Hi JeffH,
There is no doubt that God hates divorce, because it is the break down of a marriage because of some kind of immorality. But Jesus did speak about this matter and Ray did go over this in his article on 'Marriage.' Here is an excerpt from the article.
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,5675.0.html ---------
Mat 5:31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
v. 32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced commits adultery.
So Jesus did not even contradict the aspect of divorce, you know when they came to Him and said, can a man divorce for any reason. He said that if you put away your wife or divorced her, except it be for a cause of fornication or immorality - ‘porneia’ is the word, then you cause that person, if they go out and find another mate, then you cause them to commit adultery. You had no right to divorce that person.
Now He doesn’t say it specifically, but you can deduce, you know you can lawfully, legally and rightly deduce from what is said, something that isn’t said. If you shouldn’t divorce for that, “
except for fornication,” that means for fornication, you can divorce. So if Jesus Christ is putting His approval on a certain aspect of immorality where divorce can be involved, than He is also backing up the fact, that it was a legal marriage until the divorce came about.
Jesus does not contradict divorcement. If adultery is involved, Jesus okays the marriage of a divorced person.
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I think it would be a terrible thing for someone to think they were required to stay in an abusive marriage because of that statement "I hate divorce." Looking at all of the Scriptures concerning this matter is requires to get an understanding of it.
mercy, peace and love
Kat