DIVORCE: IT IS NOT AN OPTION

God hates divorce (the putting away of one's wife - Mal. 2:16)!  The Book of Hosea uses Hosea's marriage to Gomer, as a picture of His relationship to Israel (Hos. 1:1-3:5).  Just as God repeatedly forgives Israel for their spiritual adultery, and takes them back under His wing, He tells Hosea to do the same thing with his unfaithful wife.  Unfortunately, mankind is not like God (1 Jn. 3:2)!  When challenged by the Pharisees on the subject of divorce, Jesus clearly stated that God permitted divorce in the case of adultery, not because of the spouse's unfaithfulness, but because of the unwillingness to forgive the offender. 

"The Pharisees also came unto Him, tempting Him, and saying unto Him, 'Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?'  And He answered and said unto them, 'Have ye not read, that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?  Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.'  They say unto Him, 'Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?'  He saith unto them, 'Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.  And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery'" (Mt. 19:3-9).

That was the Lord's instructions to Israel.  One could send the other away.  In the Church, however, that is not the case.  Born again believers are not to send their spouse away, but are to forgive, and to remain married, even in the case of adultery.  Notice, in the Church, an unbelieving spouse is free to leave their believing husband or wife, but not a believer.  Should the unbelieving spouse leave, the Word says that the believer is then free from their relationship.

"And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:  But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.  But to the rest speak I, not the Lord:  If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.  And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.  For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.  But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases:  but God hath called us to peace" (1 Cor. 7:10-15).

Thank God there is nothing I can do that would cause God to "divorce" me!