It hath been said, whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: but I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. Matthew 5:31-32
In 1969, future president Ronald Reagan signed a no-fault divorce law into effect in the state of California. This was the first such law in the nation, but today every state holds a similar statute. In its effect it declared that marriage was not a covenant before God but was simply an institution of man which was of no more significance than an agreement between individuals, which could be ended at any time, for any reason or no for reason at all. Reagan would later admit this was the worst mistakes of his career.
The evangelical church in America largely allowed this change to go unchallenged. It was argued that this was a necessary step allowing a peaceful way to end a bad marriage without ruining reputations or incentivizing perjury in court.
But there is no such thing as a peaceful divorce.
Jesus declares that only fornication can end a marriage. There is either fornication before the divorce or there will be fornication after the divorce. By codifying into law that 2 people may divorce for no reason at all – the state lied about what a marriage is and sanctioned adultery. The state legislated sexual immorality. And this 46 years before the Obergefell decision.
If there is no God above the state, then the state becomes god.
But what about you? Do you tell the truth about what marriage is? Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her. Do you profess this truth about marriage in your actions? Or do you allow days to go by in which you define marriage differently, telling yourself today I don’t need to sacrifice for my wife, after what she did or what she said, she doesn’t deserve it. That is not marriage, that is a lie.
And likewise, wives, do you profess biblical marriage with your actions? Submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. Respect your husband. The one you have right now, not the one you wish your husband became. Do this today, and tomorrow and until death do you part. And in this way, stand on the truth.
Zach Browning – January 28, 2024
