Divorce: The Deceitful Escape

How Bad Is It?

1. How committed are you in order to make things work?
2. How committed is your spouse to that end?
3. What are the 1-3 things that your spouse must address to improve your marriage?
4. What are the 1-3 things that you must address to improve your marriage?
5. What is your top reason to fight for your marriage?
   • For the sake of the children
   • For financial security
   • For maintaining reputation
   • For the glory of God

If your marriage motivation is anything other than godly intentions, you may begin to work on your marriage, but you will not last for long.

Should We Get a Divorce?

1. Jesus defined marriage as a covenant that is heterosexual, monogamous, and lifelong (Mark 10:1-12).
2. By determining what issues are worthy of divorce, many people attempt to discover a way out of their marriage.
3. Due to the stubborn nature of people, God provided a civil manner through divorce to protect families from more severe calamities (Deut. 24:1-4).
4. While divorce was permitted in the Bible, it was never promoted in the Bible.
5. Scripture permits divorce for two reasons:
   1. Adultery from an unfaithful spouse (Matt. 19:9)
   2. Abandonment from an unbelieving spouse (1 Cor. 7:15).
6. Scripture permits remarriage after an acceptable divorce or a spousal death (1 Cor. 7:39).

Is There Hope for Our Marriage?

1. Are you willing to work on your issues and be patient with your spouse’s issues?
2. What help will you seek to strengthen your marriage?
3. What type of person will you listen to through your struggles?
4. How convinced would others be of my effort to save my marriage?
5. How convinced would God be of my effort to save my marriage?

From Where Do Most of Our Issues Arrive (Eph. 5)?

1. Most women struggle in their marriages due to insecurity.
2. Most men struggle in their marriages due to insignificance.
3. Most women could strengthen their marriages through submission.
4. Most men could strengthen their marriages through sacrifice.

How Should We Live After a Divorce?

1. Learn from your mistakes so that you don’t repeat them.
2. Never make your child responsible for your happiness or your former spouse’s punishment.
3. You will never experience complete healing from a divorce until you forgive your former spouse.
4. A sign of forgiveness is when you want God’s best for the person you dislike the most.
5. You are not a second-rate Christian, but some challenges are now unavoidable.