The Royal Sins of Divorce and Remarriage
Divorce and remarriage are both sins against God. The Bible informs us, and warns us, that these sins are not to be practiced. God hates sin. Divorce and remarriage are sins. God hates divorce and remarriage (Mal 2:16). Even Jesus preached against these two sins on multiple occasions. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus preached, “It was said, whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce; 32 but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery (Mt 5:31–32).”
The destruction of marriage is a purposeful work of Satan, the adversary. Marriage and its accompanying vows are types of Christ and His bride, the church, in covenant relationship (Eph 5:25). Sacrificial love and submissive respect are the respective roles of husband and wife. The devil’s visit to Adam and Eve ruined their marriage by introducing them to the world of sin. Sins of every kind plague marriage and family.
In the Christ-less cultures of the world (think Hollywood), divorce and remarriage are every day, common-place events. Few even care about the devaluation of God’s cherished, pictorial institution.
Marriage is war against the forces of darkness. It is God’s antidote for pornography, homosexuality, bestialities, pre-marital fornication, extra-marital adultery, etc. It is the Gospel of Jesus’ exclusive love for His select bride. It is the declaration of God’s total faithfulness to His people.
It is no surprise that divorce and remarriage are statistically worse in the church. The world is giving up on marriage, in preference for habitual fornication. Sadly, the culture of the world provides the predominant activities of today’s carnal Christianity. The church follows the gods of this world, producing idolatries to honor them. Idolatry is spiritual adultery.
The American church has all but divorced herself from Christ and remarried the abuser of the brethren. No worries, we can visit the church psychologist and see what she thinks, or we can visit the church library and see what Henri Nouwen or Eckhart Tolle have said in the philosophy of the age, which has entered the churches. Cavorting with the spirits, today’s expressions of devotion are strange fire before the Lord. The gold calf is not even hidden, and the church dance team is ready to perform. Gomer United Church is growing in numbers…of lovers.
Abraham was a fornicator, but Christ is not. Moses was a bloody husband, but Christ is not. David was an adulterer, but Christ is not. Hosea was stuck with a whore for a wife, but Christ should not be undervalued in the same way as the prophet. Faithfulness is a fruit of the Spirit’s work in the regenerated heart, and oh, how we need this work of the Spirit, today!
If those in the Bible who were considered friends of God, the humblest men in the world, and the men after God’s own heart to love the unlovable, all struggled in the covenant of marriage, what hope is there for us commoners?
First, we must be heralds of covenant marriage, as we are for the Gospel. God has given us the gift of marriage, and we should declare the law of marriage and proper behaviors associated with this covenant institution from God.
Second, we must preach the breach of the Law and call it lawlessness and sin. We must show the bar of holiness in marriage, as Jesus did when He preached that looking at a woman with lustful eyes and lust in one’s heart was equivalent to the actual act of sexual sin.
Third, once the Law and the breach of the Law are clearly taught, then we must point all who have sinned, regarding sex and marriage, to Christ, the Savior of sinners. In our sexually perverse world, and in Christ’s church, there is no other hope, but Him, who loved us and gave Himself for us…the ungodly.
Christ is a gracious and forgiving husband to His unfaithful people; hence, He continually warrants our full love and devotion. Who can stand in this seemingly failed betrothal? Will Christ put away His church quietly? May it never be, for He has made a promise, and He will fulfill His betrothal of marriage vow to us. He who began the good work of making us His Royal Princess, will bring this good work to perfection. His love will not fail, and He will accomplish His holy will, as it pertains to His beloved people.
May His Spirit work mightily in each of us to produce faithfulness, found in sanctification, as the glorious work of God’s grace, for us to be ready to wear white on the coming day of our Royal wedding. From that day forward into all eternity, the faithful Groom and bride will live happily ever after, without any notion of divorce and remarriage. And the bride says, “Come!”
David Norczyk
Bend, Oregon
August 31, 2021
