Scriptures: Matthew 19:1-11, Malachi 2:16

There is one word that should never ever be uttered in a marriage. It is a word that has caused more hurt, heartache, sorrow, tears and suffering than maybe any word that has been used in the last one-hundred years in our country. That word is “divorce.” Nationally, 25% of all adults have experienced at least one divorce during their lifetime. Divorce is not the unpardonable sin. If you are a divorced person you are not a second-class citizen and even though divorce is a failure and a sin it is a forgivable sin and it is not a fatal failure. In this message, Dr. Merritt walks through the Bible's teaching on the issue of divorce with grace and purpose.

“What God brings together through marriage should not be torn apart through divorce. Practically without exception, there is a disability that always comes with a divorce. Nobody ever has got out of a divorce unscathed and un-scarred and nobody ever will." --Dr. Merritt

Keywords: marriage, husband, wife, conflict, divorce, separation, split, adultery, Pharisees, part, commitment, Moses, Jesus, permitted, sin, heart, command, leave, tragedy, NASA, Space Shuttle, Columbia, Commander Rick Husband, exception, pornei, unfaithfulness, University of Chicago, pain, battle