Ansley Dodson

God on Divorce and Remarriage

September 12,2013

It is my understanding that although God does not condone divorce, hich also seems to state that he does not condone remarriage, I believe that he does permit both in certain circumstances! I believe God did not intend "or, or condone divorce because it has been made clear in #alachi 2$13%1& that God hates divorce! 'o ever, 'e does permit divorce in certain situations and provides guidance and direction to those ho see( to leave their spouse! I believe God provides this means o" an )out* "or a reason! I don+t thin( that God ould ant us, as 'is children, to stay in a relationship that could be harming us, because I thin( 'e ants the best "or all o" us, ,ust li(e any parent ould ant "or their child! 'o ever, on the contrary, I do thin( that God does not ant us to ,ust give up on our marriage hen times get hard! 'e ants us to try to or( it out because 'is purpose, hen 'e created marriage, as "or it to last a li"e time! 'e tries to help us "ul"ill this by giving us direction on hat to do in a marriage that seems to be going rong, hether that be se-ual immorality, physical abuse, or neglect, God provides ans ers and direction on hat to do in all o" these situations! #atthe 1.$1/%10 seems to be God+s guidance "or an abusive relationship! God tells us to try to tal( to our spouse about the issue "irst, then spea( to other believers i" the issue continues, and "inally consult your church "amily "or guidance and help! 1he verse goes on to say ho ever, that i" you try to do all o" these things and it does not "i- the problem, then that ould be grounds "or divorce! 2-odus 21$0%11 has been interpreted that i" your husband does not provide "or you then this ould be grounds "or divorce! 3hen It comes to this, I personally interpreted this verse

di""erently! I do believe that neglect is a "orm o" abuse and is an issue that needs to be brought to your spouses attention! 'o ever, be"ore getting a divorce, I thin( that a married couple should go through the steps ritten out in #atthe 1., to try to see i" the problem can be resolved! Although this passage seems to say that God does permit divorce in this situation I believe God ould ant us to try to do everything in our po er to stay ith his original plan "or marriage, and stay ith our spouse! I believe, God also spea(s about remarriage in the same sense as divorce! I thin( 'e does not condone or intend "or remarriage but that 'e permits it depending on the situation! Romans 0$2 says a ) oman is bound by la to her husband* only hile he is alive, but it says that i" he dies then she is "ree "rom the marriage! So this passage seems to sho that God does permit remarriage in the case o" someone+s spouse dying! I believe this is because God says that marriage is only an earthly thing, and that there is no marriage in heaven! God implies in #atthe 14 and also in #atthe /, that the innocent party can remarry, but the other cannot! 3hen 'e says, in #atthe 14$4, that i" a couple gets divorced "or any reason, besides se-ual immorality, then by getting remarried to another person, they commit adultery! 1his sho s that God does not condone remarriage to another partner because once a couple gets remarried, then the original partners can never get remarried to each other! 5n the "lip side, i" a couple gets divorced and neither o" the parties get remarried, then neither have committed adultery, and they can reconcile themselves, and again become married! All o" this evidence in my opinion, sho s that although God does not endorse remarriage, 'e allo s it in certain situations! 6rom everything I have read, and learned this "ar, it is my belie" that God ants best "or 'is children hich is hy, although 'e does not accept divorce and remarriage, 'e allo s it!

Also I thin( that God ants to help us in all aspects o" li"e, hich is hy 'e provides guidelines "or us to go by throughout the bible!