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God
Designed Marriage To Be Permanent
Copyright
2009 Heaven Ministries ~ Angie Lewis
God designed marriage to be permanent. He did not
change His own law and allow for divorce! That is absolutely ridiculous.
Moses changed the law because of people’s hardened hearts! Back in
Moses days, husbands were throwing their wives out into the streets
where they were being raped, brutally beaten and sometimes killed.
To help these women not be thrown out in the street
like animals, Moses felt compelled to enact a new law. The new law was
that a man had to write a formal letter of dismissal and go to court to
be able to divorce his wife—they could no longer throw their wives out
in the street where they were often taken advantage of. (Deuteronomy 24:
1-4) This new law deterred husbands from divorcing their wives.
Now, let’s go back to the beginning for a moment.
God joined two people (male and female) together sexually into one
flesh, which creates the union of marriage between a man and a wife.
No one and nothing is able to separate what God joined together. God
states, “let man not separate”.
“…So they are no longer two, but one.
Therefore what God has joined together, let man NOT separate.” (NIV
Matthew 19:6)
But the Pharisees were trying to trick Jesus. The
Pharisees were always trying to trick Jesus throughout the scriptures
(New Testament). They were puzzled because God said that a man could not
separate what He joined together, and yet here was a man called Moses
permitting men to divorce their wives. He was separating them.
“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command
that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away? (NIV
Matthew 19:7)
Before we read Jesus’ reply, understand that
Jesus is not allowing for the clause “except for marital
unfaithfulness-NIV” or “except for Fornication-KJV” as a way to
divorce your spouse. He is merely RECOUNTING what Moses enacted with the
new law of divorcement because of hardened hearts. Now when you read
this verse you will have a better understanding of this scripture.
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 I say unto you, whosoever shall put
away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another,
committeth adultery, and whoso marrieth her, which is put away doth
commit adultery. (KJV Matthew 19:8-9)
The second half of the above verse does not mean
just because a wife has been unfaithful one time that God is
allowing for divorce. Jesus meant by “except it be for
fornication” a man or woman who will not repent of
their sin (hard heart) and wants out of the marriage.
I have done the research on this passage and the
word fornication from the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of
the Bible. And it means a woman involved in harlotry—or better known
in this day as prostitution—a man or woman who continually repeats
sexual sin! It does not mean a husband or wife who repents and turns
their life around and are seeking forgiveness! Now, let’s read the
scripture for what it really means.
So then this scripture really means this: “I
tell you anyone who puts away his wife (husband) except it be for
harlotry / prostitution and marries another woman commits adultery.”
Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines
“harlotry” as:
The trade or practice of prostitution; habitual
or customary lewdness
But… if a husband or wife wants to leave the
marriage and insists on a divorce because they are too selfish to
reconcile their differences, what can you do? Let them go!
But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A
believing man or woman is NOT bound in such circumstances. God has
called us to live in peace (1
Corinthians 7:15, 16 NIV)
Do not misread the above scripture. It does not say
you can now get a divorce or remarry. It only says, “not bound”. It
merely says it is ok to let the unbeliever leave, if they insist on
leaving. It does not say to get a divorce or to remarry anyone else
ever!
To the married I give this command (not I but the
Lord): A wife must NOT separate from her husband. But if she does she
must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a
husband must NOT divorce his wife. (1 Corinthians 7:10-11)
Marriage Is Permanent!
God wants married couples to stop looking for
reasons to leave marriage. He wants us to concentrate on how to stay
together. Marriage is until death parts you from one another. But if
your spouse is so spiritually sick with a hardened heart, you certainly
can’t stop them from divorcing you.
Although divorce seems legal in the eyes of man,
because Moses permitted it, in God’s eyes couples are still married
until death of either spouse. This is why God says remarriage, if
one spouse is still alive, is committing adultery.
For example, by law a married woman is bound to
her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is
released from the law of marriage. So then, if she married another man
while her husband is alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her
husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress,
even though she married another man. (Romans 7:2-3)
Are you having a hard time forgiving your spouse of
adultery? Do you keep picturing your spouse with the other person? Do
you not trust your spouse anymore? Is your marriage about to collapse?
Is your spouse repentant for their infidelity?
Then read Angie's book ADULTERY PANDEMIC.
If you or your spouse has been unfaithful, this book will give
you the understanding you need to heal yourself and restore your
marriage.
To see book previews, please visit: http://stores.lulu.com/angielewis
For marriage resources: http://www.heavenministries.com |