Till Death do us Part Jesus on Divorce in the Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5:31,32

Till Death do us Part

Jesus on Divorce in the Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 5:31,32

Till Death do us part

“If we believe the Bible is totally true, we cannot dodge its claims on our lives in

sensitive areas, such as divorce”.

Francis Schaeffer speaking at the 1982 International council on Biblical Inerrancy


Two foundational questions:

What IS marriage?What is marriage’s PURPOSE?


What is marriage?

Is it a contract?

Is it a covenant?


Most of many of us are in contracts daily:

Cell phone providersPay television

Internet providersBank loans

Etc


Contracts feature:

2 or more parties

Terms of duties and responsibilities

Dissolvent if obligations are not met satisfactorily


Contract

If one or more parties fail to uphold their obligations under the contract (whether stated or implied) the contract itself is then null and

void (there may be penalties, but all parties are then free from any further obligations)


God deals with people through covenants:

Noah (Not to destroy the earth)Abraham (a nation, a people, a Messiah)

Moses (The Law)David (A King over His people)

Jesus (Salvation to all who believe)


Features of a Covenant:

Entered into by two or more partiesHave terms to be fulfilled (I promise to..)

Have Oaths taken (And if I do not..)Have accompanying signs (visible)

Have witnesses


Covenants

CANNOT be dissolved

God gave terms of the covenants and accompanying blessings and cursing for

obedience or disobedienceBut promised they were lasting


Is marriage a contract or covenant?

Society typically treats marriage as a covenant when carrying out the ceremony, but then

defaults to a contract afterwards

Consider most wedding ceremonies:


We treat God as a part of the covenantWe have terms We take vows

We have witnessesWe have a sign/signs


How does God view marriage?Did He design it to be a contract or covenant?

Important! Marriage is used in numerous places in the NT to signify salvation (The New

Covenant)


Bride/Bridegroom references:Matthew: 9/25

Mark: 2Luke 5John 2/

Revelation 18/19/21/22


Husbands/Wives

31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will

become one flesh.”[c] 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.

33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her

husband.Ephesians 5

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%205&version=NIV#fen-NIV-29336c


Weddings/Marriage ceremonies and feasts

Matthew 22/25Luke 12/14

Revelation 19


Scripture clearly indicates that God sees marriage as a special covenant, not a contract.

Therefore, they cannot simply be dissolved

With 2 exceptions:


In the case of pornea Matthew 5:32

“except for adultery”

“except for sexual immorality”


Adultery is grounds for divorce

Adultery does not demand divorce

Grace can/should intercede


In the case of being abandoned by an unbelieving spouse

1 Corinthians 7:12-15

When a believer is married to an unbeliever, remain married, unless they leave

Then the believing spouse is not bound


What is God’s PURPOSE for us in marriage?

Marriage Demonstrates Salvation and Being a disciple

This is why marriage/weddings are used extensively as an illustration of the Gospel


1st-Marriage teaches us to LOVE unconditionally

Love beyond faults


2- Marriage teaches us to forgive

Forgiveness saves marriage


3- Marriage exposes our own sin

It teaches that WE need to be forgiven


4- Marriage teaches us how to serve others

We serve our spouse with humility and without recognition


5- Marriage teaches us to persevere

There is not one married person who hasn’t at some time thought about calling it quits


Before engagement/dating, make a firm commitment about how/why

In your engagement, make certain to commit

In your marriage, make time to recommit


Take a moment this morning, to commit or recommit

Commit to God, your spouse or your future spouse


Documents

Till Death do us Part Jesus on Divorce in the Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5:31,32