Page 10 - Family Life Student Textbook

Study Section 2: Marriage is a Covenant

2.1 Connect

If God created marriage to mirror His fellowship between the members of the trinity, how long
should that relationship last? In Congo DR, almost half of the marriages end in divorce. In
Malawi, about one-third of the marriages end in divorce within 20 years of marriage.

A new report in Zambia shows that more than 20,000 couples divorced in 2019. According to the report
published in local media, more women than men initiated those divorces, and the average age of couple
was between 25 and 45. Reasons provided by couples who ended their marriages include infidelity,
drunkenness, gender-based violence, difficulty conceiving, weight gain, and lack of access to marriage
counselling. Some women who initiated divorce also cited the failure of some men to support their
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families and “the abuse of social media.”

In the US, more than 50% of married couples divorce. The divorce rate for subsequent marriages is even
higher.

Because we live in a sinful world with all of its problems, couples do not always enjoy fellowship with one
another. What are people to do when they no longer love one another and cannot get along peacefully?
What would God’s council be for such a situation? Is divorce the solution? What is God’s view of divorce?
Let’s find out…

2.2 Objectives

1. The student should be able to explain how God designed the marriage covenant in order to
understand His viewpoint of divorce.

2. The student should be able to describe what God thinks of divorce.

3. The student should be able to describe the negative effects of divorce on children.

2.3 Marriage and Divorce
Some in our culture views marriage as a contract, a type of agreement which will work if the other
person does what I desire him/her to do. A contract can be broken if either party ceases to meet
his or her promises according to the contract. Or, both parties can agree to dissolve the contract.

Is this the way God views marriage? Will God simply understand that I am too unhappy to remain
in this relationship? Does God not want me to be happy? Won’t our children be happier if we separate from
each other?

God states that marriage is a covenant that two people make to each other before him. It is not a contract.

Malachi 2:14 “You ask, ‘Why?’ It is because the LORD is the witness between you and the
wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the
wife of your marriage covenant.”

2 https://africafeeds.com/2020/02/17/zambia-expresses-worry-as-over-20000-couples-
divorce/#:~:text=A%20new%20report%20in%20Zambia,was%20between%2025%20and%2045.
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