Marriage/Divorce/Remarriage

• To understand a difficult subject in the bible it is best to start with the easiest to understand passages, then move into the more difficult.

• There is one complete chapter in 1Cor. that deals only with this subject.

• In 40verses of 1 Cor. 7 Paul gives us 8 steps to follow:

1). Stay single

• 1 Corinthians 7:7-8

• Matthew 19:12

• 1 Corinthians 7:32

2). Marry if you cannot contain the desire

1 Corinthians 7:9

But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

• The word 'burn' means a strong desire-Romans 1:27 burned in their lust one toward another;

3). After marriage don't depart

• 1 Corinthians 7:10

• Matthew 19:8

4). Let the unsaved spouse divorce not the saved

• 1 Corinthians 7:13

• 1 Corinthians 7:15-16

• 1 Peter 3:1-2

• 2 Corinthians 5:11

5). If divorced stay single

1 Corinthians 7:27Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed.

Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

• If the unsaved spouse divorces, start back at point #1. Your "seeking" should not be for a spouse

Matthew 6:33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his

righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

5). If divorced stay single

If God wants to bless you with a spouse it will be in the process of seeking the kingdom of God.

• Psalms 84:11 no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Proverbs 18:22

Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing,

and obtaineth favour of the Lord.

6). It is not sin to remarry

1 Corinthians 7:28

But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned.

• If the unsaved spouse leaves, and God wants to bless you with a new spouse, it is not sin to remarry.

Amos 3:3

Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

7). If you remarry, only marry an equally minded Christian

1 Corinthians 7:39

....at liberty to be married ...only in the Lord.

2 Corinthians 6:14

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath

righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

8). A second marriage will have problems

1 Corinthians 7:28

But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned.

Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.

Reasons for remarriage:

Death- Rom. 7:2-3Divorce- 1 Cor. 7:15

Fornication- Mat. 19:9,5:32

Letter of the Law vs spirit of the Law

Romans 7:6

But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

• Jesus compares both in Mat. 5 but, even here he draws the line at fornication.

Matthew 5

OT Law

• Vs21 thou shalt not kill

NT spirit of Law:

Matthew 5:22

But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his

brother without a cause shall be in danger of the

judgment

Matthew 5

OT Law

• Vs 27 shalt not commit adultery

NT spirit of Law:

Matthew 5:28

But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her

hath committed adultery with her already in his

heart.

Matthew 5

OT Law

• Vs 31 if you want to put away a wife give her a writing of divorcement

NT spirit of Law:

Matthew 5:32

But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away

his wife,

saving for the cause of fornication,

causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever

shall marry her that is divorced committeth

adultery.

Fornication

• When Jesus is questioned by the Pharisees about divorce (Mat.19) he is talking to men who know the law. He tells them the things Moses allowed in the OT are contrary to the spirit of the law; With one exception (Mat. 19:9) fornication- an unfaithful spouse.

• To understand how this differs from the OT we need to see the laws for divorce in the OT.

Laws for divorce in the OT

• Deut. 24:1 If a mans wife is no longer pleasing in his eyes he can divorce

• Deut. 22:17-21 Kill a bride if she cant prove she is a virgin.

• Deut. 24:3 If husband hate her he can divorce

Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for EVERY CAUSE

The Pharisees are asking Jesus in Mat. 19:3 Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for

EVERY CAUSE (any reason he wants). Jesus answers the only acceptable cause is

fornication (Mat. 19:9)

Why is fornication an acceptable reason for divorce?

• The answer is because of what marriage pictures. Earthly things are a picture of Heavenly (2 Cor. 4:18).

Now see what marriage pictures in the Bible

1 Corinthians 6:14-18

2 Corinthians 11:12

But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.

Ephesians 5:25

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

Ephesians 5:32

This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Matthew 19:4-9

And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

God=head of allHusband=Christ

Wife=Church

An interesting point:

In the Bible the man is the only one given the power to "give a writing of

divorcement". In 1 Cor. 7 we see the wife "depart" but not give a writing of

divorcement. I think the reason for this is in the OT God has a bride (Israel) and he

divorces her (Hos. 9:1, 2:2-3) then remarries her (reference to the

Millennium).