Marriage and Divorce: Malachi #4. This is an exposition of Malachi 2:10-16. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, September 6, 2015.
Intro:
I don’t understand how they can do it. Why would anyone wish to heap judgment upon his or her head? Yet regularly I get calls from people who want to get married and they are looking for a church. They don’t go to church. They are not involved in a church. They are not interested in serving God but they do want a church wedding. My question to them is, “Why?” “Why are you bothering to ‘get married’?” “Why don’t you just live together?” “Why do you want to stand in a church, before witnesses, in the presence of God and swear to do things you have no intention of doing?” For some reason, I don’t get asked to do a lot of weddings!
It is the most solemn, official commitment a person can make. What could be more serious or official than the promise to, “love and cherish in sickness and in health, for better or for worse as long as you both shall live…” and swear to that in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit? And yet most think nothing of trashing such vows. We can point fingers and sneer at the “Hollywood crowd” and bemoan their lack of morals. Exchanging marriage partners the way most of us change socks. We can talk of those “secularist” who have no fear of God but the church’s track record isn’t much better. Alarming numbers of believers are divorcing.
80 years ago, Walter Maier, the first voice of the Lutheran Hour, warned of the coming dangers if the trends of the 1930s continued. Maier predicted that by 1950 one-fourth of all marriages would end in divorce. By 1990 one in two would end in divorce. He was considered an alarmist. No one believed his “harebrained” hallucination. In 1920 there was one divorce for every seven marriages. In 1940 there was one divorce for every six marriages. In 1960 there was one divorce for every four marriages. In 1972 there was one divorce for every three marriages and in 1977 (13 years ahead of schedule) there was one divorce for every two marriages!
Of course as of June of this year we no longer believe that marriage is limited to a relationship between a man and a woman. The definition of marriage has been completely and forever altered. Beyond that, an increasing number see no validity in marriage to begin with. Many are saying it doesn’t make any difference anyway. The results are devastating on society.
But what has brought us to this point? As with most things, there are a multitude of causes depending on the point of reference. But like most problems the underlying causes are spiritual. At the heart of the spiritual cause is the breakdown of faithfulness to biblical standards concerning marriage.
Text: Malachi 2:10-16
Divorce was rampant in Malachi’s day as was “mixed marriage.”
By mixed I mean – believer and unbeliever – not a racial issue (don’t get me started).
It is apparent that this was not just a problem “among the people” but also the priests!
The trend today, like that of Malachi’s day, is to lower the biblical standard. I believe the Scripture is clear – there are biblical grounds for divorce. That is God allows it under some circumstances – he does not command it – but allows for it.
Deuteronomy 24 – “some indecency” (sexual intercourse, morally repugnant)
Matthew 19:1-10 – “sexual immorality,” “adultery”
1 Corinthians 7:15 – an unbelieving spouse leaves, abandons
The problem is, these few and carefully qualified exceptions have been used to excuse almost anything and open the door to remarriages that in the vast majority of cases must be judged offensive to God on the basis of Malachi 2:16 and other passages.
Three things to note:
- Marriage is God’s Idea
- The Danger of Mixed Marriage
- God’s Hatred of Divorce
Malachi 2:16 – we often read that God hates sin but rarely is a specific sin named. This one is. Why is that? I can think of three reasons.
- God hates divorce because it is a man or woman’s breaking faith.
- God hates divorce because it is harmful.
- God hates divorce because it distorts and disfigures his image.
Our marriages are to be a reflection of Christ and his church.
It is not enough to decry the moral decay reflected in gay marriage or adultery or fornication. We must hold high the biblical standard of marriage one man, one woman together for life in a loving, giving, and sacrificial relationship.