"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut if off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery."
I would remind everyone that this statement was made to the Jews while they were still under the law. That, however, does not mean that the sentiment, as it concerns divorce, is not valid one today, however, those of us whom have been justified by the blood of Jesus will not have ANY sin charged against us, so far as our salvation is concerned. Jesus fulfilled the law in its entirety for all who will place their faith in Him.
Does this security give the saved person the license to do whatever they want? NO! It simply means that sin is no longer charged to our eternal souls. Jesus made intercession before God for our sins, and He deals with the saved who sin, one against another, in His own way, while we are still here on earth. He is also, always, willing to forgive those sins whenever we ask Him.
The word "divorce" only appears three times in the entire New Testament, in today's lesson, again in Matthew 19:7-8, "They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.", and again in Mark 10:4, "And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away." (Mark 10:4 is Mark's account of the same events described in Matthew 19:7-8.)
In this account, Jesus very clearly separated divorce from the law when He said, "Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so."
Therefore, Divorce, for any reason other than what Jesus described herein, is unacceptable in Christianity just as it was for the Jews from the beginning. ~
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