Change of Companion

Some people feel justified because they live with only one companion at a time, though they change companions at will. They are prepared to put one companion away and have another, on the slightest pretext. This is nothing short of the sin of adultery. Others also say that there is no sin in living with one companion and gratifying their fleshly lusts with unmarried persons, so long as they have no intention of marrying them. This is nothing short of sin. Those who live such lives incur God’s wrath and judgement upon themselves, if they do not repent.

“Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

“Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (I Corinthians 6:9, 10).

Should There Be any Occasion for Remarriage?

Our Lord makes it quite clear that there is no occasion for remarriage after divorce has been effected.

“But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery” (Matthew 5:32).

Paul in his Epistle to the Corinthians, made this same point clear that there can be no remarriage while one’s rightful companion still lives.

“And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:

“But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

“The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord” (I Corinthians 7:10, 11, 39).

People may endeavour to find loopholes whereby they may be divorced and remarried, but the Word of God remains always the same from age to age, and those who wish to be true followers of Jesus will walk in the light of the divine words of admonition.

Let us now dwell on some occasions for which some Africans justify remarriage after divorce, and which to all appearances seems reasonable enough, but which are not in accordance with God’s divine will as revealed in His Holy Word. The first, is “Child-marriage,” or to be more correct, “Child-bethrothal.” Parents make marriage contracts for their children while they are small, but allow them the option of accepting or refusing the one chosen for them when they have grown to maturity or the age of puberty. The marriage ceremony is not performed until both persons concerned have given their approval of the match; and, therefore, if after living together as husband and wife for a period of time, they then discover that they are not suited to each other, this is no excuse for them to break God’s command. All they need to do is to go to God in prayer and seek for the grace and wisdom to live the rest of their days in peace and contentment. In Hebrew 13:4 we read:

“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge”.

Some teenagers who marry when they are not yet aware of the responsibilities of marital life, also justify their divorce and remarriage on the strength that the match was arranged for them by their parents. It is true that parents do arrange the match, but the couple are also given the option to agree or disagree with their parents if they so desire, before the actual marriage takes place. Therefore, they have no grounds on which to marry again if they do decide to be divorced.

“And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.

“And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery” (Mark 10:11,12).

Another occasion for which people think they can be divorced and remarried is when their union is destitute of issue. This is a condition which Africans consider very pathetic and unbearable, and therefore pressure is made to bear on the couple, by relatives and friends. Those who prefer to live with only one woman at a time, rather than live in polygamy, therefore resort to divorce and remarry. Our Lord’s injunctions give no room for us to consider barrenness in the married state, a just cause for divorce or remarriage. Married couples who face such a problem, would do well therefore, to take it to the Lord in prayer and be willing to accept whatever God thinks best for them.

Some of those who have been married discover that they have to face the problem of some protracted illness. People argue that in such a case, the only course to take is to be separated and to be remarried; but nowhere in the Scriptures did our Lord allow for this. Marriages solemnised in Christian churches leave no room for separation on that account of illness, because the vows taken by both the husband and wife includes: “…and solemnly promise, God helping you, that you will be a true and devoted husband to her? That you will love, honour, cherish, and protect her, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, in adversity and in prosperity? And that you will keep yourself to him, and to him alone, until God by death, shall separate you?” We see from these vows that are taken by both husband and wife that separation and remarriage are out of the question; but most Africans consider it so important to be fruitful and multiply, that this often overrides their better judgement. Instead of resigning themselves to their fate, they find it necessary to increase their families in any other way possible. In spite of all this, our Lord’s injunction is,

“Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery” (Luke 16:18).

This includes all mankind, for Jesus made no exceptions for persons who were remarried before they were saved. He pronounced them guilty of living in adultery.