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In the beginning God established the institution known as marriage. Originally there was no provision for divorce because God's intent was for the union to last a lifetime. Unfortunately, because of "hardness of hearts," God, through Moses, gave a law that, if followed precisely, would free a divorced woman to "go and be another man's wife" (Deut. 24:1, 2). Since men were allowed multiple wives this law had no real effect on them, unless they refused to obey God's instructions for divorce and instead merely sent their wife out of the house - leaving her still hitched to her husband with perhaps no way to make a living except by prostitution (Mark 10:3). Thus, God's divorce law apparently was to benefit and protect women, which it has done for thousands of years when men have obeyed God. However, God judges men who refuse to free a woman by the specific instructions he taught both by command and example (Mark 10:11; Deut. 24:1, 2; Jer. 3:8).
Unfortunately, the Roman Catholic Church began to teach that marriage is a sacrament, and thus they ignored God's divorce law. In some cases, they have allowed a marriage to be "annulled," but divorce is not allowed or recognized. Thus, they have fulfilled the apostle Paul's prophecy regarding the sin of "forbidding to marry," which is a practice that has since been followed by countless Protestants; and even those who claim to be "Christians only" have been deceived into joining the throng.
As with the Catholic Church, Christians throughout the world have become set in their tradition of "forbidding to marry," i.e., not recognizing divorce, thereby taking away God’s tool for avoiding fornication (1 Cor. 7:1, 2). It seems to have become a "game" to some - a game they feel they must win regardless of whether they can justify their actions. In playing the "game" they often neither follow nor respect rules for debate. First, while they may use good hermeneutics when studying other subjects, the rules are ignored when studying MDR. Second, rules for debate are disregarded. Instead, an all-out effort is made to destroy, by any means, anyone who seriously challenges their tradition.
While they seek to justify their actions by asserting there are "consequences" for persons who divorce (or are divorced), these teachers seem not to consider the consequences they will face if passages like 1 Tim. 4:1-3 and 1 Cor. 7:1, 2, 8, 9, 27, and 28 mean what they say.
Many of these defenders of MDR tradition can preach a great sermon on human tradition - blasting the denominations for following "the teaching and doctrines of men" (Matt. 15:3, 6, 9). But often they refuse to consider that they do the same thing with their own tradition of investigating, condemning, and punishing the divorced, even when a divorcee did nothing wrong and was divorced against his or her will.
We must wonder WHY any gospel preacher would fail to question this horrible tradition with a determination to learn the truth and to teach and practice it. It's not as if their doctrine has no problems, or that there are no "consequences" to consider. Their false teaching has Moses proclaiming what God did not want (as if Moses was not inspired and was simply going off on his own), Jesus teaching contrary to Moses (which He never did), Jesus teaching an unfair and unjust doctrine (punishing the innocent, Prov. 17:26), Paul teaching contrary to Jesus (not what Jesus really taught), and Christians being guilty of "doctrines of devils" in their "forbidding to marry," which happens when anyone with any authority (preachers and elders) tells church members, or prospects, they are ineligible to have a marriage.
So, again we ask, WHY would any preacher or elder not want to open his mind and honestly seek the truth as to what Jesus taught regarding who may marry? Why would these Christians not want to see that they are not obligated to tell people their marriage is "adulterous" and that they must divorce, or that they must remain celibate the rest of their lives? There are various possible reasons for not looking for the truth, or changing when it is seen: 1) pride - not being willing to admit having taught error; 2) status or financial issues; 3) looking at their own tradition (church teaching) as THE STANDARD rather than what the Scriptures say; and 4) in some cases it appears some deranged preachers enjoy the control they have over people whom they insist are not eligible for marriage.
When people do not have a love for truth it displeases God, and the result can be "blindness" to the point that they believe lies.
2 Thes 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
What is the simple truth that Jesus taught? First, He was an Old Testament prophet who was obligated to follow and teach the Law. However, several passages where Jesus said, "It has been said...but I say unto you" have been misapplied (to support MDR tradition) to say that Jesus was changing the Law at that point. If this had happened it would have brought on all kinds of serious problems, but the major one is that the Jews would have seen it as contradicting Moses and it would have been a reason to kill Jesus. But these Jews understood Jesus to be talking about their own false notions - not Moses' inspired teachings. No respectable commentary takes the position that Jesus contradicted Moses, for that would have been sin and Jesus could not then be the Savior. When Jesus referred to Moses' "command" in answer to a question, He confirmed that divorce ends marriage (Mark 10:3). His concern was that the current practice of men's putting away wives, but not divorcing them according to the Law, was "adultery against her" (Mark 10:11). This is only evident to those who understand the difference in divorce and separation and who know and accept God's definition of divorce (Deut. 24:1, 2; Jer. 3:8).
It is unfortunate that many translators did not know the above and inconsistently translated apoluo as divorce, when the meaning (regardless of how pagans used it) is "to send away, put away, repudiate," which is made clear in about 67 New Testament passages. Thus, the woman sent away does not commit adultery because she is divorced but because she is not divorced. Regarding the so-called "exception clause," this applies to the man who might send away a woman (no need for divorce) because of "fornication" (not adultery) due to the marriage's being illegal, such as incest, for which we have two New Testament examples (Matt. 14; 1 Cor. 5). If this is the reason for his actions (not "grounds for divorce") a man is not guilty of "adultery against her" (Mark 10:11). Yet two main groups teach error that has been devastating to preachers in their evangelistic work and devastating to the unity of churches and to individuals who have been driven from the church and the Lord by an unjust doctrine that benefits only the devil: 1) those who insist Jesus taught that any person involved in divorce must remain celibate; and 2) only those who initiate a divorce for adultery are eligible for marriage.
Many will discover, but too late, that the divorce and marriage issue is not a game, and will wish they had used good hermeneutics in their study of the issue. You see, these traditional MDR teachers do not contest the fact that their doctrine punishes the "just" and the "innocent." Yet the warnings from God, as noted below, often go unheeded as they continue to teach their doctrine and, in some cases, vigorously and unmercifully battle those who teach the truth:
Prov. 17:15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.
Prov. 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
The issue of divorce and remarriage is not a game. Wrong conclusions can bring dire consequences, both for the teacher and the student. The student, believing he or she is banned from marriage, will most likely fall prey to the sin of fornication. And the teacher will be found condemning the just and putting an unnecessary stumbling block in the path of others.
For further study on this subject visit my website divorce and marriage section:
https://www.totalhealth.bz/marriage-and-divorce.htm
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