Read the Bible in a Year (19OCT19)

DAILY REMINDER – Today, October 19’s Bible reading is Mark 10-11.

NEXT DAY REMINDER – Tomorrow, October 20’s Bible reading is Mark 12-13. May God bless you with the reading of His WORD.

MARK MOMENT – (19OCT19) “Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?’ ‘What did Moses command you?’ he replied. They said, ‘Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away’” (Mark 10:2-4).

The Pharisees had a habit of trying to catch Jesus doing wrong, so when they posed this question, it was part of their ongoing evil plot. They questioned Jesus regarding His thoughts on divorce and if a man was able to divorce his wife for any reason. Jesus flips the question back at them and asked about the laws of Moses regarding divorce. The Pharisees, who took pride in being teachers of the law, told Him that Moses allowed for a man to grant his wife a certificate of divorce. Jesus then let them know that divorce was never God’s plan for mankind. Nevertheless, due to man’s sinful heart, God permitted it. Jesus reminded the religious leaders that it was God’s design for a man to leave his father and mother and be joined with his wife where the two would become one flesh (Mark 10:7; Genesis 2:24). Jesus went on to tell them that whatever God has joined together, no one was supposed to separate, and this was because God had taken the woman from the man in the beginning (Mark 10:9; Genesis 2:21-23). When the disciples questioned Jesus further about this, Jesus told them that if a man divorces his wife and marries another woman, he causes himself and his new wife to become adulterers. The same goes for the woman – if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she causes herself and that man to become adulterers (Mark 10:12; Luke 16:18). Therefore, Jesus did not give approval for one to divorce and remarry for just any reason they chose, but they were to be faithful to their spouses just as God had ordained for the union of marriage to be. Unfortunately, divorce is a common reality in our society where 50% of all marriages and 67% of remarriages, including those in the church, end in divorce. 

Although God permitted for men to give certificates of divorce in Moses’ day, it was not in His perfect will then, nor is it now. God likened our relationship with Him as to a marriage all throughout the Bible. Time and time again, God was displeased with Israel’s rebellion against Him and He spoke of them as being as an unfaithful spouse. The Bible says: “If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man's wife, will he return to her? Would not that land be greatly polluted? You have played the whore with many lovers; and would you return to me? declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 3:1). The Lord wanted Israel to be faithful in their relationship with Him but just as they were unfaithful to the Lord, they were likewise unfaithful in their dealings with each other – including their wives. The Lord went as far as to have the Prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute to show Israel how they were in their relationship with Him – unfaithful. The Bible says: “When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord” (Hosea 1:2). The problem that most couples fail to see is that the breakdown of a marriage is more likely than not, a breakdown of the couple’s relationship with God. Regardless of if it is one spouse straying or both from His plans for them as a couple and individually, somewhere along the line, Jesus was not the center of the union and the marriage began to crumble. This is the issue for every single problem that entered into the union unwelcomed. The Bible says: “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother” (1 John 4:20-21). When spouses dishonor each other in marriage, they cannot claim to have love for one another as well as for God. So, when is divorce allowed and can one remarry without being in sin? 

God permits divorce in certain situations, but oftentimes, the question is rather either party has the right to remarry. Should a person decide to divorce their spouse other than for infidelity, that person is to remain unmarried according to the Bible. “To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife” (1 Corinthians 7:10-11). The Bible also says: “ ^…‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery” (Matthew 5:31-32). Although many states have instituted an allotment for divorce due to irreconcilable differences, which can include a long list of nothings, the Word of God is clear as to the only causes that God allows for there to be a “remarriage” after a divorce takes place. Many believers are living in adultery according to the Word of God with spouses they have legally married due to such laws but are unrecognized by God. This, however, is for those who were believing Christians at the time these events occurred. Let’s be CLEAR, the Apostle Paul and Jesus were talking to the believer and not the nonbeliever who does not know any better, which leads us into the Bible’s next allotment for divorce.

If an unsaved spouse decides to leave a saved spouse, then the believing spouse is to allow them to leave according to the Apostle Paul. Nevertheless, if a spouse becomes a believer and they are already married to a nonbeliever, it is not biblically sound for them to divorce. The Bible says: “…if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?” (1 Corinthians 7:12-16). The Bible does not set forth any other grounds for divorce and remarriage other than for adultery and abandonment of the marriage. Some may ask the question, “Can I remarry if my former spouse was abusive to me?” To answer this question, we must once again refer to the Scripture. If you left the spouse due to abuse, where you the one who filed for divorce or the other spouse? One can and must still follow the guidelines when it comes to Scripture even in such cases as abuse. Do NOT stay with an abusive person who can harm or endanger the life of you and/or your children. God does NOT condone abuse in any form. Nevertheless, it would be better for you to allow the other party to be the one to file for divorce, so that you can biblically be able to remarry than for you to initiate the process if we want to be biblically sound. If that other person is a believer, they have no biblical grounds to be able to remarry, but the abused victim can. 

The Bible is clear when it comes to marriage, divorce, and remarriage. In the book of Malachi, Judah was not getting their answers to prayers heard because of how they were being unfaithful to their wives. The Bible says: “…You cover the Lord's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. But you say, ‘Why does he not?’ Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. ‘For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless” (Malachi 2:13-16). A person’s blessings can be hindered if they are unfaithful to their spouse and do not operate biblically when it comes to marriage. As the bride of Christ, we are to operate as such in ALL areas of our lives for we are representatives of Him. 

Final note…a person is not free to date until they fall in line with Scripture and they have received a written decree for divorce. A person is still married in the eyes of the Lord and the laws of the land until such matters have been resolved legally. To date someone who has not received a divorce degree in accordance to the laws of the land is to be operating in the spirit of adultery. The Bible says: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment” (Romans 13:1-2). There are no shortcuts for the believer. So, if one has biblical grounds to divorce, let them do so, but wait until after everything is official before beginning the dating process so that one’s actions will not be the cause for the other to sin. Everyone is to operate in accordance to Scripture as God has ordained it to be. The Bible says: “So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. (Romans 14:16-19). Something to ponder….

*We will revisit this subject when we get to the Gospel of Luke and how divorce can have a negative impact on children.