Is Divorce (Even Without Remarriage) A Sin ?
Some Christians say it is okay for a person to divorce (or separate from) their rightful spouse for a reason other than fornication as long as no remarriage follows. But I am thinking a crucial difference in Matthew 5:32 and Matthew 19:9 is being overlooked.Matt 19:9a says “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery” while Matt 5:32a says “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery.”Remarriage on the part of the one doing the putting away is discussed in Matt 19:9, but not in Matt 5:32. Even though there is some disagreement about what “causeth her to commit adultery” might mean (I have my definite ideas), I think all should be able to agree it is a bad thing spiritually to cause someone to commit adultery (whatever that means). And that would mean it is a sin to divorce your spouse (even if you don’t remarry) because God says divorcing them causes your spouse to commit adultery – a bad thing spiritually.And situation ethics does not change God’s law on this issue any more than it does on any other issue (Romans 3:8, I Chronicles 13:7-10).