God And His Word - A Question And Answer Approach To Understanding The Bible

9. THE SAME REASONS MOTIVATE CHRISTIANS TO SEPARATE! Christians should closely guard their marriages against the above mentioned problems. If the Spirit of Christ is maintained in both hearts, any of these marriage breakers will lose its influence. Love always triumphs! 10. DOES GOD EVER GIVE PERMISSION TO DISSOLVE THE MARRIAGE COVENANT? According to the Lord Jesus Christ, only one offense will justifiably warrant the annulment of the marriage covenant. Fornication - illicit sexual relations - is justifiable grounds for divorce. Matthew 19:9. 11. AT THIS POINT LET US CONSIDER TWO IMPORTANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SOCIETY OF BIBLE TIMES AND THE PRESENT. A. In both Old Testament and New Testament times, polygamy was an accepted way of life; therefore, men did not always think in terms divorcing one woman in order to get another - he simply added another wife. Even if a man were to lose his wife through divorce, he possibly would still have another wife living with him! Note Jacob in Genesis 29. Paul in the New Testament wisely instructs that bishops and deacons should have only one wife, thereby setting an example that would eventually clear a Christian community of multiple marriages. 1 Timothy 3:2, 12. B. In the Old Testament a mate that was guilty of adultery was stoned to death, thereby making the marriage contract completely void! Leviticus 18:20, 29; 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22-27; Proverbs 6:29. Divorce in Old Testament times did not mean that the innocent party was forbidden to have again a marriage partner! 222