26/07/2026
Speaker: Pastor Sarah Omakwu
Topic: Divorce and Remarriage
Scripture: Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:3-10; Mark 10:2-12; Ephesians 5:22-33; Romans 8:38-39
Marriage is a sacred covenant intended by God. The word "sacred" means "holy and deserving high respect." It also means something special and important that no one should change or break. It means to be separated from normal, secular things.
A marriage is sacred and should be separate from what happens in the world.
A covenant is a formal, binding agreement, promise or legal contract between two or more parties. It is deeper and more serious than a casual agreement, often creating a lasting, personal or relational commitment.
A holy matrimony is serious and should be entered into carefully, not casually.
Marriage is for life. It is intended to reflect the sacrificial love of Jesus so that He would have us forever. It is to be honored and kept till death do us part.
It is better not to make a vow, than to make one and break it. Ecclesiastes 5:4-6. God is angry when you change your mind. When you say "till death do us part", you should be Christian enough to stand by it.
God's standards for marriage is very high. He hates divorce. That is why marriage should not be entered into casually. Choose your spouse carefully.
As Christians, our standards are supposed to be higher. We are supposed to be people of integrity who say what we mean and mean what we say.
We should strive to be like God whose words never fall to the ground. Psalm 15:1-5.
Marriage is hard work. Good marriages don't just happen, they are worked out. It involves selflessness, killing the flesh, commitment, patience, forgiveness, repentance, faith, enduring and supernatural love, the God-kind of love.
When a couple chooses to have a God-centered marriage, their marriage will be strong and sweet. Continuous learning and growing together will keep your marriage strong.
What does the Bible say about Divorce and Remarriage?
Genesis 2:24
Marriage is a lifelong commitment from God's perspective. It is a faithful, sacrificial and mutual love. The Christian marriage should reflect a relationship between Jesus Christ and the church.
In Malachi 2:13-17, God was responding to the wickedness of men. He addressed the men exclusively because they were the perpetrators of divorce. He called divorce treacherous, a deliberate disloyalty or violation of trust.
The failure of any system is the failure of the head. If a marriage fails, that is because a man allows it.
Matthew 5:31-32; Luke 16:18
Divorce is not the will of God. It is a result of the hardness of heart. It is from selfishness, self-centeredness, unforgiveness and bitterness. To divorce and marry another, outside of the permitted reason, is to commit adultery. Romans 7:2-3; 1 Corinthians 7:10-15.
Marriage is a picture of Christ and the Church. Jesus shed His blood for the church; that was His bride price. He married a simple, incompatible, inconsistent bride. Yet, he does not divorce us. He has dedicated Himself to washing, cleaning and removing every spot or wrinkle. In the way Christ deals with the church, that is how we are to deal with our spouse in marriage.
In the case of abuse, the Bible does not list that as grounds for divorce. Battery and physical abuse are grievous sins, but it is not a reason for divorce. However, the affected spouse is permitted to leave until the issue is resolved.
Also, some unscriptural reasons for divorce are incompatibility, irreconcilable differences, no more love, financial difficulties, emotional neglect/loneliness, loss of intimacy, career/lifestyle differences, addictions, family and friends pressure, social media influence, unrealistic expectations.
Yet, none of the aforementioned is grounds for divorce.
In marriage, you fight the good fight of faith. All the above unscriptural reasons can be resolved. Seek godly counsel and therapy as a couple.
Rule out divorce and honor the marriage covenant. Real love is not two people avoiding pain, but two imperfect people learning how to carry life's burden together without letting what they have built together be destroyed.
There is joy ahead of you.
