If marriage is a lifetime commitment, why is there a provision for divorce?

Question:        When comparing marriage with our relationship to Christ, one would conclude that Christ never leaves us; it is us who leaves him.  Marriage is a covenant that God keeps, no matter what the circumstances.   Marriage is a lifetime commitment and to be committed to marriage in the physical sense is the same as Christ is committed to us in the spiritual sense; therefore an argument can be made against divorce.  If all of the above is true, then why is there a provision made by Jesus in the New Testament regarding divorce when adultery is involved?

Answer: Marriage is a life long commitment.  God always honors his covenants; unfortunately, that’s not the case with mankind. Divorce is serious business with God.  Look at the penalty for adultery in the Old Testament; Lev. 20:10, “…..the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.”

Let’s take a look at the sanctity of marriage.  When a man and a woman enter a covenant of marriage, a spiritual change takes place; Mt. 19:5-6, “…..and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh…..no more twain, but one flesh…..”  If one party engages in adultery; now the three individuals become one flesh; 1 Cor. 6:16, “…..know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.”  This is a violation of God’s law, because a marriage is a covenant of two becoming one; not three or more becoming one.

Do not confuse the words adultery and  fornication.  Both of these acts are unlawful sex.  The meaning of the word fornication includes adultery.  The penalty for fornication is the same as the penalty for adultery; Deu. 22:23-24, “if a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her…..ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die.”  In the Old Testament, the penalty for adultery and fornication was death.  In the New Testament, the penalty has been relaxed.  The penalty is now divorce; however, adultery or fornication is the only valid reason for divorce. God gave this provision for divorce concerning fornication to keep the covenant of marriage pure; Deu. 22:24, “…..so thou shalt put away evil from among you.