Christians OK to Legalize Divorce in Philippines

By: Rev. Jesse Amiel A. Ramoso

       The church once again will face into a dilemma of dealing with this new propose bill, the divorce. Just recently the government succeeded in making RH bill into a law, and many congregations and churches were divided to which side they should stand. Some churches are in favour for the law and others are not. Now, the divorce bill will be soon come to its way on making it as a law. We cannot expect other organisation to stop this except the church. However, I doubt that the church has a unified ideas pertaining to divorce. There are some ministers and Christian leaders are in favour in divorce and in fact they recommend divorce to some special cases occur in the life of the couples. However, the foundation of approving the divorce has varied from theological to practical perspectives. The theological understanding of some churches who assumed that divorce is God's will, had based their belief that Joseph and Mary attempted to file a divorce. This lone passage gave them a false divine approval of divorced because they assumed that it was practiced even during the time of Jesus. However, the western theologian who interpreted and passed this law (divorce law) fall short into the understanding of Asian culture in the Bible (New Testament time), particularly the engagement period and marriage in Middle East.

          To explain more; if you study Asian and Middle East marriage, you can find it there that the engagement period lasted for at least one year or more. This was practiced even in the Bible during the time of Moses and still existing today. This is also being practiced in Islam countries, especially to those who are strong in their traditional practices of dowry and pre-arranged marriage. The engagement is consider it divine and legal binding in the law of the land. However, during the engagement period they are not allowed to stay together or to fornicate or having sex, if they found out violated this law, they will be punish to death by stoning. During the  engagement period, if one of the spouse involved in the fornication, the other party has the right to file a protest in the court, this is called (divorce case) in the Bible. The purpose of divorce is not to undo the marriage because there was no marriage yet, but this is to set free from the responsibilities and ties to the other spouse as promised to do a marriage vow as it was done in the engagement vow. This is to set free for other party (complainant) having chances to find another partner by handling a divorce paper, while the accused spouse will face further trials and judgement. This was the scenario of Mary and Joseph. While Mary was conceived Joseph want's to file a divorce case against Mary. If Joseph perhaps successfully did this, Mary will be punish in death penalty perhaps by having Baby to other partner during engagement period, and we don't have Jesus through Mary. However, Joseph was warned by the Holy Spirt not to pursue his passion. Notice this, that before Mary was conceived there was no formal announcement that Joseph and Mary was married already, this time Joseph did divorce Mary instead they had a wedding vows. After, Mary giving birth to Jesus, she also gave birth to a seven siblings of Jesus from Joseph's blood. If Joseph succeeded in filing divorce then there is no Mary today.

           To apply this in our generation, the Godly standard of divorce done only during engagement period. The marriage vow is sacred and it is done once only, and no one can undo or separate what was legally and divinely (God) joined together. The marriage vow was ordained by God and it was God who initiated and practiced married from the beginning. His law on marriage did not change from Old Testament until now, the expression of "till' death do us part is not a suggestion but a command". Therefore, what does divorce implicates today when it comes to the will of God? Sorry to say; you got a divorce paper in the court but you never have the will of God in your next marriage. This if provided you already being bound to the spouse you've been brought and promised to the altar by saying "till death do us part", and the priest has been declared you husband and wife"; this cannot be undo, you are still bounded and tied to your first spouse while you are living to another partner; this is scary because you chose to live a lifetime of being adulterous man or woman which God hates. 

            However, if you want to divorce a man or woman for other purposes, make it sure you will not fornicate or remarried or else you fall into the same trap of evil in the lives of adulterous man and women in this world. I don't know how to advice you if you already in the stage of remarried, it's only God knows the best for you. While you live with your second spouse seek the Lord and repent. If you plan to acquire the legal provision of setting free, then make sure it is not under the motivation and the influence of your new partner; some will do divorce for no other reason, it is purely unfaithfulness, this kind of people will enjoy the fire of Hell Rev 21:8.

     

source of picture: 

 http://www.lovespells.me/divorce-spells.html