LIFE AS IT WAS MEANT TO BE LIVED THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT – 7 (Matt 5:31-32) DIVORCE

• Current divorce rate in UK – 42% (reducing due to increase in cohabiting couples)

• 11% increase in divorce among the over 50s – “the silver splitters” – in last 10 years

• 9 most common reasons – Money, Affairs, Interfering Ex’s, Sex, Children from previous relationships, Intrusive parents, Differences in handling conflict, Communication, Privacy. (The Independent – 16.02.16)

JESUS ON DIVORCE

The Schools of Thought:

• Then – Hilel and Shammai (liberal v strict)

• Now – Hilel. Shammai. No divorce under any circumstances. Some divorce but no remarriage.

Jesus’ School of Thought

• You can’t discuss divorce until you’ve understood the true meaning of marriage

What about the concession?

• Read Deut.24:1-4 with care

• A “reluctant  permission not a divine instruction”

• Where does that leave ‘incompatibility’?

Practical Implications:

• To the married

• To the single

• To the divorced

• To the remarried

• To the church