2026 0125 Broken Marriage Covenant
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 4 viewsNotes
Transcript
One Man - One Woman
One Man - One Woman
He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind” when they were created.
What Does This Mean
What Does This Mean
“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
husband and wife is the cornerstone of human relations
Jesus is the cornerstone of marriage
family unit is the basic building block for the human race
Marriage the Precursor for Family
Marriage the Precursor for Family
the act of intimacy is for becoming one
it is uniting husband and wife as one
The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.
The Covenant
The Covenant
two becomes one flesh
one flesh signifies an oneness, a inseparable being
husband and widfe as one
this is God’s design
Jesus is the third person in the one flesh
The Old Testament
The Old Testament
Unfaithfulness
Unfaithfulness
Do we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our ancestors by being unfaithful to one another? Judah has been unfaithful. A detestable thing has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem: Judah has desecrated the sanctuary the Lord loves by marrying women who worship a foreign god. As for the man who does this, whoever he may be, may the Lord remove him from the tents of Jacob—even though he brings an offering to the Lord Almighty.
Unfaithfulness by Judah
Unfaithfulness by Judah
spiritual fact - Judah is unfaithful
has not kept the covenant of Abraham, Isaac and jacob
this is spiritual unfaithful
even though it is only physical
the natural event reveals a spiritual attitude
sin happens - proof of unfaithfulness
Unfaithfulness by Man
Unfaithfulness by Man
Another thing you do: You flood the Lord’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favor on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands.
Malachi prophesizes to the nation
lack of favour with offerings point to a deeper spiritual condition
the self pity is overwhelming but meaningless
the Lord is deaf to the works of man
You ask, “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.
Malachi reveals the Lord’s principle
the marriage covenant is as important as the covenant of Abraham
God is the witness
God is an active participant in the marriage covenant
Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.
more points of order given
God made each one of us - Genesis 5
body and spirit - the whole being
a warning to not be unfaithful
“The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.
divorce is an act of violence by the man
it is directed to the wife -
protection is required
The New Testament
The New Testament
we are now living in the new covenant of grace
so how does jesus express marriage and divorce?
how does Paul express marriage and divorce?
has the church express correctly marriage and divorce?
Jesus
Jesus
I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
man’s heart is hard
divorce is not permitted in God’s scheme of things
divorce happens but do not remarry
except for sexual immorality then it is adultery
adultery happens if there is a remarry
the same principle applies to the wife
To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
the context is very much Jewish
Paul agreeing with Jesus in this specific circumstance
marriage covenant is embedded in God’s broader covenant
Paul
Paul
To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.
Paul was an apostle to the Gentiles
godly principles replacing worldly practice
marriage covenant was not an obligation nor an expectation
becoming a believer brought godliness into every aspect of life
there has to be a reassessment of the marriage covenant
the covenant is still absolute and appropriate
Paul says I not the Lord!!
Divorce Permitted?
Divorce Permitted?
divorce is still a matter of the heart
still a matter of hardness of man’s heart
in the world there are three possible positions
both spouses are believers
no divorce should be considered
both spouses are unbelievers before salvation comes
God’s covenant cannot apply
still the best practice is not to divorce
one spouse is a believer
no divorce if the unnbeliever wishes to uphold the covenant
life gets messy as we deal with our sin and selfishness
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
as a believer do not become yoked with an unbeliever
in marriage or in life generally
applicable if one is already a believer
matters of the heart can complicate your decision making
God’s grace will provide a godly response
Grounds for Divorce
Grounds for Divorce
Jesus - unfaithfulness or adultery
the church has generally taken this as sexual
yet the two becomes one
the story of the nation of Israel was spiritual adultery
can you be unfaithful in spirit, mind or body?
Being Unfaithful
Being Unfaithful
physical violence is never acceptable
Ephesians 5:29
After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—
emotional blackmail is selfishness and manipulation
lack of agreement is not God’s way
marriage is a lifelong journey of becoming one with your spouse
Liberty’s Position
Liberty’s Position
if married then stay married
apply Christ’s grace in every aspect of married life
not easy
dealing with self and your sin is never easy
break the covenant with no restoration then
divorce may be the only alternative
violence even death at the hands of your spouse is not is God’s kingdom or will
will try to restore Godly attitude and behaviour at first
