What is God’s view on marriage, manhood, and womanhood? Is divorce permissible? and if so, under what conditions? Does divorce automatically qualify a Christian for remarriage? Is remarriage an acceptable choice for the repentant party? Is there any benefit to not marrying and living a single life? How important are children in God’s society and how should we treat them? In chapter 19 of Matthew, Jesus will answer all of these questions which, centuries later, still weigh heavily on the church.
There are few institutions in our society as foundational as marriage and few that are under as much assault. About 40 percent of babies born in America today are born outside of marriage. Since the passage of no-fault divorce laws in the 1970s, the stigma of fragmented families no longer exists, even among cultural and religious conservatives. Sadly for an ever-increasing number of people, divorce and single parenthood have become a way of life. If we add to that, society’s assault on traditional marriage in their efforts to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples, we can see how Satan has marriage at the bullseye of his onslaught, aiming at the destruction of society in general, and Christian families, specifically. The reason for this targeted effort is because marriage, more than any other social structure, portrays the relationship of God with His people. In attacking the foundations of marriage, Satan is attempting to smear the reputation of Christ’s love for the church. This is why God makes His will concerning such issues quite clear, and we do not have a right to redefine His word simply because of changing times.
