Divorce From Same-Sex Marriage?

The recent SCOTUS decision to redefine marriage will certainly expose many problems for both the liberal left congregation and the right leaning evangelical. Since five SCOTUS judges thought it necessary to believe their position is above the laws, and it is not their obligation to up hold the Constitution of the United States, there is now an opportunity for the same-sex couples to apply for divorce. Divorce from same-sex marriage, is this even possible? 

In my recent post, The Porneia Collision, I used examples of how both sides attempt to use “porneia” to validate their positions on marriage definition, and how these conclusions lead to a collision.  I asked this question to the right leaning evangelical:  If “porneia” is the correct term and it is specific to fornication, why do the evangelicals use it in the broad sense for a “reason” to exit a consummated marriage?

As always, I will keep this inside the realm of the theological. My posts are written specifically to the confessing Christian on how they compare the one-flesh covenant of marriage with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The recent SCOTUS decision is good for one thing. It will separate the goats from the sheep. It will be a deciding factor on how someone views marriage in light of scripture. There can no longer be any fence sitting on this issue. You will be on one side or the other.

The left side congregations are those who believe that homosexuality is acceptable. They have already allowed same-sex unions long before the SCOTUS decision. They perform and administer marriage rights based on their view of scripture, or the very least, they believe that Jesus allows same-sex marriage. This is based on the fact that God loves everyone and that we should have grace for the homosexual. It is also important to note that these same congregations were the first to ordain woman ministers and the first to adopt unilateral divorce. These churches are full of “remarried” heterosexual couples of divorce. They will soon be home to same-sex “remarried” couples of divorce.

Is it possible to divorce from a same-sex marriage?

My question for the left side (Confessing Christian who validate same-sex marriage) is this:

What scripture will you use to validate a request for divorce from a same-sex marriage? 

This question serves a purpose. If the left side believes scripture (or whatever they believe about scripture) gives certain restrictions to divorce, what scripture do they use? If they believe that a vow of marriage can include man and man or woman and woman, they have to believe that vow must be upheld by the Lord, right? 

• If they take a “no exception, no excuse” approach of marriage believing that death is the only way a marriage can end, they would have to adhere to what the Lord said about marriage. (Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:6-9) This wouldn’t work because this definition calls marriage one man and one woman for life. 

• They could take the “except for sexual immorality” approach (courtesy of the NIV). But according to the definition set forth by the authors of lexicon and liberal scholars, sexual immorality “includes” homosexuality. This wouldn’t work because they cannot get “married” if they are classified as “sexually immoral.” 

• They could use the correct term for the “exception clause”(Matthew 19:9)…except for fornication. That wouldn’t work either as “fornication’ is specific to sexual immorality of a heterosexual during a betrothal period of marriage between a man and woman.  

• They could use the “for any reason” approach. This is the most feasible as it conforms to the culture of our time. However, this makes marriage more of a convenience than it ever makes marriage a holy covenant designed by the Lord. In fact, marriage is no longer necessary if it comes to this.   

The latter approach is the most desirable for the left side congregations. This only exposes the evolution of redefining marriage. This also exposes the heart of the issue and the heart of those who believe marriage definition is according to the creation and not the Creator. 

The right leaning evangelical is at a crossroads. They have to explain to the left that marriage is God’s design without exposing what they believe on divorce and remarriage. This leaves their testimony for marriage on shaky ground. They have to make us believe that God approves of “remarriage” adultery, but disapproves of same-sex marriage.


The hypocrisy is evident when you see the various positions of the evangelical’s view of divorce and remarriage. The only position that has biblical truth is for the permanence of marriage. I responded to these various evangelical positions in this post. The Four Stances of Divorce and Remarriage…and Marriage. 

 The bottom line is what you believe to be true of the definition of marriage. Once you have the foundation of marriage, it is very simple to respond to those who believe a divorce ends a marriage covenant. It also very simple to defend marriage against a people who believe God approves of their sinful lifestyle. The scripture is in place of the permanence of marriage…One man and one woman for life. It is a matter of believing the truth revealed by the word through the power of the Holy Spirt, or it is a matter of making a god in an image that best suits your desires in the flesh.

Do you live in the spirit or do you live in the flesh? Scripture constantly divides the two. The evidence of the flesh are those who live for this world and all it has to offer. The Spirit life is for those who know that apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, they are dead in their sins. Those who love the world are evident in the desires of the homosexual, the fornicator, and the adulterer. This is quite evident in a world that embraces divorce, remarriage, and same-sex unions. It is also becoming ever so clear that the same-sex revolution is exposing the true definition of marriage.

In conclusion, there is grace and mercy for the repentant sinner. God will not despise the contrite spirit and brokenhearted. God loves us so much that He gave His only begotten Son to be the propitiation for our sins. If we confess with our mouth and believe in our hearts that the Lord Jesus Christ paid the penalty of sin that we deserve, you will be saved. God wants all of us, and it is not possible until we have a relationship with the One who made it possible. One cannot live in the Spirit until they crucify the desires of the flesh.

I pray the Holy Spirit opens the eyes, ears and mind, and breaks away the stone around the heart. Very soon the Lord Jesus Christ will return to make all things new. Our hope is not in this world, our hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Marriage is as it was in the beginning and the Bible depicts a story of the Bridegrooms love for His wife, the Church. When we finally open our hearts to the truth of marriage, we will see that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.   

Romans 8:31-39 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, ³⁹ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In Christ’s love,

Neil