No married couple live without experiencing frictions of one kind or another in marriage.  This
happens because all are sinners.  Whether the problem is that the husband fails to live with his wife, giving
himself to her; or whether the wife nags or rebels against her husband; or whether the problems are
financial, sexual or child related - there are always problems.  The common solution to the tough problems
in marriage is that the husband or wife says, "We'll get a divorce and begin again."  This is so common
today that when someone, as we do here, would dare to raise a question about the propriety of divorce, they
are dismissed without a hearing.

 We ask you to give consideration to what is written in this pamphlet.  There is a wave of trouble
passing over the church in the form of the breaking up of marriages.  And God's Word speaks to every one
of our troubles.

 It is important that we guard against the danger of forming our own opinions on the matter of
divorce.  It is a real danger because persons, families, and feelings are involved - often our own.  As in
every other question of our behavior, we ask, "What is God's will in this matter?"  This will help steer clear
of the temptation to say, "You are not sympathetic to me in my troubles."  If anyone is sympathetic to our
troubles in marriage, the Lord is, Who gave us marriage.

 In Matthew 5:31,32, Matt. 19:3-12, Mark 10:2-12, Luke 16:18, Romans 7:1-3, and I Corinthians
7:10, we have the New Testament Word of God about divorce.  That Word of God is these passages is "NO
DIVORCE."  This is the same word Jehovah brought in the Old Testament:  "For the LORD God of Israel
says that he hates divorce" (Malachi 2:16 NKJV).

 The reason the church must preach against divorce is not so much that the church hates divorce, as
much as that the church loves marriage!  The same with God.  He hates divorce because He loves marriage!

 God made marriage in the beginning as a bond between two parties.  (Marriage is not a contract -
that is one reason for so many divorces in these days.)  Marriage is a bond made by God.  Matthew 19:5,6
says that husband and wife become "one flesh," that they are "joined together."  God joins them; and not
just Christians who marry, but all who marry.  This is Jesus teaching in Matthew 19.

 It makes sense that marriage is a bond, because that is what the real marriage is.  The relation
between Jesus and the Church is a bond, symbolized by our marriages.  God's people are bound to see
Jesus! (See Romans 7:1-4).  This relation certainly is not a legal contract; it is a bond uniting us to Jesus as
intimate friends.  And now, as God did this binding, so He does the binding in our marriages, so that
Matthew 19 can say, "What God has joined together, let not man put asunder."

 In other words, the Bible says, "Since God made marriage, do not let man break it!"  It does not
say, "Since divorce causes untold grief, do not divorce."  It says, "What God joined together, let not man
put asunder."

 This seems to go against an Old Testament teaching about divorce in Deuteronomy 24:14.  You
should read this passage carefully.  This was the passage the Pharisees used in Matthew 19 to criticize Jesus
when he prohibited divorce.  Three things ought to be said about Deuteronomy 24:  First, Moses was not
approving divorce, but simply acknowledging that a lot of it was taking place.  A careful reading of the
passage shows this.  That is why Jesus said that "Moses suffered it."  He did not approve it, but "put up
with" it.  Secondly, this was the exception in the Old Testament, certainly not the rule. From the beginning
the word was "No divorce" (read carefully Matthew 19:8 where Jesus said, "Moses, because of the hardness
of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.")  Thirdly, about
Deuteronomy 24, we need to see that this was not the final say on divorce.  In light of Jesus' teaching in
Matthew 19:9, no one should appeal to Deuteronomy 24 to support divorce.

 Jesus gives one exception to His prohibiting of divorce:  the sexual uncleanness of one of the
spouses.  Note, there is one exception.  The Pharisees asked Jesus if there might be many reasons for
divorce:  "for every cause?"  Jesus said, "For one cause."  Many today take the position of the Pharisees, so
that if one would ask if divorce were permitted, the answer seems to be, "Of course, and for just about any
reason."

 Search the Bible through and you will find one allowance for divorce: "except it be for
fornication" (Matt. 19:9).  If a man's wife is unfaithful to him (or a woman's husband to her) he may put the
unfaithful spouse away, without coming under the judgment of God or the discipline of the church.  Far
better if these alienated partners seek reconciliation and forgiveness; but if this is not possible, Jesus says,
as it were, "Divorce is permitted in this case."

 This shows how serious adultery is!  The world makes fun of unfaithfulness, of "tomcatting," of
running around.  It is the stuff of television, magazines, and cartoons.  But the message of the Bible is,
"Adultery is so serious, it is the only ground for divorce."  Adultery strikes at the very heart of marriage -
the intimate unity of a husband and wife:  spiritual, emotional, and physical.  For this reason, the church
must call its members (and all who love God) to refrain from entertaining themselves with the sexual
uncleanness on television and video and at the movie, in the magazine and book.  In the name of Jesus we
command them to be chaste in their dress, on the beach and elsewhere, calling them to "flee fornication!"  (I
Corinthians 6:18).  And we warn them on the basis of the word of God that if they refuse to heed this call to
flee fornication, even in their hearts, their marriage stands in jeopardy!

 But the main word married couples, as well as those entering marriage, need to hear is this:
"Jehovah hates divorce!"

 Who does not grieve for and weep with the little children whose hearts are pierced with the terror
of fighting and separating parents?  Who knows better than they the agonizing results of failing to live in
marriage as God commands?  Pray for the children!  Besides the care for the children, Jesus prohibits
divorce because unbiblical divorce causes the divorced spouse to commit adultery by sex outside of
marriage, or by remarrying (see Matthew 5:32 and the next article "God's Will Concerning Remarriage").
What a misery all this causes those who live apart from God's will!

 But obedience to God's command regarding marriage brings blessing and joy.  This is not to say
that obedience is not difficult!  Every married person knows that it is.  Jesus never said that obedience to
Him would be easy.  But obedience means blessing and reward, in this life and in the future (see Mark
10:28-30).

 To the young people:  if you read this, be careful whom you marry and marry only "in the Lord" (I
Corinthians 7:39).  And when you marry, make a lifelong commitment, "for richer, for poorer . . . till death
do us part" (whatever happened to keeping vows?).

 To the married:  when trouble comes, the way out is reconciliation.  Pray for the grace and wisdom
of God to reconcile.  God brought you together.  You may say, "This was all a mistake."  But remember,
God joined you together.  And what God joined together, we may not put asunder.  Seek the pastor or elders
for help.  And God will, with the temptation, also make a way to escape (I Corinthians 10:13).