Malachi 2:14-16 clearly states that God hates divorce. Now, are we to understand that Jesus, Who is God, Who hates divorce, turned around and gave a cause for divorce? No, because He did no such thing, as Matthew 19:4-6 tells us. After Jesus made this statement, the Pharisees then tried to pit Moses against Jesus by asking Him why Moses allowed it (by the way, Moses never allowed it, he regulated it (Deuteronomy 24:1-4)). Jesus then sets them straight and tells them that Moses did so because of the hardness of their hearts, but it was not this way from the beginning. When two people are married, God joins them together, and Jesus declared to the Pharisees “What God has joined together let no man separate.”
If we turn to 1 Corinthians 7:10-11, Paul sets forth his understanding of Jesus’ teachings (and remember, Paul was taught of the Lord Jesus for three years (Galatians 1:12, 18) and his words were inspired by the Holy Spirit). Paul makes it abundantly clear in these verses that what he is saying comes directly from the Lord and not from himself. Now, there is biblical grounds for separation (such as with an abusive husband), but the end goal should always be reconciliation (get him some help, pray for his salvation, and restore what God joined together). Otherwise, the Christian is commanded to remain single for the rest of his/her life, or until his/her spouse dies.
Look at what Mark 10:11-12 teaches. Both verses state that if the husband or wife divorce his/her spouse and marries another, he/she commits adultery against his/her spouse. Why? Because the covenant has not been disavowed. This is not speaking of something that happened before divorce, this is speaking with regard to after the divorce. By being with another person, he/she commits adultery against his/her spouse whom he/she has divorced. Look at what Luke 16:18 teaches. This verse states that whoever marries a divorced person commits adultery. In all three gospel records (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) we have all three parties being called adulterers in a divorce situation. All of this is after the divorce... not before it.
The grammar for the Greek word “commits” in these verses is present continuous, meaning that every moment it continues they are still committing adultery.
Examine Ecclesiastes 5:4-5. When we get married, we declare vows before God and our witnesses (friends and family), entering into a covenant (not a contract) with God and our spouse. This covenant is entered into by three people: God, the husband, and the wife. This covenant, like every covenant in the Bible, is until death. Malachi 2:14 says, “Because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.” If we marry an unbeliever and they leave us, we are still bound by our vows and by our covenant. Why? Because two of the three covenant parties still remain locked in that covenant—God and the believer. If we value these things and desire to honour and glorify God, we will remain single for the rest of our life or until God restores that relationship or until that spouse dies. In 1 Corinthians 7:12-16, which are Paul’s words, not God’s (although they are still inspired by the Holy Spirit), he never says that the Christian is free to remarry—ever. In fact, doing so would contradict what he just admitted God has said in verses 10-11. He also states in Romans 7:2-3 and 1 Corinthians 7:39 that only death can abolish the marriage covenant. Murder does not count. Bathsheba is never referred to as David's wife, but always as Uriah's wife (Matthew 1:6). Likewise, when Herodias divorced her husband Phillip and married Herod, John the baptizer referred to her as "Phillip's wife" (Matt. 14:3-4; Luke 3:19).
If we turn to 1 Corinthians 7:10-11, Paul sets forth his understanding of Jesus’ teachings (and remember, Paul was taught of the Lord Jesus for three years (Galatians 1:12, 18) and his words were inspired by the Holy Spirit). Paul makes it abundantly clear in these verses that what he is saying comes directly from the Lord and not from himself. Now, there is biblical grounds for separation (such as with an abusive husband), but the end goal should always be reconciliation (get him some help, pray for his salvation, and restore what God joined together). Otherwise, the Christian is commanded to remain single for the rest of his/her life, or until his/her spouse dies.
Look at what Mark 10:11-12 teaches. Both verses state that if the husband or wife divorce his/her spouse and marries another, he/she commits adultery against his/her spouse. Why? Because the covenant has not been disavowed. This is not speaking of something that happened before divorce, this is speaking with regard to after the divorce. By being with another person, he/she commits adultery against his/her spouse whom he/she has divorced. Look at what Luke 16:18 teaches. This verse states that whoever marries a divorced person commits adultery. In all three gospel records (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) we have all three parties being called adulterers in a divorce situation. All of this is after the divorce... not before it.
The grammar for the Greek word “commits” in these verses is present continuous, meaning that every moment it continues they are still committing adultery.
Examine Ecclesiastes 5:4-5. When we get married, we declare vows before God and our witnesses (friends and family), entering into a covenant (not a contract) with God and our spouse. This covenant is entered into by three people: God, the husband, and the wife. This covenant, like every covenant in the Bible, is until death. Malachi 2:14 says, “Because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.” If we marry an unbeliever and they leave us, we are still bound by our vows and by our covenant. Why? Because two of the three covenant parties still remain locked in that covenant—God and the believer. If we value these things and desire to honour and glorify God, we will remain single for the rest of our life or until God restores that relationship or until that spouse dies. In 1 Corinthians 7:12-16, which are Paul’s words, not God’s (although they are still inspired by the Holy Spirit), he never says that the Christian is free to remarry—ever. In fact, doing so would contradict what he just admitted God has said in verses 10-11. He also states in Romans 7:2-3 and 1 Corinthians 7:39 that only death can abolish the marriage covenant. Murder does not count. Bathsheba is never referred to as David's wife, but always as Uriah's wife (Matthew 1:6). Likewise, when Herodias divorced her husband Phillip and married Herod, John the baptizer referred to her as "Phillip's wife" (Matt. 14:3-4; Luke 3:19).