Can Christians Divorce?
1) Direct Answer
No. God’s will is one man and one woman for life. A Christian is not to divorce. If separation must occur, the believer is to remain unmarried or be reconciled. Remarriage while a living spouse remains is adultery.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- From the beginning: “They two shall be one flesh…what God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6).
- God hates putting away (Malachi 2:16).
- Jesus restored the original standard: “Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so” (Matthew 19:8).
- The “exception” Jesus named is fornication (Matthew 19:9; 5:32). Now notice, Scripture itself shows what that means: Joseph “being a just man…was minded to put her away privily” when he thought Mary had been unclean before they came together (Matthew 1:18-19). That deals with discovering unchastity at the start of the union—not granting a license to dissolve a consummated marriage.
- After marriage is joined, Jesus said plainly: “Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery” (Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18).
- Paul confirms: “Let not the wife depart… but and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband” (1 Corinthians 7:10-11). A believer is “not under bondage” to force an unbelieving spouse to stay (1 Corinthians 7:15), yet this does not open the door to remarriage; he later says, “The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth” (1 Corinthians 7:39; Romans 7:2-3).
- Leadership standard: an overseer must be “the husband of one wife” (1 Timothy 3:2). That’s why men who came into the faith already with more than one wife were received as believers but not placed in church office.
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- God joins; man must not tear apart what God joined.
- Moses permitted divorce because of hardness of heart; Jesus lifted it back to God’s first intent.
- If divorce were allowed for any later offense or convenience, Jesus would not have called remarriage “adultery,” nor would Paul have commanded separated believers to remain unmarried or be reconciled.
- If an unbeliever departs, the believer is called to peace; but Scripture still binds the marriage bond while the spouse lives.
4) Short Reinforcing Statement
Come as you are, repent of past wrongs, and walk clean from now on. Don’t break up more homes. If you’re already entangled, stay as you are and live faithfully to Christ; but do not seek remarriage while a living spouse remains. God honors His Word and heals where we submit to it.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Is your life worthy of the Gospel?
63-0630E §107
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Questions and Answers on Genesis
53-0729 §32
...t Shreveport. They was talking about the women, and should women wear long hair. And I said, "A woman that bobbed her hair, her husband had a right---and a Bible right---to divorce her." That's right. That's what the Bible says. That's exactly right. Oh, my! Holy Ghost women sitting there. Just the way they been taught, that's all, see. Yes, that's slipped loosely. He said, "Now, if they would cut it, if there's something wrong they have to cut their hair," said, "let them take a razor and shave it all off and make...
Marriage and Divorce
65-0221M §93
...said that. Now notice that, that how it is. But you see, woman, you are a jewel if you want to be a jewel, but the desire has to be by you. And you see why the marriage and divorce was, that Jesus pointed back yonder? It was because your kind was the cause of all sin. That's the reason polygamy and divorce and things was introduced. At the beginning it never was so and it won't be so in the world over yonder.
Marriage and Divorce
65-0221M §4
And now, this morning is that great subject we're to discuss on "Marriage and Divorce." And the reason I've made it Sunday school, so that we could talk about it and take our time. Instead of preaching a sermon on it, it's a teaching from the Scripture. And I want to say that if any minister or ministers, anyplace, should this tape ever fall into their hands... If we release this tape ... I don't know what the church will do about it. I am asking Brother Fred to see the church board before he releases this tape. An...
The Inner Man
53-1212 §80
...re was a girl sitting here praying. A young woman ... I thought it, but I looked it... Oh, I see now. Here she is. It's your daughter. And you're worried... Oh, yes. It's a divorce case between her and her husband, and there's two little children in that, isn't there? That's right. There's two little children. It's a divorce case. And then your husband is standing there, too. He's trying to do something. He's trying to get rid... Oh, it's alcoholic. He's trying to become ... Is that right? Get rid of it so he can b...