John Piper and Divorce - Divorce Minister
And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce…
-Jeremiah 3:8a, KJV
Shout out to “Janey The Small” on Twitter who found this audio file (posted in 2013) of Pastor John Piper on what he would advice Christians to say to a couple deciding to divorce:
This clip really angered me!
If you wonder where Piper stands on divorce, this audio clip makes it clear he sees absolutely no biblical reason to divorce.
Piper states:
“Christ never divorces his church. Ever. Under any circumstances. And he calls us to be that faithful.”
So, if “Christ never divorces” “under any circumstances,” that means Piper is stating no circumstance exists for followers of Christ to divorce.
Not emotional abuse.
Not physical abuse.
Not sexual abuse.
Not adultery.
Not under ANY circumstance is divorce acceptable for a Christian per Piper’s stated view.
That is why it is irrelevant to the discussion to ask the reasoning behind the divorce. The sin of divorce–as Piper seems to categorize it by treating as allegedly always contrary to Christ’s will–is thereby treated as greater than any other sin committed in the marriage.
Disgusting.
And dangerous (more on this later).
God hates adultery more than God hates divorce (see post here). Nowhere do I see divorce listed in the Ten Commandments. Yet I do see adultery and lying to name two listed as prohibited behaviors in this most basic of ethical codes.
Besides, God is described as divorcing Israel (Jeremiah 3:8). Something God does–even metaphorically–cannot be a sin as God is incapable of sin.
And I do not buy Piper’s defense on that verse where he tries to explain it away as not really “divorce.” It is an exercise of parsing whether “is” means “is.”
Generally speaking, people who engage in that behavior are people trying to manipulate a statement to say something more favorable to their position than it does.
Another reason I am upset with Piper on this point is how his hard-line position is downright unmerciful to faithful spouses.
We would find more mercy following the Old Testament Law than Piper is willing to dispense here. At least, we wouldn’t be married anymore under the Law as cheaters were killed per God’s instructions (see Deuteronomy 22:22).
If circumstances don’t matter, then–per Piper’s position–it does not matter if we were cheated on and then discarded by our cheater through a divorce.
Well, I am glad I serve a God more merciful than the one Piper presents here. God does not condemn me for my divorce from an adulteress. Of this, I am convinced.
Finally, I am troubled by how this “never divorce” position could lead to people getting hurt or even killed.
How so?
Some spouses might stick out abusive situations because they believe Piper is right about God demanding they remain in their marriage under any circumstance!
