Divorce and Remarriage
We believe that God disapproves of divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Divorce and remarriage is regarded as adultery except on the grounds of fornication. We also believe that divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in the church and be greatly used of God for Christian service. (Mal:2:14-17 [14] Yet you say, "For what reason?" Because the LORD has been witness Between you and the wife of your youth, With whom you have dealt treacherously; Yet she is your companion And your wife by covenant. [15] But did He not make [them] one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth. [16] "For the LORD God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one's garment with violence," Says the LORD of hosts. "Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously." [17] You have wearied the LORD with your words; Yet you say, "In what way have we wearied [Him?"] In that you say, "Everyone who does evil [Is] good in the sight of the LORD, And He delights in them," Or, "Where [is] the God of justice?" ; Matt:19:3-12 [3] The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for [just] any reason?" [4] And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made [them] at the beginning 'made them male and female,' [5] "and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? [6] "So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." [7] They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?" [8] He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. [9] "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery." [10] His disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of the man with [his] wife, it is better not to marry." [11] But He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only [those] to whom it has been given: [12] "For there are eunuchs who were born thus from [their] mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He who is able to accept [it,] let him accept [it."] ; Rom:7:1-3 [1] Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? [2] For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to [her] husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of [her] husband. [3] So then if, while [her] husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. )
