3/1/2015
A Philosophy to Live By–Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage & Singleness
Divorce Is Known and Regulated By God
Matthew 5:31 It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
God Hates What Divorce Does to People
Malachi 2:16…I hate divorce, says the Lord, the God of Israel, the covering of one’s garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So take heed to yourselves and do not be faithless.
Divorce Should Be Done In a Mature Self-Controlled Manner
Matthew 1:18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
God Divorced Israel for Spiritual Unfaithfulness
Jeremiah 3:6-8 The Lord said to me, “Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every spreading tree and has committed adultery there. I thought that after she had done all this she would return to me but she did not, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it. I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries.
Divorce Was Allowed Because of Sin
Matthew 19:7-8 “Why did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning…”
Marriage Was Instituted To Address Human Need
1st Corinthians 7:1-4 Concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. But because of immorality, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
Attraction is God Given; As Is A Single Lifestyle
I Cor. 7 :5-9 Stop depriving one another (sexually), except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. But this I say by way of concession, not of command. Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that. But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I. But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
Marriage Is a Serious Commitment
…to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife.
Marriage is A Mutual Agreement Between a Man & Woman
1st Cor. 7:12-16 But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?
To Marry or Not; It Depends On Circumstance
1st Cor. 7:25-28 Now concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who [n]by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. I think then that this is good in view of the present distress that it is good for a man to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you.
Singleness Allows for Single Minded Devotion to God
1st Cor 7:32-35 One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but [r]to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.