What's Your Stand on Divorce?

How tragically does the modem world violate the clear teaching of the New Testament on the permanence of marriage! We have already noted that the purpose of the Christian home is to add to human happiness by fulfilling the human need for security, love, and companionship; and also to provide a godly environment in which to rear those children with which God normally blesses a home. Certainly we may also say that the Christian home should be a unit of love, peace, and godly faith in the midst of a wicked society. In only one way can these purposes of the Christian home be realized: that is by a faithful keeping of one's marriage vows until death. And that is precisely the teaching of Christ and the apostles. In Matthew 5 we read: "It was said also, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: but I say unto you, that every one that putteth away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress: and whosoever shall marry her when she is put away committeth adultery" [Matt, 5:31, 32]. Jesus repeats In Matthew 19: "Moses for your hardness of heart suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it hath not been so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery" [Matt. 19:8, 9]. In this case the great uncial manuscripts vary slightly, particularly on the inclusion of the last clause: 'and he that marrieth, her when she is put away committeth adultery," possibly a paraphrase of Matt. 5:32b.