Under What Condition Does God Permit Divorce in the New Testament?
1) Direct answer
Only one condition: fornication. The Lord permits putting away “except it be for fornication.” Outside of that, from the beginning it was not so.
2) Scriptural explanation
- Jesus said, “Moses suffered you to put away… but from the beginning it was not so… whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery” (Matthew 19:8–9; see also Matthew 5:32).
- The Bible shows what that exception looks like: Joseph, being espoused to Mary and not yet come together, “was minded to put her away privily,” thinking she had been unchaste before they joined (Matthew 1:18–20). That’s the very setting—betrothal/at the start, before consummation.
- Once joined, the Word says a wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives (Romans 7:2–3). If she departs, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled; and the husband is not to put away his wife (1 Corinthians 7:10–11). If an unbeliever departs, the brother or sister is “not under bondage” to force the cohabitation, but this does not cancel the life‑bond (1 Corinthians 7:15 compared with 7:39).
3) Simple clarifying logic
- From the beginning God made them one flesh. You don’t break what God joined by later sin; you deal with it by repentance and forgiveness. That’s why Jesus did not say “except for adultery,” but “except for fornication”—uncleanness discovered at the start, which shows the union was not cleanly entered.
- So the only God‑given ground to put away is fornication discovered at the beginning. Otherwise, no divorce, and no remarriage while the spouse lives.
4) Reinforcing statement
Now notice, the Bible says it plainly. One exception—fornication at the start. Beyond that, remain as you are or be reconciled.
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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.
An Exodus
56-0615 §19
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Does God ever change His mind about His Word?
65-0418E §49
Therefore, all these things that had a beginning has to have an end. All sin has to come to annihilation. All sin has to be done away with. Therefore, in the great millennium when the resurrection comes, we will not have to be reborn again by our fathers and mothers, but God, like He did in the beginning, will call man from the dust of the earth and his helpmate with him. That's right. That's the way He did it at the beginning. So therefore God never changes his mind about anything, but He will permit you to go on....
The invisible union of the Bride of Christ
65-1125 §14
Now, in Romans 7, trusting that you have your Bibles open everywhere now across the country, we want to read closely. Now, this message out of here, it seems like it's on marriage and divorce; but it really isn't. To me it's a prophecy for the church in the last days. Let us read. Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husban...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 1:E-68
Let me drop in something here that will both amaze and help you. There is hardly a student that does not believe the New Testament was originally in the Greek language. All our great Bible students have said that God gave the world three great nations with three great contributions for the sake of the Gospel. He gave the Greeks who gave a universal language. He gave us the Jews who gave us the true religion and true knowledge of God through the Saviour. He gave us the Romans who gave us a unified empire with law an...
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...