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False Views of Divorcement

by H. Leo Boles

The influence of sentiment has led many into error with respect to the breaking of the marriage bond. It seems that those who have studied this question have gone to two extremes. One extreme is that the bond of union cannot be severed except by death of one of the parties, and the other extreme is that there is a multitude of causes which justify the severance of the marriage relation.

Both of these extremes claim scriptural authority. The advocates of both have wrested the teachings of Christ to sustain their extreme positions. Both of these extremes cannot be true. It is possible for both to be false, but impossible for both to be true. We ought to know what the New Testament teaches on this question.

It should be remembered that Christ did not institute any new law on marriage and divorce. He did abrogate the law of Moses with its tolerations and placed marriage and divorce on the original basis. He placed marriage on its fundamental basis. He restored the law of God with respect to marriage. His teachings are clear enough and simple enough to be understood.

God wants man to understand His teachings on this question, and holds man responsible for every violation of the fundamental law of marriage. The fixed, irrevocable, and universal law of God should be recognized and obeyed. Christ emphasized it in His teachings and we would do well to be governed by it. This law of indissolubility is recognized by Christ and has been enforced by the Holy Spirit in the New Testament.

Man has granted — and grants — divorces on many grounds. There are many justifiable causes as far as man is concerned. "Desertion" is one of the common grounds for divorcement. "Penal servitude," or sentence to imprisonment for crime, is another cause. "Insanity" is another ground of divorce with man, and "Incompatibility" is another, which covers a variety of causes. "Drunkenness with cruelty" is still another cause in many countries for divorcement. "Adultery" is another cause.

So, in the estimation of man, there are many causes for breaking the marriage relation — that is, man has assigned many causes for breaking the fundamental law of human relationship in marriage. Since God is the author of this basic law, He and He alone can assign the reason for the dissolution of the union. The courts of the land dissolve many unions which God still holds as fundamental and binding. Human laws grant divorces for causes which God does not permit.

Man's laws cannot change the mind of God or the fundamental law of God. Hence, man's laws cannot annul the marriage union which God has sanctioned. Marriage is a solemn oath of union in which both parties vow fidelity till death parts them. All the legislatures and teachings of men in the world cannot set aside the fundamental law of God.

Jesus said, "Everyone that putteth away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress: and whosoever shall marry her when she is put away committeth adultery" (Matt. 5:32). Later on in the earthly life of Jesus, the Pharisees tested him, asking, "Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?" (Matt. 19:3). Here they meant to ask if one could put away his wife for "any cause." They thought there were many causes for which a man could put away his wife and give her a bill of divorcement.

Jesus plainly and simply said, "No!" He referred them to the fundamental law of marriage. "Have ye not read, that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh? So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder" (Matt 19:4-6).

They then asked him, "Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorcement, and to put her away?" (Matt. 19:7). Jesus answered them, saying, "Moses for your hardness of heart suffered you to put away your wives; but from the beginning it hath not been so" (Matt. 19:8). Here Jesus restores the marriage relation back to its original and fundamental law. It matters not how many causes were granted under the law as grounds of divorcement, Jesus pushes these aside and places the marriage relation on its fundamental and basic law.

After restoring marriage to its original, fixed, universal law for the human family, Jesus then proceeded to teach them the one and only sin by which the union could be dissolved. "Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery" (Matt. 19:9).

Why should one misunderstand this? Not only does Jesus bring marriage back to its original state and intention, but he plainly states that the only way by which the union may be broken. Whosoever, then, is married contrary to God's original law is in a state of adultery. Ignorance of God's law does not excuse one for disobeying it. His law is as old as the human race, and man has a record of that law. Hence, it is folly to be ignorant of it and sinful to violate it.

During the patriarchal and Jewish ages, God saw fit to tolerate some things that He does not tolerate now. The right and strict law, such as had been in the beginning while Adam and Eve were in the state of innocency, and before sin with all of its entailment had mad havoc of the human family, now has been restored.

The principles of Christianity with respect to the marriage and divorcement of people restore the lofty and holy relationship in marriage. 

 

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