Now to the married I
command,
yet not I but the
Lord:
a wife is not to
depart from her husband.
But even if she does
depart,
let her remain
unmarried
or be reconciled to
her husband.
And a husband is not
to
divorce his wife.
1Corinthians 7:10–11
Divorce
became a problem with the Roman Empire as Roman divorce was a simple as
marriage. To divorce in early Rome was to declare the intentions to divorce in
front of seven witnesses. No fault divorce that is common in this present age,
and as was listed in a previous blog how divorce has become a part of the
Church, had a forerunner in this regard by the ancient Romans. In Rome to
divorce, one or both parties in the marriage had only to simply consider
themselves no longer married. No public authority was involved. This no–fault
divorce developed over time husbands had the right to divorce their wives
because of adultery, or even drinking wine, and then divorce evolved to include
many other failures. By the time of Jesus, the first century B.C. either spouse
could initiate the divorce so long as there was mutual agreement between
husband and wife. In time, women could marry without entering their husband’s
legal control. Although one must not dismiss that under Classical Roman law,
from 100 B.C. there was a need of consent by both parties, the bride and the
groom to an engagement and marriage. That was Classical Roman Law, but, and
this is important, there was as a practical matter, to force a couple to marry
made no sense due to the fact that divorce was easily available.[1]
Corinth now a Roman province and under Roman law and as a city of great
immorality divorce was a common practice and had affected the Christian Church.
This is true today in the Christian Church, divorce is easily done and for
reasons that are not according to the will and command of God. We live in a
society of “no–fault” divorce. Paul makes this one thing clear in regards to
what he is writing to the Corinthian Christians and those words are for our
ears and minds. Jesus had give this command that forbid such separation and
what Jesus had commanded was dictated to the Apostle and enjoined by the
authority of the Holy Spirit; there was and is not to be any separation other
than what Jesus Christ allows (Matthew 5:32; 19:9; Mark 10:11; Luke 16:18).
Divorce today as in Rome in the days of Paul had become a frivolous thing and
divorce was and done by other pretexts than what our Saviour has allowed and
commanded.
Paul then
with full understanding the separation does occur and gives this admonition
that the are, if separated, to not marry again, and in fact, the better thing
was to reconcile. Today it seems as if divorce is not only for any reason, in
many of the cases of divorce, it is almost as though a person jumps from one
bed to another and many of us understand that this has occurred and done that
which God forbids. Why? One possible reason is that the Church has gone soft on
this matter and has allowed divorce to occur outside of the command of Jesus.
The wisdom of this world has infected the Church and many of its leaders and
little, if any, sermons are so direct and speak against divorce and this is
tacitly approving of this immoral practice. There is too much “sloppy agape”
being preached and not enough preaching to convict a person due to their sin,
or possible sin. But…..What do we do when a person is married to an unbeliever?
Paul addresses this: “But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother
has a wife who does not believe, and shi is willing to live with him, let him
not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is
willing to live with her, let her not divorce him” (1Corinthians 7:12–13). Notice
this, Paul makes clear that it is he who is speaking and the Lord, that is,
this is to address those situations that may occur that Jesus did not include
in His commands. Divorce was not to be done just because the other person did
not believe. Probably those persons were married before one of them became a
believer, or had not obeyed the command to marry only in the Lord. Why? Paul
addresses the why: “For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the , and
the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children
would be unclean, but now they are holy” (1Corinthians 7:14). God holds
marriage as sacred and marriage is a type of who Christians are: the bride of
Jesus Christ. There is this wonderful fact that Jesus is our husband, our
bridegroom, and our marriage depicts and demonstrates that we are His and we
live according to that fact. We must hold marriage as holy and that our vows
are held by God: When you make a vow to God (this is what a marriage vow
includes; my words), do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools.
Pay what you have vowed––Better not to vow that to vow and not pay. Do not let
your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it
was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of
your hands” (Ecclesiastes 5:4–6). Did I say that it takes courage and commitment
and holding fast to our convictions to be a Christian? YES! Is it possible?
YES! God will take us through anything that we may have done in ignorance.
Praise God for He is not only Merciful, full of Grace, He is LOVE!
The LORD also will be a refuge
For the
oppressed, A refuge
In times of trouble. And those who know
Your name
will put their trust in You.
For You. LORD, have not forsaken those
Who seek
You.
Psalm
9:9–10
Live and tell other of our Great God
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