Pastor Chris on marriage: “Try to stay together before going for divorce”

Over the years, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome has answered multiple questions from LoveWorld members all over the world. The questions span everything from financial problems to marriage and divorce.

A member once asked the pastor if it is right to marry a divorcee.

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome answered that it depends on the circumstances, according to the Bible.

He then read Matthew 19:7-11, which talks about remarriage and adultery.

“Jesus said something here that I think is very vital. He says: ‘…Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives.’ It is important that we put everything in the right perspective. Jesus was speaking to Jewish listeners, and they have a commandment from God that was given through Moses to them,” Pastor Chris Oyakhilome explained and added:

“They were a people, and the context of God’s commandment to them was in the context of a people. He gave them the commandments as His own chosen people, so these were the Jewish people. They had one law. They had one priesthood. That is very important because of the other things we are going to talk about now.”

Pastor Chris: “It takes two people to make their marriage work”

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome continued his answer on whether it is right to marry a divorcee by reading 1 Corinthians 7:10-13. It says that people should not get divorced, and if they do, they should remain unmarried.

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome explained that the reason why the person should remain unmarried is because of the possibility of reconciliation.

“What he is saying here is the same thing that the Lord had talked about. He is lifting his instructions to the church from what the Lord said here. So, we understand that the church is not the same with the Jewish nation,” the pastor said.

He then read 1 Corinthians 7:15, which says that if one part is an unbeliever, the other should not be obliged to stay with the unbeliever.

“If the unbelieving departs, let him depart. I suppose that both of them were Christians, but if the unbelieving departs, and it says that a brother or a sister is not on the bondage in such cases, it means that the brother or sister cannot be married. Because it is not on the bondage in such cases. The all-believing has departed,” Pastor Chris Oyakhilome said and continued:

“If both of them are Christians, and they have a problem, and one has offended the other, what are you supposed to do? What is the cause of the divorce? Of course, a lot of times it is mostly based on some kind of selfishness, but it takes two people to make their marriage work. One person cannot make it work.”

Taking it to church leaders

Towards the end of his answer, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome read Matthew 18:15-17, which is about taking it to the church if a person refuses to listen.

“If two married Christians had a problem with each other, and one took the matter to the other to discuss it, and he or she will not listen, it says, ‘then take someone else.’ This is for any two Christians whether they are married or not married,” the pastor explained.

He then said that if a person will not listen, the other one should talk to church leaders about it.

“If he will not hear the church, now that is dangerous,” Pastor Chris Oyakhilome pointed out.

According to him, it means that the person is an unbeliever, and then it is possible to break up the marriage.

However, the pastor urged people to try to stay together in peace before taking such drastic measures.

Tags: marriage, Pastor Chris