The family is an institution conceived by God and is the foundation of any society. No culture can survive the dissolution of this most vital structure without the destruction of itself in the process. Genesis 2:18 states And the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him. The Amplified Bible brings out the idea that the woman was formed to help complete man. Now the Lord God said, It is not good(sufficient, satisfactory) that man should be alone, I will make him a helper meet ( suitable, adapted, completing) for him.

This partnership became the intimate, nurturing unit for children arising from this union. Furthermore, the family became the primary worshiping unit of society, existing long before the organized structure of the church. The father was the priest and charged with bringing his children up in the ways of the Lord. This was especially true of the patriarch Abraham who became the founder of the Hebrew nation. Genesis 18:19. For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has spoken to him. In the New Testament the same duty applies as seen in Ephesians 6:4, And you, fathers , do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

From the beginning, then, the family a God-given gift and the union between man and wife considered inseparable except because of death. When confronted by the issue of divorce, Jesus made His position quite clear. But from the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. (Mark 10:6-9).

Nor was divorce simply a New Testament issue to be addressed.. Leviticus 21:7 states, The priests must not marry women defiled by prostitution or women that have been divorced, for the priests must be set apart to God as holy. In the fourteenth verse it is reiterated in almost the same way. He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, or a woman defiled by prostitution. She must be a virgin from his own clan.

If a man thought there was some unfaithfulness on the part of his wife and she was subsequently found to be innocent, it is interesting to see what the Scriptures demanded of the accusing husband. Deuteronomy 22:19, They will fine him one hundred pieces of silver, for he falsely accused a virgin of Israel. The payment will be made to the woman’s father. The woman will then remain the man’s wife, and he may never divorce her.

The Bible also states what the procedure is for a couple who have sexual relations before marriage. Then the man who lay with her shall give to the young woman’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife because he has humbled her; he shall not be permitted to divorce her all her days, Deuteronomy 22:29.

One of the most powerful teaching on divorce is found in the second chapter of Malachi. The people are questioning why God no longer regards their offerings. One of the reasons is the treachery of divorce. Malachi 2:13-14, And this is the second thing you do: You cover the altar of the Lord with your tears, Withweeping and crying; So He does not regard the offering anymore, Nor receive it with goodwill from your hands. Yet you say “For what reason/” Because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth,with whom ye have dealt treacherously; Yet she is your companion And your wife by covenant. The Lord goes on to say, For the Lord God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one’s garment with violence, Says the Lord of hosts. Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously.

It would be ludicrous to think that God would change His mind in the New Testament. As a matter of fact, during Christ’s time there were two views relative to divorce. One group accepted divorce for almost any reason while the other restricted it solely to unfaithfulness in marriage. Obviously the Pharisees wanted to have Jesus caught up in this debate. His answer must have been rather thought-provoking. In Matthew 19:8-9 it states, He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another commiteth adultery: and whoso marrieth her that is put away committeth adultery. The disciples seemed to be shocked by His answer and suggested that if such be the case it would be better not to marry.

Other New Testament passages also reinforce this teaching. 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 states, Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: a wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.

Romans 7:2-3 is very clear. For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law of her husband so long as he liveth, but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

Despite the standards of modern society relative to divorce and re-marriage, the Bible is still the only authoritative voice on the subject for the child of God. While it is impossible to guarantee that the Christian home will never have to experience this kind of trauma, there are some things that can be done to cut down on the chances of this occurring. First, it is important to earnestly seek for God’s guidance relative to one’s life partner. God must be central in one’s life even if it means His will is for a person to remain single. Secondly, God must be made the center of all relationships, including marriage. The closer each person gets to God, the closer he or she will get to the other partner. It stands to reason that both partners must be overcoming Christians. The Bible makes this very clear in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God hath said; “ I will dwell with themAnd walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be my people.” Therefore Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, And you shall be my sons and daughters says the Lord Almighty.

There are many other areas that could be discussed that could be helpful in divorce-proofing one’s marriage but they would require a discussion beyond the parameters of this paper. In summation let it be said that God sets a very high premium on the family in general and the institution of marriage in particular. “What God hath joined together, let no man put asunder!”