For This Cause

23. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

Today, we still are studying the subject of DIVORCE.  Let’s revisit  the text.

Matthew 19: 3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” 4 ”Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” 7 ”Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” 8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.” 10 The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

 We closed on Friday with Jesus’s response to the Pharisees in their attempt to trap him.  Today we will look at the reasons that Jesus indicates they were not to divorce. 

(1)   God created female for male so that man would not be alone.  Think about it if Adam had divorced Eve then there would be no world as we know it.   It would have been the end.  There were no other options for Adam to choose from.  God specifically formed Eve for Adam not until things didn’t work out any longer but till death do them part.   They had to make it work.  I know but we wait to say things are different now than the first two people in the garden.  While all that may be true, God’s word does not change.   (2)   The second part was prophetic because parents did not exist yet.  God tells them that for the sake of marriage, a man is to leave his home environment and cleave (be joined to, stuck to) his wife.  She becomes number one.  It is very problematic when the in-laws interfere with marriages and spouses make choices to side with or support their parents over their spouse.    (3)   Marriage makes the couple one-flesh.   It is the miracle of marriage.  The text says the two have become one.

(4)   What God has joined together let not man divorce.  Many will say when a marriage doesn’t work that they missed God.  This was not the right person for me and they often use that excuse to justify their actions.   It is the institution of marriage that the text is talking about.  God honors marriage. 

Jesus goes on to say that the one reason allowed for marriage is adultery.   Please note that I know that things are a little more complicated than this.  I know that spouses get beat and crazy stuff happens in marriage other than adultery and people need to separate.     

On tomorrow, we will deal with the Pharisees response to Jesus after he clearly tells them that according to God’s word, divorce is not allowed for any other reason except adultery.  

We will be getting into some of those complicated issues then.

 Let’s all congratulate Mr. Tyler Perry for being number 1 at the box-office this weekend with a stunning 41 million in gross receipts.      

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!

 Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily. 

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