Divorce is one of the main contemporary social problems, and there are debates in religious circles about whether separation is allowed in the Bible. Accordingly, the church does not recognize divorce and considers it not biblical, except in cases of betrayal and desertion of marriage. The Bible consistently asserts that marriage is an enduring responsibility. Jesus explained the relationship between man and woman this way in Matthew 19:6:’ They are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate’ (Holy Bible). In addition, a common interpretation of the biblical laws among traditional religious societies is that some of its passages point to the existence of reasons in which God rescues a couple from the lifetime covenant of marriage.
The first is adultery/sexual immorality, which is considered a sin; therefore, divorce is allowed. It has been said, ‘But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery (Holy Bible). However, although divorce is possible, it is undesirable even under these circumstances. The belief in indulgence and trust is also present. As long as couples are enthusiastic about working through a cruel breach of the marriage agreement, there is a distinct possibility of adjustment and healing in the union. Another passage, 1 Corinthians 7:15-17, tells us:’ Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace’ (Holy Bible). From this section, it is clear that the second biblical reason where divorce is permitted is desertion from the marriage.
The spirit of return, regret, and forgiveness are not present in one spouse or both partners. The Bible recognizes here the unrelenting existence of our ability for wickedness and sinfulness. This leads to a break in the marital covenant that one or both partners refuse to repair. God’s desire is for spouses to remain together even when there are disagreements and difficulties in the marriage. This is God’s ideal, so much so that the Lord does not want unbelievers who are married to believers to be separated from the union. However, God is not a lover who imposes his love on us, and neither should we set our love on another person. He absolves the believer from the responsibility of preserving the marriage when the spouse deserts. Many Bible scholars agree that a believing spouse may also choose to leave the relationship (S. Silverii and L. Silverii). Thus, this permission to divorce on the grounds of desertion is not limited to the relationship between a skeptic and a follower.
That is, this obstacle applies identically to a union between two believers. The convent cannot be bound in such circumstances and is not a slave to the marriage promise. Willful desertion renders the marriage covenant invalid and results in release from the bonds of holy matrimony. Apart from the above reasons, other problems in the world cause people to get divorced. Among them are poverty, sterility, bad habits, and diseases (Holy Bible). It is necessary to say that the Bible does not allow divorce in such cases, but on the contrary, it is considered essential to preserve the marriage.
The church as an organization explains that believers who want a divorce for an unbiblical reason are subordinate to religious discipline because they refuse the behest of the Almighty. Thus, if humans divorce for not biblical reasons, then a person takes a second marriage, they will be guilty of adultery because God disapproved of the first separation. When a person sees the sin of another, he must explain to him his guilt. Thus, if he accepts and understands iniquity, he still has faith. However, if he does not want to admit it, then a person needs to take a few witnesses to confirm the words and talk to the sinner. In case a non-believer does not want to listen even to witnesses, it is necessary to notify the church, and if he refuses to admit to the church, it is no longer possible to save him. (Holy Bible). When a human breaks the marriage promise and declines to repent while the disciplines are being performed, the Scriptures agree to expel a person from the church as immoral.
Interestingly, if such a removal from the church of a rebellious, the faithful partner will have the right to a permitted divorce by the Bible. However, it is a long process, and religion provides a reasonable time for the possibility of returning the unfaithful spouse through discipline. Significantly, local church leaders should also help divorced fellow believers understand their position from a biblical perspective. For example, church leaders may sometimes need to determine whether one or both previous partners can be legally considered ‘believers’ in their prior separation. It will change the use of biblical postulates to their modern position. (Jenks 154). In addition, people often convert to other churches or do not practice religious discipline. Authority must decide whether the current partner of a Church member is a Christian or a godless.
Works Cited
Bible, Holy. ‘New American Standard Bible.’ Grand Rapids: World, 1995. (Holy Bible)
Jenks, Richard. Divorce, Annulments, and The Catholic Church: Healing or Hurtful?. Routledge, 2018.
Silverii, Scott, and Leah Silverii. Life After Divorce: Finding Light in Life’s Darkest Season. Five Stones Press, 2019. (S. Silverii and L. Silverii )