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Matthew 5:31-32
In Matthew 5:27-30 Jesus taught about ridding ourselves of sin addictions in our lives, and uses adultery as an example. In Matthew 5:31-32 Jesus continues with the theme of adultery but in reference to divorce. Moses had given permission for a man to divorce his wife if he, “found some uncleanness in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce…” (Deuteronomy 24:1, NKJV). But Jesus explains the gift of marriage in a different and more sacred way. Jesus explains His thoughts on marriage in more detail in Matthew 19:4-6 as He states, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ (Genesis 1:27; 5:2) and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? (Genesis 2:24). So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”
This is a command to value the bond of marriage as it is a gift from God.
God intended the bond of marriage to be an example and experience of the power in a relational bond, just as He desires to have with each of us. He gave us the example of the bond of marriage to allow us to experience the power of love for one another on a personal level so that we may gain insight into the powerful love that He has for us. The relationship that He desires to have with us is a love from Him that is even greater than the personal bond we experience with our spouse. 1 John 4:16 teaches us, “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” In the holy bond of marriage is seen the love of God that should be valued as dedication and purity to one another as God’s love for us is pure and dedicated forever. But we must also realize that we are not pure as only God is pure; we make mistakes, and we end marriages without concern for the purity that is intended to be seen in marriage. But God is love. God will forgive all who come to Him with a sincere heart in repentance…and that is the gift of God’s love to all humanity… forgiveness in Christ Jesus.
Dear LORD,
You have given us so many examples of Your great love for us to guide us to You that we may rekindle a lost relationship with our Creator and heavenly Father who longs for us to return to Him and be forgiven for straying away from our source of life. Please help us to see the love that You have for us and allow us to experience in marriage that we would see the power of love that saved the world from sin – in Christ! In Jesus name I pray, amen.