Marriage - Malachi 2:15

Malachi 2:15 (ESV)

Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.

Commentators tell us that this is the most difficult verse in Malachi to translate. Since that is the case, I won’t try to figure it all out, but there is one thing that is clear in this passage no matter how it is translated. God, who is faithful, is chastising his people for being unfaithful in their marriages. Covenant promises have come to mean nothing to them. In our world divorce used to be frowned on. Today it is almost a non-issue in light of the depravity around us. But even those who remain faithful to their vows can be unfaithful. Jesus equated lust with adultery. Pornography would then be considered cheating on one’s spouse. Abusive speech or behavior is also breaking one’s vows because the promise made in marriage is to love and honor one another. There is no love or honor in abusive behavior. We may pride ourselves in staying married, but have we been faithful to our vows? Faithfulness is not just about staying married. It is about being faithful. That is the real issue.