Dealing with Divorce.

Over the next few weeks we'll take a look at some more of the areas of culture and life that are more hotly debated. We've already looked at Abortion, Same-Sex Marriage, and Politics. Please understand this isn't about condemning anyone or passing judgment on anyone. It's about a brief look at what the Bible says on the topic and how we should deal with it. So let's get started!


Divorce is an unforgivable sin. Those that get divorced should be shunned from churches and treated like lepers. Divorcees should be looked down upon and treated like second-class citizens. Those are some of the unwritten rules that some people have held about divorce over the years. Whether inside or outside of the church those views were propagated by people for so long that many believed them to be true.

From my perspective as one who has never experienced divorce but has ministered to families considering or experiencing it, divorce is hard. It's probably much harder than I realize. No one goes into a marriage expecting it to end in divorce. They expect their marriage to last. They expect it to grow stronger as the years go by. But that isn't always the way things happen. There are plenty of emotions that occur during the time leading up to separation, during the separation, and once the divorce is final. Those emotions are best dealt with in a counseling type atmosphere rather than a blog. But one question that those emotions can bring up, at least for the Christian, is "How does God feel about my divorce?" Well here are a few things to consider from the Bible when it comes to divorce.

Divorce is not God's plan for marriage.
God's plan for marriage does not involve divorce. God's original design for marriage is one man and one woman for life (Genesis 2:24). Unfortunately, as we all know too well, man does not always follow God's plan. 

God hates divorce.
Yes, God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16). Why? Because it goes against His divine plan for marriage. Notice He doesn't hate those that get divorced just the action of divorce for what it brings into the lives of His children.

Allowances for divorce.
God gives two allowances for divorce in the Bible. One is when a non-Christian spouse deserts the other spouse willfully and permanently (1 Corinthians 7:12-15). The other is a spouse's sexual immorality (Matthew 19:9). People are divorced for other reasons beyond these two allowances given in the Bible and God still loves them and cares for them.

Divorce requires forgiveness.
The Bible tells us throughout it's pages how man goes against God's will in every way of life and that is how man sins against God. The only solution for sin is the forgiveness offered to man by Jesus' death on the cross. Like any other area of our life where we step outside of God's will, divorce requires we seek God's forgiveness. Once we seek His forgiveness and have a right relationship with Him, we can then rightly relate to others, including a future or former spouse.

There is a cure for divorce.
Philippians 2:3-4 gives us the cure for divorce. It says, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others" (NIV). If everyone lived up to the counsel given in these verses divorce would never occur. If both spouses desired to put the other's needs before their own and to do nothing out of a selfish heart then we would see marriages last. If couples showed each other the love of Christ in every part of life then marriages would become stronger rather than weaker. It's not an easy process, and it requires daily dying to one's self, but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

A Christian response to a divorcee.
The key is not to get hung up on divorce being some black mark on a person for the rest of their life. Divorcees deal with enough emotions during and following a divorce that they do not need unnecessary judgment and condemnation from others who should be supporting them and loving them. As Christians we are called to love God and love others (Matthew 22:37-39). For our brothers and sisters dealing with divorce, love that reflects the heart of God is exactly what they need.

These are just a few of the facets of divorce that we could discuss. There are plenty of other aspects that could be addressed and be helpful to people. As divorce is a difficult situation for any person, be sure to be in prayer for those you know who are dealing with divorce.

* For this particular blog post I did refer to the Billy Graham Training Center Bible to help supplement my own work. The topical resource in that Bible on divorce is a great resource for those going through or having experienced a divorce.

If you enjoyed today's post be sure to Share it on Facebook or Twitter so others can be encouraged too!