent party to dissolve that contract.k In the case of adultery after marriage, it is lawful for the innocent party to sue out a divorce:l and, after the divorce, to marry another, as if the offending party were dead.m
(k) Matt 1:18-20; Deut 22:23-24
(l) Matt 5:31-32
(m) Matt 19:9; Rom 7:2-3
Top | Bottom

6. Although the corruption of man be such as is apt to study arguments unduly to put asunder those whom God hath joined together in marriage: yet, nothing but adultery, or such willful desertion as can no way be remedied by the church, or civil magistrate, is cause sufficient of dissolving the bond of marriage:n wherein, a public and orderly course of proceeding is to be observed; and the persons concerned in it not left to their own wills, and discretion, in their own case.o
(n) Matt 19:8-9; 1 Cor 7:15; Matt 19:6
(o) Deut 24:1-4
 
Upvote 0

JM

Confessional Free Catholic
Site Supporter
Jun 26, 2004
17,477
3,736
Canada
✟880,720.00
Country
Canada
Gender
Male
Faith
Protestant
Marital Status
Married
Politics
CA-Others
London Baptist Confession, 1689

Chapter 25: Of Marriage


1._____ Marriage is to be between one man and one woman; neither is it lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor for any woman to have more than one husband at the same time.

( Genesis 2:24; Malachi 2:15; Matthew 19:5,6 )

2._____ Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife, for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue, and the preventing of uncleanness.

( Genesis 2:18; Genesis 1:28; 1 Corinthians 7:2, 9 )

3._____ It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who are able with judgment to give their consent; yet it is the duty of Christians to marry in the Lord; and therefore such as profess the true religion, should not marry with infidels, or idolaters; neither should such as are godly, be unequally yoked, by marrying with such as are wicked in their life, or maintain damnable heresy.

( Hebrews 13:4; 1 Timothy 4:3; 1 Corinthians 7:39; Nehemiah 13:25-27 )

4._____ Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity, forbidden in the Word; nor can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful, by any law of man or consent of parties, so as those persons may live together as man and wife.

( Leviticus 18; Mark 6:18; 1 Corinthians 5:1 )

LBC and WCF compared: Tabular Comparison of 1646 WCF and 1689 LBCF
 
Upvote 0

AmericanSamurai

the super dry member
Sep 24, 2012
1,157
181
America
✟24,738.00
Gender
Male
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Single
twin, what do you think about someone dating a divorced person who technically did not meet the requirement of a divorce permitted according to scripture? Is that a violation of God's word? I mean things aren't always so cut and dry with divorces.
 
Upvote 0

twin1954

Baptist by the Bible
Jun 12, 2011
4,527
1,474
✟94,054.00
Faith
Calvinist
Marital Status
Married
twin, what do you think about someone dating a divorced person who technically did not meet the requirement of a divorce permitted according to scripture? Is that a violation of God's word? I mean things aren't always so cut and dry with divorces.

Was the divorce before or after them being born of God? Technically both are still committing adultery and it is sin. It is aggravated to be sure if the divorce occurred after being born of God but I have seen it happen a few times.

But I also recognize that God forgives sin in believers and as long as they remain committed I wouldn't make a big deal of it. Actually I wouldn't make a big deal of it anyway for it is never our place to shame a believer into obedience. What they do is between them and Christ.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0

twin1954

Baptist by the Bible
Jun 12, 2011
4,527
1,474
✟94,054.00
Faith
Calvinist
Marital Status
Married
twin, what do you think about someone dating a divorced person who technically did not meet the requirement of a divorce permitted according to scripture? Is that a violation of God's word? I mean things aren't always so cut and dry with divorces.

Dating as in prospect for marriage or dating to have someone to hang out with? If for marriage I wouldn't recommend it because they very well could do to you what they did to their first husband.

Wait for the one God has for you in His time. I know it is difficult but the right way is never the easy way.
 
Upvote 0

AmericanSamurai

the super dry member
Sep 24, 2012
1,157
181
America
✟24,738.00
Gender
Male
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Single
Dating as in prospect for marriage or dating to have someone to hang out with? If for marriage I wouldn't recommend it because they very well could do to you what they did to their first husband.

Wait for the one God has for you in His time. I know it is difficult but the right way is never the easy way.

Dating for marriage prospect.

I grilled her about why the divorce happened, and it sounds like she wasn't the one at fault, although of course only God knows the truth, but she said that she shouldn't have gone through with the marriage to begin with, she was young at 21-22 I think. She said that she gave the marriage everything she had to make it work.

I told her about my situation with my ex, and although she was pregnant, going through with a shotgun wedding would've been a huge mistake, and turns out I was right. Had I married her, I would've been divorced.

But yeah, I hear what you're saying, if she got divorced in the first place, if it was her issues that led to the divorce, I could be setting myself up for the same thing.


Of course I hear all the time to "wait on God", but in these modern times, how in the heck do you know a woman was "sent by God", I mean should we expect God to act like He did in the old testament with setting up Isaac and Rebecca?

I am in such turmoil.
 
Upvote 0

Osage Bluestem

Galatians 5:1
Dec 27, 2010
2,488
253
Texas
Visit site
✟26,711.00
Faith
Calvinist
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
AmericanSamurai said:
They were professed Christians before the divorce occurred.

It's a revelation that shows you what sin is, like the law. God forgives our sins so should we. In Christ we don't get thrown out and stoned like we deserve. We receive mercy.
 
Upvote 0

AmericanSamurai

the super dry member
Sep 24, 2012
1,157
181
America
✟24,738.00
Gender
Male
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Single
It's a revelation that shows you what sin is, like the law. God forgives our sins so should we. In Christ we don't get thrown out and stoned like we deserve. We receive mercy.

I agree. I guess I just want to know what a lady that's been "sent by God" looks like, I mean will she be "sent" like Rebecca was to Isaac, will I spot a halo or a dove above her head(lol), do you have to find her giving water to Camels, I mean how does one discern this?
 
Upvote 0

Osage Bluestem

Galatians 5:1
Dec 27, 2010
2,488
253
Texas
Visit site
✟26,711.00
Faith
Calvinist
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
AmericanSamurai said:
I agree. I guess I just want to know what a lady that's been "sent by God" looks like, I mean will she be "sent" like Rebecca was to Isaac, will I spot a halo or a dove above her head(lol), do you have to find her giving water to Camels, I mean how does one discern this?

God doesn't make mistakes. If you love each other there is a good reason why.
 
Upvote 0

AmericanSamurai

the super dry member
Sep 24, 2012
1,157
181
America
✟24,738.00
Gender
Male
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Single
Upvote 0

twin1954

Baptist by the Bible
Jun 12, 2011
4,527
1,474
✟94,054.00
Faith
Calvinist
Marital Status
Married
On the topic of divorce:

An old preacher who had been married many years was asked one day by a group of people if he had ever thought of divorce in the years of his marriage. He answered flatly with a curt NEVER! They were astounded at how he not only vehemently denied ever thinking of divorce but that it could even be possible. So they asked him one more time and he answered a little less curtly this time saying, "I have never once thought of divorce from my wife of many years. I have thought of murder many times though." ;)
 
Upvote 0