PLAIN, SIMPLE TEACHING
In Malachi 2:16 we read, "For Yahweh, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away". Even without remarriage, the act of putting away one's partner is hated by God. This should be sufficient in itself for believers to refrain from divorce, whether they are contemplating remarriage or not. Malachi's time must have been characterized by unfaithfulness in marriage, for the prophet says, "Yahweh hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant."(Mal 2:14). Even after a man had "put away" his wife, she was still "the wife of thy covenant". As far as God was concerned the marriage still existed, and "putting away" did not bring it to an end. Our marriage is a binding covenant, and cannot be dissolved! It is characteristic of the wicked that they are "covenant-breakers" (Rom 1:31). Shall we break our marriage-vows, and become covenant-breakers like those in the world? Israel after the flesh were commanded "If a man vow a vow unto Yahweh, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth" (Num 30:2). How much more should Israel after the spirit hold steadfast to their vows, whether concerning marriage, or anything else! When we make our marriage vows, we make them before Yahweh! "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?" (Ecc 5:4-6). If we divorce our partner we are saying "before the angel" that our marriage vow was "an error", and the thought that God will be angry with us for doing so is a very sobering thought.
Luke 16:18 records some words of Jesus which are quite plain and emphatic, "Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery". It is quite obvious from these words of Jesus that remarriage after divorce is adultery. It can only be adultery if, so far as God is concerned, the first marriage has not been dissolved. Remarriage after divorce is living in sin!Therefore, every time a man or woman come together with someone other than their first spouse, they must be committing adultery. Remarriage, then, during the lifetime of a first spouse, is a continuing state of adultery. Adultery is sin! Therefore, remarriage after divorce is living in sin! The words of the Spirit through Paul are very apt here, "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Rom 6:1 & 2). While a single act of adultery, committed on the spur of the moment, heinous though it might be, if repented of, will be forgiven, those who persist in adultery must face a bleak future, "neither fornicators, ......nor adulterers, ...... shall inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Cor 6:9 & 10). Again the words of the Apostle Paul in Heb 13:4, "adulterers God will judge".