{"id":11088,"date":"2022-07-28T14:20:43","date_gmt":"2022-07-28T19:20:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/?p=11088"},"modified":"2022-07-28T14:22:56","modified_gmt":"2022-07-28T19:22:56","slug":"god-hates-divorce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/god-hates-divorce\/","title":{"rendered":"Is It True That God Hates Divorce?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Despite popular belief, the divorce rate in the United States has been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/news\/best-states\/articles\/states-with-the-highest-divorce-rates\" data-lasso-id=\"24141\">steadily decreasing<\/a> since 2009. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, so has the marriage rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some <a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/5434949\/divorce-rate-children-marriage-benefits\/\" data-lasso-id=\"24142\">experts<\/a> chalk up the low divorce rate to the increase in singles, claiming it's not nearly as impressive as it seems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But God doesn't mind singleness.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He minds divorce&#8230; and <em>God hates divorce.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He tells us so in Malachi 2:16, \u201cFor I hate divorce!\u201d At first glance, God's exclamation seems harsh, but God hates divorce because He <em>is <\/em>love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To understand this concept better, let\u2019s dive into how the Bible defines love, marriage, and divorce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Does The Bible Define Love?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, the Apostle Paul defines love, modeling his definition after Jesus' teachings. Let\u2019s look at the verse line by line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Love is patient and kind:<\/strong> When Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone who has sinned against him, Jesus responded with seventy times seven. (Matthew 18:22). We know Jesus\u2019 answer to be genuine because of the way He continually and gently pursues us, even when we disappoint Him.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude: <\/strong>The Jewish people believed their Messiah would be a military figure, prepared to slaughter their oppressors, but God had different plans. Although He was the son of God, Jesus was humble. He unapologetically befriended people considered unworthy of God\u2019s love by the greater society, like prostitutes, lepers, and tax collectors.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>It does not demand its own way: <\/strong>In Matthew 26:36-42, we see Jesus filled with sorrow. He knows the cross is near and prays, \u201cMy Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.\u201d Despite Jesus\u2019 fear, He is willing to submit to God's plan. Can we say the same?&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged: <\/strong>Jesus was not angry with His persecutors. While hanging on the cross, He prayed, \u201cFather, forgive them, for they don\u2019t know what they are doing.\u201d (Luke 23:34)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out: <\/strong>Despite the treacherous journey Jesus would soon endure, He found a reason to rejoice, our freedom over death. The night before His crucifixion, Jesus described His eager desire to celebrate Passover, where He lovingly taught His disciples to take communion. (Luke 22:7-20)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance: <\/strong>Imagine if Jesus threw His hands in the air and decided His journey to the cross was just too difficult? We see Jesus abused, hated, and martyred throughout the Gospel. Yet, His faith in God and love for us continually renewed His endurance. The words He spoke in John 3:16 prove so.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The truth is, we all fall short of the Glory of God. Still, He loves us so much that He allowed His one and only son to suffer for our sins, and Jesus freely did. We could never earn such pure love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What better way to show our appreciation than to thank Him with our lives? So many people think that serving God begins in church, but the truth is your marriage is one of the best places to start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Does The Bible Say About Marriage?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you ever noticed that the Bible begins and ends (Revelation 19:7-9) with a wedding? God regards the sacred covenant so highly that He modeled our resurrection story off it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first recorded wedding in Genesis is far more than just a recollection of Adam and Eve\u2019s union. It foreshadows Jesus\u2019 promise to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Marriage Represents Christ and The Church<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Genesis%202%3A22-24&version=NIV\" data-lasso-id=\"24143\">Genesis 2:22-24<\/a> says,&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. \u2018At last!\u2019 The man exclaimed. \u2018This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called \u2018woman.\u2019 because she was taken from a man. This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>God formed Eve from Adam\u2019s rib to show that they were of the same substance\u2014one flesh, meant to remain side-by-side. The author of Genesis explains that because the bride is of her groom, a man should leave his family to live out his covenant with her.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Similarly, the church is the bride, and Jesus is the groom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus left His Father in Heaven to come to Earth and became the same substance as us\u2014mere flesh and bone that cried, bled, and faced temptation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Throughout Jesus\u2019 ministry on Earth, He taught the importance of baptism\u2014a display of our choice for and union with Him in eternal life. (Galatians 3:27)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, baptism alone does not save us. We must also surrender to Jesus\u2019 ultimate display of love\u2014His death and resurrection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Much like baptism, a wedding is a display of a union built on love. Also, like baptism, a wedding alone does not sustain our relationship with our spouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Self-sacrifice and love are the only things that maintain a marriage. The Apostle Paul makes this clear throughout <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bible.com\/bible\/114\/EPH.5.NKJV\" data-lasso-id=\"24144\">Ephesians 5<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Ephesians 5:24-25:<\/strong> \u201cAs the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husband in everything. For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church.\u201d<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Ephesians 5:31-33:<\/strong> \u201cAs the Scriptures say, \u2018A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.\u2019 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.\u201d<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Because marriage reflects our relationship with Christ, it is under constant attack from the enemy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Does God Hate Divorce?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The devil rejoices over divorce, and he uses our sin to facilitate it\u2014if we let him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you ever caught yourself excusing your transgressions toward your spouse with, \u201cThey just bring out the worst in me!&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019re not alone in that thinking, but that doesn\u2019t necessarily mean it's right. Then why do so many husbands and wives feel this way?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If marriage represents our relationship with Christ, then God works through it to make us more like Jesus\u2014if we let Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Refinement and recognition go hand-in-hand. Hence, the reason God exposes the majority of our sins through marriage, such as lust, jealousy, anger, and pride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Knowing this, ask yourself what you\u2019re resisting\u2014your temptations or your convictions. If we loved our spouses as Christ loves us, we could overpower the division brought about by sin in our marriages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>1 Peter 4:8 says, \u201cMost important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We know this is true because Jesus bore the weight of the entire world\u2019s sin when He hung on the cross. If Jesus could do this out of love for us, who are we to withhold such love from our spouse?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You might be thinking that loving your spouse as Jesus loves you feels near impossible, and you're probably not wrong. But that\u2019s because there\u2019s a third party at work\u2014the enemy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Read More:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/what-does-the-bible-say-about-divorce\/\" data-lasso-id=\"24145\">What Does The Bible Say About Divorce?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Enemy Loves Divorce<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In John 10:10, Jesus said, \u201cThe thief\u2019s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The devil craves sin. He uses it the same way God uses marriage. Once you realize this, it becomes easier to withstand his ploys to pit you against your husband or wife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The apostle Paul put it this way,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in the dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. (Ephesians 6:12)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The principalities of Hell are continually attempting to combat God\u2019s work in your life and marriage, whether it is through your sin or another person's sin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Read More:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/is-divorce-a-sin\/\" data-lasso-id=\"24146\">Is Divorce a Sin?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Resisting Divorce&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The solution is quite simple\u2014guard your heart with God's armor. Throughout Ephesians 6, Paul defines God's armor as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li>The belt of <strong>truth<\/strong><\/li><li>The body armor of <strong>God\u2019s righteousness<\/strong><\/li><li>The shoes of <strong>peace from the Good News<\/strong><\/li><li>The shield of <strong>faith<\/strong><\/li><li>The helmet of <strong>salvation<\/strong><\/li><li>The sword of the spirit, which is <strong>God\u2019s word<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, God's love is enough to overcome the enemy\u2019s attacks on our marriage. He will meet you and your spouse in the middle of the battle and carry you through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Studies support this notion. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgsu.edu\/arts-and-sciences\/psychology\/graduate-program\/clinical\/the-psychology-of-spirituality-and-family\/research-findings\/marriage-couples\/sanctification.html\" data-lasso-id=\"24147\">Research<\/a> shows that couples who view their marriage as sacred, or of God, experience improved satisfaction and communication, increased feelings of love, and less hostility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Before You Go<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s imperative that you know God hates divorce, not divorced people!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We previously quoted Malachi 2:16 when God exclaimed, \u201cI hate divorce!\u201d However, we must read the rest of the chapter. Malachi 2:15-16 says,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Didn\u2019t the Lord make you one with your wife? In body and spirit, you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth. <\/em><strong><em>&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><em>\u201cFor I hate divorce!\u201d says the Lord, the God of Israel. \u201cTo divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty,\u201d says the Lord of Heaven\u2019s Armies. \u201cSo guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to your wife.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes, divorce is the cause of abuse, adultery, or abandonment, all of which God hates just as much. Where there is divorce, there is injustice. It is the injustice that God hates, not you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Read More: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/biblical-grounds-for-divorce\/\" data-lasso-id=\"24148\">What Are The Biblical Grounds for Divorce?&nbsp;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Despite popular belief, the divorce rate in the United States has been steadily decreasing since 2009. However, so has the marriage rate. Some experts chalk up the low divorce rate to the increase in singles, claiming it&#8217;s not nearly as impressive as it seems. But God doesn&#8217;t mind singleness.&nbsp; He minds divorce&#8230; and God hates &#8230; <a title=\"Is It True That God Hates Divorce?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/god-hates-divorce\/\" aria-label=\"More on Is It True That God Hates Divorce?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":11090,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"God hates divorce. He tells us so in Malachi 2:16, \u201cFor I hate divorce!\u201d God&#039;s exclamation seems harsh, but...","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false},"categories":[150],"tags":[181,204],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Is-It-True-That-God-Hates-Divorce-600x400.jpg","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Is-It-True-That-God-Hates-Divorce-600x600.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Lauren Cook-McKay","author_link":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/author\/laurendivorceanswers-com\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11088"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11088"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11088\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11094,"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11088\/revisions\/11094"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11088"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11088"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11088"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}