The Sanctity of Marriage #3
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin ArticlesTHERE IS ONE EXCEPTION FOR DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE.
The Lord has given only one exception, only one cause, wherein one may divorce their spouse and marry again and not be guilty of adultery. This one and only exception is found in Matthew 5:32, “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication [sexual immorality – NKJ], causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.” This verse is so plain that someone would need help to misunderstand it. One who divorces their spouse for any other reason than their mate’s fornication (sexual intercourse with someone other than their spouse), and marries someone else, commits adultery, and continues to live in adultery as long as they live with their new partner.
It is amazing that many try to add other exceptions to the ONE the Lord gave. Some say you are free to remarry if your spouse deserts you. Some say you can remarry if your spouse is unable to meet your needs. While others say God’s law on divorce and remarriage does not apply to non-Christians.
Either “except” means “except” or it doesn’t. We don’t have any problem with the word “except” in John 3:5 do we? Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” We understand, and rightly so, there is one exception to entrance into the Lord’s kingdom. If one is not “born of the water and the Spirit” he CANNOT become a child of God and thus enter into heaven.
So why then do so many try to turn the Lord’s exception in Matthew 5:32 into many exceptions? The only conceivable reason is that some believe what the Lord said in John 3:5 and they do not want to, or refuse to, believe what He said in Matthew 5:32.
The reason that so many try to make this so difficult is that they simply do not want to obey God. There is only one scriptural reason for divorcing and remarrying, and that is because of sexual immorality. Now that is simple, and that is plain, and we can understand it!