Subject: Isn't adultrey grounds for divorce? |
Bible Note: 1. The definition of adultery is unchanged since the time of Moses. 2. Hosea had no authority to change the Torah (the Law). 3. The New Testament gives two grounds for divorce -- not one or none -- but two. Divorce is permissible on the grounds of adultery or desertion. 'God's utter hatred of divorce is very clear in Scripture. 'Nonetheless, there are two extraordinary cases in which Scripture teaches that God does permit divorced people to remarry. 'First, note that Jesus Himself included this exception clause: "Whosoever shall put away his wife, *except it be for fornication*, and shall marry another, committeth adultery" (Matt. 19:9, King James Version, emphasis added). He allows an exception in this one case, only "because of the hardness of your hearts" (Matt. 19:8). Clearly, Jesus is treating divorce as a last resort, only to be sought in the case of hard-hearted adultery. 'The apostle Paul allows one more reason for divorce: if an unbelieving spouse abandons a believer, the believer is under no obligation in such a case (1 Cor. 7:14). This would free the abandoned spouse to remarry. 'But we must emphasize that apart from those two specific, exceptional cases, divorce is not sanctioned in Scripture.' Source: www.gty.org/IssuesandAnswers/ archive/divorce.htm |