Is it possible that those Christians who subscribe to a no-divorce might have over the years misinterpreted the biblical texts they quote in support of their position? Here is the often quoted text:

That’s why a man leaves his father and mother and gets married. He becomes like one person with his wife. Then they are no longer two people, but one. And no one should separate a couple that God has joined together.”

(Matthew 19:5-6 CEV emphasis added)

To take this text alone or literally would confirm the position of the no-divorce advocates. But, that’s not all that was said in context. The text continues:

The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Why did Moses say that a man could write out divorce papers and send his wife away?” Jesus replied, “You are so heartless! That’s why Moses allowed you to divorce your wife. But from the beginning God did not intend it to be that way. I say that if your wife has not committed some terrible sexual sin, you must not divorce her to marry someone else. If you do, you are unfaithful.”

(Matthew 19:7-9 CEV, emphasis added)

Let us look at another parallel text in the Gospels:

But I tell you not to divorce your wife unless she has committed some terrible sexual sin. If you divorce her, you will cause her to be unfaithful, just as any man who marries her is guilty of taking another man’s wife.

(Matthew 5:32, CEV, emphasis added)

Does the Bible Support Divorce; What the Bible Really Says

The no-divorce advocates fail to consider the conditional “if” and “unless” used in the biblical texts. Properly considered, these texts are entitled to two possible interpretations:

One: it is wrong for married couples to divorce each other without any reason (no no-fault divorce).

Two: a divorce is permissible if one of the spouses has done something terribly bad (conditional divorce).

What then does the Bible teach? The Bible teaches that you must not divorce your wife unless you have valid reasons for doing so. Put differently, Christians can divorce their spouses if they do things that the Bible considers as terrible.

Biblical Grounds for Divorce

In his book, Second Chance: Biblical Blueprints for Divorce and Remarriage, Ray Sutton says that, contrary to popular Christian belief, the Bible does support divorce. It is a ray of hope to victimised spouses that their religion is concerned about their wellbeing in a marriage.

In the book, Ray Sutton gives one over-arching reason or ground upon which a spouse may divorce an unfaithful spouse—death. He describes this death as covenantal and states that the covenantal death of a spouse occurs when that spouse commits any of the following biblical offences:

1. infant sacrifice (abortion)
2. physical abuse
3. desertion (physical and sexual)
4. the failure of the father to provide economically for his family
5. homosexuality
6. bestiality
7. rape
8. adultery
9. incest
10. murder
11. witchcraft
12. divination
13. spiritism
14. Idolatry
15. blasphemy
16. false Prophecy

Does the Bible Support Divorce?

Conclusion

The suffering spouses in marriages are often at a disadvantage when they hold to the no-divorce belief. Wayward spouses often take advantage of this ignorance to further their victimization of the innocent spouse. Still, we here some Christians denounce divorce under any circumstance as ungodly. This should not be the case, and indeed the trend is changing, as we now see victimized pastors and Christians divorcing their spouses for valid reasons.I agree with Ray Sutton, who incidentally is an American pastor. To download and read his book, click here.

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Does the Bible Support Divorce?