As I was reading the passage, it was clearly stated that there is one condition under which God allows divorce, that is unfaithfulness. But would this reason alone justify the action? Didn't God command us to forgive others over and over again?
Moreover this passage clearly stated that once you are divorced, you have to stay unmarried. If you marry again, you commit adultery.
I've once heard there is a higher percentage of divorce rate amongst Chris tans than non Christians. People who were divorced and married again have a higher tendency to divorce again. In America and Korea, every one of four marriages end before "death do apart." I am sure every marriage has its own dysfunctions and abnormalities. After all, marriage is a union of two imperfect people. One major problem contributing to a higher divorce rate is among Christians is simply they leave God out in their marriage. When they exchange their wedding vows at the alter, people often think convent is just made between a husband and a wife. When two imperfect people make a covenant with one another, it prongs to break if their needs and wants are not met by their spouses. It is a fact of life. However, a man and a woman enter into the covenant acknowledging that it is the God with whom their convent is made and it is God who seals their marriage. It never intend to be open by us.
I have seen couples are suffering in their marriages. Nonetheless I have seen more people who are in misery after divorce. Personally I have many questions and doubts regarding the issue. I have heard many people talking about divorce can be a better option for children whose parents are constantly fighting. It can be true. What do you think about that?
Nevertheless, I am more convinced than ever that there are absolutely no broken marriages that God cannot save. God does not look at things the way we look at. We label certain people in our lives as 'beyond repair' and we don't even bother to pray for them nor have hope that they will ever be changed. If those people hairbands, we see marriage as dead end and encourage wives to find different routs.
How shame of me to think that way..... Wasn't that Jesus who healed the blind, cured the lepard, casted out demons, and even raised the dead. Who are we to judge what he can or he can't do!!! The Bible even says there is nothing that we can't through JESUS CHRIST who gives us strength. Once Jesus touches people' hearts and they are gripped by His love and grace, we will witness great miracles that God bring into people's hearts and their lives.
I encourage you to think about people in your life that are struggling and hurting because their marriage or result of divorce, please pray for them today.
2 comments:
thanks, kwijung, for an excellent reflection. it really made me think about what Jesus was getting at with regard to divorce.
you are fully and legally within your right to divorce your spouse for marital unfaithfulness, says Jesus.
but one day, God will judge us for how faithful we were to our spouse inwardly, how well we kept the vow before God and before the world, to be faithful to each other till death do us part.
well, we might have been physically faithful. but were we perfectly faithful to our spouse in our mind, our heart, and in our emotional life?
if the whole history of our secret thoughts and emotions were made known to our spouses, i wonder how many of them might not have a "grounds" for divorce as well.
and kwijung you are so right to say that even marital unfaithfulness does not have to lead to divorce.
Jesus says elsewhere that this provision was implemented only because our "hearts were so hard".
i think almost every marriage is redeemable even if unfaithfulness has been an issue.
we know this, because we have already seen that all of us are guilty of it in some form or other.
I'm not married so I really don't know the challenges that go with it. All I can say is I've been taught that marriage is a serious decision that must be well thought through. It's to the point where this institution should be revered because as we all know it's when two become one. In God's eye's, He doesn't see one without the other.
But I think the two main reasons for divorce is because one, people are selfish and want the easy way out and two, they don't respect it and take sanctity of marriage very lightly. If it doesn't meet their needs or desires, they take the selfish way out and get a divorce or annulment.
The sanctity of marriage has become lost in a sea wistful and romantic thoughts and material appearances and it has become a joke. Look at Las Vegas, people get married because they are bored and know that they can get it annulled or divorced with the snap of their finger. And Christians have fallen into this as well because they have forgotten the seriousness that is marriage because you are making a promise before God to be faithful, love and serve your spouse to death do you part.
People, Christians and non-Christians, just don't take marriage seriously anymore and it's sad and scary.
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