In the United States, about 40 to 50 percent of first marriages end in divorce, and subsequent marriages have even higher divorce rates. These trends hold true for Christians and non-Christians alike. But what is the biblical stance on marriage and divorce? Can Christians divorce and remarry?
Many denominations and individual Christians would respond to these questions differently. But as Christians, we shouldn’t make out decisions based on personal preferences or opinions. We must base our decisions on the Word of God. In order to have a solid understanding of the biblical picture of divorce and remarriage, we need to study both the Bible’s view on marriage as well as the relevant passages about divorce, separation, and remarriage. We also need to take a look at the cultural understanding of divorce to see why it has become such a prevalent issue.
The Biblical View of Marriage
The goal of Christianity should be the pursuit of holiness rather than an attitude of trying to live as close to sin as possible without actually sinning. God’s design for marriage was for a man and a woman to come together as one permanent union to reflect the truths of His gospel to those around them. In Genesis 2:24, we see the command for the man to “leave his father and his mother” and “cleave to his wife” in order to become one flesh. This symbolizes the future coming of Jesus who left heaven to unite with His bride, the church.
Marriage is between a man who is the head and a woman who submits in order to reflect Jesus as the head of His church, which submits to Him. Sexual union reflects the future consummation between Jesus and His church. Marital faithfulness communicates the faithfulness of Jesus and the call for the church to reject idolatry. Marriage is designed to be a permanent covenant that reflects God’s permanent covenant unto salvation for His people. Just as He will never divorce His people, He desires His people not to pursue divorce in their own marital unions.
The Anti-Biblical Cultural Shift
No-fault divorce has not always been the policy in the United States. In fact, no-fault divorce didn’t start until 1969 when the then-governor of California signed the nation’s first no-fault divorce policy into legislation. Up until that time, marriages could not end without one of the spouses committing a serious offense against the other spouse. This meant that divorce was not legal or possible unless one of the parties could prove that the other party acted wrongly to cause the divorce.
Before 1969, divorce was only conceded for grave offenses like abuse, adultery, abandonment, or insanity. But after the policy of no-fault divorce came into effect, it changed the entire process of divorce. Now, it is possible for anyone to get a divorce at any time and for no reason at all. Simply being incompatible is enough to merit a divorce under the current no-fault divorce legislation.
The Biblical View of Divorce and Remarriage
Once we understand God’s original design for marriage, we realize that the cultural view of divorce is not at all biblical. No fault divorce is an ungodly distortion of the gospel itself. But though we recognize that the design of marriage is a permanent union between a man and a woman, we also recognize that we live in a fallen world that has been tainted by sin. And both Jesus and Paul speak to the reality of divorce and the implications for Christians in this matter.
Matthew 19:3-9 is the first divorce passage we will consider: 
“And Pharisees came up to [Jesus] and tested Him by asking, ‘Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?’ He answered, ‘Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh”? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.’
They said to him, ‘Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?’ He said to them, ‘Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.’”
First Corinthians 7:10-16 is the second divorce passage we will consider: 
“To the married I [Paul] give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife. To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him.
For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?”
Given these passages, we can see that God has granted certain provisions for biblical divorce. Adultery, abuse, and abandonment are appropriate grounds for a Christian to seek divorce. In these cases, remarriage is allowed biblically. But if a Christian separates from their spouse for any other reason, they are either to remain unmarried or to reconcile with their spouse. Remarriage to another person is not allowed biblically.
However, if you find yourself in a situation of having already entered into an unbiblical subsequent marriage, you should not compound sin by seeking another divorce. Paul advises in the verses prior to this passage in 1 Corinthians that if you are single when you come to know the truth of the gospel, remain single. If you are married, remain married. In everything that you do, strive to honor God in your current stage of life. Repent of your previous sins, and strive to live in holiness and according to God’s ways from this moment forward.