09/06/13

Marriage and Divorce and Adultery

Matthew 19:9 - 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.


We read many people including Christians breakup their marriage due to many reasons like they do not get alone with each other some of them are more of the serious type but as Christians can we do that?

Today's scripture we read Jesus gives just one reason for breaking up a marriage and that is fornication. To understand this one needs to understand marriage.

Marriage is not the ceremonies that one performs in a Church or in the exchange of rings. Marriage happens when 2 people (a male and a female) commit to have a family and therefore come together. The commitment may happen in a Church before witnesses but the marriage gets sealed when they come together and have physical relationship with each other. That is why Jesus says anyone of them having physical relationship with another is considered breaking of the covenant of marriage and can be a reason for divorce. Other than that every other reason is not eligible for divorce between a Christian husband and wife.

A couple that comes together but do not want to have a family their relationship is not considered a marriage. Similarly if a couple does not come together in physical relationship they are not considered married.

Let me be clear again between 2 Christian couples the only reason for divorce is fornication, but when one is a Christian and the other not then they can break up the marriage if the Christian finds that the other is hindering that person's relationship with God and there is no hope for that person to change. Understand God can do the impossible but God follows His rules and does not break them. He has given man a free will and those who do not have the seed of faith and have harden one's heart against God will only get destroyed when God works in them. This is a very sensitive issue and needs to be handled spiritually by a mature person in Christ. If the non-believing person could be a child of God and just needed time and efforts, a wrong decision could be a disaster the blood of the person would be on the head of the partner and the one who advised the wrong decision.

We need to understand why only the relationship humans (male and female since it is about having a family) coming together in the Lord are considered a marriage, animals coming together is not considered marriage. So also couple who are non-believers, their come together and may be called husband and wife yet their union is still is not called a marriage.

The Hebrew word for marriage talks of leading a marriage so also does the Greek word means to led a wife. Marriage is just not a covenant between two people. People think it is a covenant between 2 people and God that too is used for good preaching and to please people. True marriage is a statute to do something Heavenly so that we can understand and fulfil the purpose of God. When we do it well we glorify God and when we do not we do the opposite, thus marriage is a serious matter.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, people do things without understanding and later cry when problems come. They think the problems that come between them are persecutions blaming the world or blame the devil for it. Lord, your people make You little and so also the thing of the Heavens. Lord, we pray you people understand this relationship called marriage and thus understand its purpose and understand the wedding we will have with You in Heaven...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference ]
Matthew 22:29-30
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

Matthew 1:24-25
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife [Greek word 'gune' which has the base 'ginomai' which means to be, therefore means to be wife]:
25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)