Is It Ever Ok for a Believer to Divorce? Part 1
(September 29, 2025)
If you ever want to get a lively discussion going at your weekly Bible study, ask the
question, “Is it ever ok for a believer to get a divorce?” To make the discussion
even more interesting ask, “On what do you base your answer to this question?”
Of course, to answer this question any follower of Jesus Christ should turn
immediately to the Scriptures for insight. Sadly, this is not always the case. Too
many times, modern-day believers get their cues from worldly philosophies and
the latest pop psychology quiz in People Magazine. And, for those who do
examine the Scriptures for answers to the divorce question, various
interpretations can lead to some heated debate. Allow me to share my views.
According to Matthew 5:32, Jesus said, “But I tell you that anyone who divorces
his wife for any reason except for sexual immorality, causes her to commit
adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.”
In Deuteronomy 24:1, Moses allowed for divorce in the case of sexual immorality
but over the years traditions crept in, because of the phrase, “becomes
displeasing to him,” to interpret that passage to mean a man could divorce his
wife for any reason she became displeasing to him.
Jesus’ instructions may seem harsh to the modern mind, but it is really a
protection put in place by God to protect marriage and in particular, the woman,
because she was put in a vulnerable position. In that day a divorced woman was
usually forced by circumstances to find another husband because she would
almost always end up destitute on her own.
Marriage is a holy covenant in the sight of our Creator God and He hates divorce.
No one wins in a divorce, and children are the biggest losers. Statistics reveal that
they never totally recover from divorce. More next week.