I have heard that divorce is a "sin" and I seem to recall reading something...?

Question

...in the bible that the ability to divorce was given to us because our hearts were "hard" or something like that.

Sooo...this means that if a person chooses to divorce their spouse for physically abusing them or for committing adultery, then he/she is sinning for protecting themselves or ridding themselves of a spouse that disobeyed a commandment? That doesn't seem right.

I know God wants us to forgive everyone their transgressions and their sins and, of course, that would apply to our spouses, too. You can forgive a person all the time and they can still beat the tar out of you or cheat on you everyday. Why would God punish or blame someone who didn't want to go through that all the time?

Or why would God punish someone for having made a mistake and marrying the wrong person?

For the record, I'm not looking to get a divorce or anything!!

Answer 1

I have counselled a number of people against marriage to someone that would be a mistake, but generally people don't want to hear that advice. What follows is not a punishment from God, but simply the natural result of the choice.

And yes, Jesus makes clear that the ideal does not include divorce. Once marriage occurs, God is able to mold the two into one - if they're willing to allow that. However the Bible says nothing that would require a person to stay in an abusive relationship. If there is abuse, get out.

Answer 2

I have never read anywhere in the Bible that divorce is a sin. I have read that God is not happy with divorce but sometimes you have to take measures like this for the good of all concerned.

Did you know that God is a divorce's? Yes, its true. God divorced Israel for adultery or idolatry. This is the same thing in His eyes.

I'm a Christian and also a divorced man. I left behind my wife and three sons in the divorce. Was it my fault or hers or a combination of both? It does not matter one bit.

I have paid the price for this each and every day since then. It hurt.

I have asked God to forgive me and I go on doing the Will of God as He allows me to do. At times I am in contact with my boys which are men in their 30's now. I have never spoken to my ex since the divorce in a good environment.

God forgives and He wants you to be happy. Serve Him everyday and let Him love you and you Him.><>

Answer 3

The first thing that someone should be considering is whether the idea of sin is actually real.

If God is supposed to be perfect how could She have made anything or anyone that wasn't perfect.
Think about it. The idea of sin assumes certain things about God that seem highly unlikely.

First it assumes a God who is too incompetent to organize a simple educational field excursion and figure out a way to get all of the students home safely.

How likely is this that God would not be smart enough to come up with a plan for our salvation that is going to work?

It also assumes that God must have created us imperfect if we are sinners.

One might assume that God would be able to create someone perfect each and every time if he chose to. Assuming God is capable of this, then it follows logically that we must be perfect creations if we are actually creations of this perfect God.

Unless of course you are saying that God chose to create us imperfect.

If God created us imperfect then anything that may go wrong is Gods fault, not ours. This seems a bit illogical at best so I think that we need to assume that What God creates would have to be perfect.

If this is the case and Gods creations are perfect, then nothing that we can do could change what God created perfect and make it imperfect unless we think that we are more powerful than God is.

How likely is it that we the creation could be more powerful than the creator. I personally find this idea somewhat amusing, and a bit absurd.

Religion tells us that God is perfect. If this is true then it could hardly be logically for Gods creations to be considered to be anything less than perfect.

If this is the case then Nothing that we can ever do could possibly change this perfection that God willed, unless we were so powerful that our choices could override and change the will of God.

How likely is that????

Think about it.

The idea of sin is simple nonsense; a lie made up about God by religion.

Love and blessings
don

Source --- Course in miracles

Answer 4

God allows divorce if your spouse comitted adultery. Yes because our hearts are 'hard'. that could be interpreted as meaning the heart of the abusive spouse only. I don't think it's God's sole purpose to punish us. We are his children and He loves us a whole lot. If He really wanted to punish us, we'd all be dead right now! But that's not His objective. I know it's hard to understand. I have a brother right now who is Christian and is going through a divorce. He was very confused about the same question you are asking. I think that if it only causes more sins to be comitted in the relationship if you stay in it, it's better to get out! For example, if tehre's only fighting, cheating, lies, etc, it's better to just commit the one sin adn get out of the marriage if all else has failed, than to remain in it and continue to commit all these sins and many more. It also teaches us to try harder to get married for the right reasons, and to really understand the sacrament of marriage before getting into it and also to try not to get married in a hurry, but to really wait and see what the other person is like before rushing in. Also it helps to seek God's advice before getting married to a person, to see if God has chosen that person for you. If He has, then it will be a blessed marriage and things will work out eventually! Also God is a God of forgiveness and that's is what Jesus died for, so that we may all be forgiven, all we need to do is ask, and forgiveness shall be given! God is not blind or stupid, and He doens't want His children to go through unnecessary hardships!

Answer 5

First of all, divorce is not a sin. It has specific reasons for being granted and such, but is not labled a sin.

What the bible takes great care to explain is that divorce can and does cause people to sin.

If you have sex with anyone outside of your marriage, you have now committed a sin. In specific cultural times, it was not allowed for women to support themselves, so if a husband divorced her, the bible states that he would be forcing her to sin, by haveing to remarry in order to survive.

So, in todays world, a woman can and does support herself financially, so the only thing you could not do is remarry or have sex with anyone other than the partner you divorced.

Answer 6

It depends on what religion you are referring to, and what your definition of "sin" is. In the Roman Catholic religion, divorce is considered a sin, and the whole concept of sin is based on a "legal code" anyway. So if you "break the rules", you commit a sin. Not all Christian traditions share that outlook. For example, in the Eastern Orthodox tradition (which by the way dates back to the foundation of Christianity by Christ through his Apostles), divorce is not encouraged, but it is allowed under extenuating circumstances and it is not considered a "sin" in the same way it is in the Roman Catholic religion. The Orthodox Church understands that we are human beings in need of healing and salvation in Jesus Christ, and that in some circumstances we can actually be in harm's way spiritually by being in a bad marriage. So while the Church tries to help couples repair damaged relationships, in some cases it recognizes that it is better for the couple to go their separate ways.

Having said that, the wedding service for someone who is remarrying after a divorce is different from the wedding service for someone marrying for the first time - i.e. the prayers that are said in the wedding service for someone remarrying have more of an overtone of repentance than the prayers in the original wedding service.

As for the definition of "sin", in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, sin is not "breaking the rules". It is being "off the mark" - doing things, or being in a condition, that is not godlike, and that separates us from God and from our fellow human beings. It is considered a condition of spiritual sickness, and not a "crime".

There is a lot that could be said on these subjects, but I hope these few things help give you a different perspective on the subject.

Answer 7

"However, I say to YOU that everyone divorcing his wife, except on account of fornication, makes her a subject for adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery." -- Matthew 5:22

"I say to YOU that whoever divorces his wife, except on the ground of fornication, and marries another commits adultery.” -- Matthew 19:9

Divorce is frowned upon in the Bible but it also says that if you do separate, not to take up with someone else. There are only two things in God's eyes that break the marriage bond: fornication and death.

On the issue of abuse, if someone told me to stay with an abuser, I wouldn't be talking to them anymore. No one should ever have to stay in conditions like that. No one deserves it.

Answer 8

People get real confused in this area. A woman who is beaten MAY DIVORCE her husband - BUT - she may not remarry UNLESS her husband has been cheating on her. THEN she is not under the Law accept not to be sleeping with other men.

Jesus said it is a sin to divorce short of sexual immorality (sex with others cheating or homosexual acts, sexual acts outside the norm, etc.).

The disciples mentioned to Jesus that was a hard thing and it would be better not to marry if thats the case (I'm paraphrasing here). Jesus agreed and said people find it very hard to accept.

The woman (unless her husband is sleeping around) might not be able to remarry - BUT - she would be safe from her tyrant husband.

Answer 9

the pont of getting married is to have that ONE person in your life and not any one else. like God wants us to worship him only, as he says in his ten commandments that him only shall we serve. what would be the point of marriage if you would cheat on someone? so if u do, then God says that adultery is the only reason for divorcing ur spouse. "thou shall not commit adultery" is one of Gods COMMANDments, we have no choice. the bible says in 1 john 3:14 that sin is the transgression of the law. so i rather be safe and obey. how about you? jesus loves you and he is coming soon so "study to showthy self approved unto God"

Answer 10

Divorce (in in Bible) = The breaking of a Covenant.

This is used in the case of any Covenant. a Covenant is a sacred relationship (that is still acheived today) that has the basic 'motto', for lack of a better word, "YOUR benefit at MY expense".

This is an extremely hard relationship to jump into, and should usually not be jumped into. it takes love (and not just the romantic kind), honor, and great character.


God does not condemn those who undergo a divorce to Hell, but it does clearly state in the Bible that it greives His heart greatly.


At a glance, I can't remember the reference, so sorry! But i encourage you to look into this more and ask any friends or family you think might be able to help you understand this better, or even those who you aren't sure can help you. It can't hurt!

And I have been stirred to look into this more myself, thank you for that!