Biblical Marriage and Divorce | Reference

November 7th, 2025
by Pastor Zachary Sperback
Basic Rule:
  • No divorce or remarriage (1 Corinthians 7:10-11):
    • "Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife."
    • If divorce happens, remain unmarried or reconcile.

Exceptions Where Remarriage Is Allowed:
  • Sexual Immorality
    • Matthew 5:32 NKJV: "But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery."
    • Matthew 19:9 NKJV: "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery."
    • Condition: If a spouse commits sexual sin, divorce and remarriage are allowed.

  • Abandonment by an Unbelieving Spouse 
    • 1 Corinthians 7:15 NKJV: "But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace."
    • Condition: If an unbelieving spouse leaves, the believer is free to remarry.

Other Points:
  • Abuse: Not directly addressed in the Bible, but separation is encouraged.
    • Reconciliation: Even after adultery, forgiveness and reconciliation are possible 
      • Ephesians 4:32, NKJV "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."

  • Remaining Single: After divorce, remaining single may be the best option 
    • 1 Corinthians 7:32-35, NKJV: "But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord."

Marriage Scenarios:
  1. Unsaved marries unsaved
    • OK: This is a non-Christian marriage, but not condemned in Scripture.
    • Verses: Not directly addressed, but all marriages are seen as valid.
  2. Unsaved marries saved
    • Not OK: Biblically invalid marriage.
    • Verses: 2 Corinthians 6:14 (NKJV)
      "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers."
  3. Saved marries saved
    • OK: This is ideal and encouraged in the Bible.
    • Verses: 1 Corinthians 7:39 (NKJV) encourages believers to marry "only in the Lord." 
    • "She is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord."

Divorce and Remarriage Scenarios:
  1. Divorced woman (due to husband's sexual immorality) marries a man whose wife had died
    • OK: She is free to remarry, and the widower is also free to remarry.
    • Verses: Matthew 19:9, Romans 7:2-3 (NKJV)
      "For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband."
  2. Divorced woman (due to her own sexual immorality) remarries
    • Not OK: Remarriage is not allowed for the one who was at fault in the divorce.
    • Verses: Matthew 19:9 (NKJV)
      "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery."
  3. Divorced man (due to his wife's sexual immorality) remarries
    • OK: The innocent party is free to remarry.
    • Verses: Matthew 19:9 (NKJV)
      "...whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery."
  4. Divorced man (due to his own sexual immorality) remarries
    • Not OK: Remarriage for the guilty party is not biblically supported.
    • Verses: Matthew 19:9 (NKJV)
  5. Believer divorces an unbeliever who abandons the marriage and remarries
    • OK: If an unbelieving spouse leaves, the believer is not bound and is free to remarry.
    • Verses: 1 Corinthians 7:15 (NKJV)
      "But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases."
  6. Divorced believer (for reasons other than sexual immorality or abandonment) remarries
    • Not OK: If the divorce was not for biblical reasons, remarriage is considered adultery.
    • Verses: Matthew 5:32 (NKJV)
      "But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery."
  7. Widower remarries a divorced woman (for biblical reasons)
    • OK: If the divorced woman was innocent (i.e., her spouse committed sexual immorality), she can remarry, and the widower is free to marry.
    • Verses: Matthew 19:9, Romans 7:2-3 (NKJV)
  8. Widower remarries a woman divorced for unbiblical reasons
    • Not OK: Remarrying someone who was divorced for non-biblical reasons is considered adultery.
    • Verses: Luke 16:18 (NKJV)
      "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery."
  9. Divorced woman (without biblical grounds) remains unmarried or reconciles with her husband
    • OK: Staying single or reconciling with the original spouse is allowed and encouraged.
    • Verses: 1 Corinthians 7:11 (NKJV)
      "But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband."
10. Divorced man (without biblical grounds) remains unmarried or reconciles with his wife
  • OK: The man should remain single or reconcile with his wife.
  • Verses: 1 Corinthians 7:11 (NKJV)
11. Unmarried man marries a widowed woman
  • OK: The widowed woman is free to remarry, and the man is free to marry her.
  • Verses: Romans 7:2-3 (NKJV)
12. Unmarried man marries a divorced woman (for biblical reasons)
  • OK: If the woman’s divorce was for reasons of sexual immorality or abandonment, it is allowed.
  • Verses: Matthew 19:9, 1 Corinthians 7:15 (NKJV)
13. Unbeliever divorces and remarries another unbeliever
  • OK: Scripture does not address non-believers directly, so their remarriage is not condemned.
  • Verses: Not directly addressed in Scripture.

General Conclusion:
  • OK to remarry: When the divorce occurred due to sexual immorality (Matthew 19:9), abandonment by an unbelieving spouse (1 Corinthians 7:15), or death of a spouse (Romans 7:2-3).
  • Not OK to remarry: When the divorce occurred for unbiblical reasons (Matthew 5:32) or the person is the guilty party in the divorce.
  • God hates divorce
    • Malachi 2:16, NKJV: "For the LORD God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one’s garment with violence."
  • Divorce is discouraged, but exceptions exist.
  • God values reconciliation and forgiveness.
Pastor Zachary Sperback,
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Posted in References
Posted in marriage, divorce, remarriage