1. MARRIAGE, DIVORCE & REMARRIAGE Is it God’s intention for everyone to be married? What constitutes marriage? Is marriage for life? When is it ok to say a Christian marriage has broken down? Can divorced Christian people get re-married?

2. MARRIAGE, DIVORCE & REMARRIAGE Is it God’s intention for everyone to be married? 1 Cor. 7:10-16 Mark 12:28-31 Matthew 7:12

3. MARRIAGE, DIVORCE & REMARRIAGE What constitutes marriage? Gen. 2:22-24 Matt. 19:4-5 John 2:1-12 Jer. 3:8 Eze. 6:8-19, 23:9 16:60-62 Mal. 2:14

4. MARRIAGE, DIVORCE & REMARRIAGE Is marriage for life? Marriage is designed as a lifetime commitment to another person, preferring them above all others and learning to live in community with them for mutual pleasure and as the place for a new generation to be born, born into a relational environment.

5. MARRIAGE, DIVORCE & REMARRIAGE When is it ok to say a Christian marriage has broken down? The four pillars of marriage: love (physical and emotional), nourishing (provision through food and other material provision), cherishing (valuing the other in word, deed and material demonstrations of affection) and faithfulness (keeping one partner alone).

6. MARRIAGE, DIVORCE & REMARRIAGE When is it ok to say a Christian marriage has broken down? Marriage is not a word, It is a life sentence. A conversation that rises and swells stands and falls develops and transforms with the lives it encompasses. Marriage is not a word, It is a life sentence, From beginning to end.

7. MARRIAGE, DIVORCE & REMARRIAGE When is it ok to say a Christian marriage has broken down? Matt. 3:8-9 The 'Any Cause' divorce was invented by some Pharisees who divided up the phrase "a cause of indecency" (Dt.24.1) into two grounds for divorce: "indecency" (porneia which they interpreted as ‘Adultery’) and "a cause" (ie ‘Any Cause’). Jesus said the phrase could not be split up in this way.

8. MARRIAGE, DIVORCE & REMARRIAGE Can divorced Christian people get re-married? Every divorce certificate issued in Jewish society explicitly stated that the person concerned was free to remarry. In fact in 1 st century society it was considered a duty to remarry!

9. MARRIAGE, DIVORCE & REMARRIAGE Marriage is a wonderful thing, it joins two people in a covenanted relationship that is a shadow of the relationship in the Godhead. It teaches us to prefer another, even to our own detriment. It helps us in our daily struggles, gives comfort and strength and a hope for the future.