We all belong to different nations and are meant to be useful in any field we choose or find ourselves, whether in a civil or military service. The commitment to one's duty usually gives a measure of peace of mind especially when social needs are met. And since the social environment expects mature individuals to have spouses, an additional moral or legal obligation is born.
Marriage, a legally and socially sanctioned union, is usually for companionship, sexual gratification and regulation, division of labour, and satisfaction of personal needs for affection, and status. It helps for economic production and consumption, procreation and the care of children. However, before others, it's the companionship that usually brings an additional peace to the mind.
Sadly, while marriage is a tie divinely intended by the Creator to be indissoluble as His relationship with human, many unions turned strange or toxic, barbaric or deathly. The peace of mind becomes lost. Then, people in such states are faced with divorce issues, just as the Creator himself divorced his people¹. There are always certain pain associated with divorce – betrayal, disappointment, insecurity, publicity, frustration, child(ren) custody, distribution of property, and financial support for the former spouse. Even a courageous person in the military would find it difficult at the war front or on a serious mission after facing divorce.
While there should be serious specific reasons for decisions on divorce attempts as in the old times, the 21st century nature of marriage in Western countries—particularly with regard to the significance of procreation and the ease of divorce—changed significantly. Where there's any form of a decline in rate of divorce, it's simply because many are avoiding marriages against divorce issues. Divorce has become rampant and the role of Christianity to reduce this drastically seems missing.
According to divorce rate published by Statista Research Department, June 2, 2023, among those who marry, "as of 2009, the average length of a first marriage in the US was eight years. The average age men were at when they went through their first divorce was 32, for women this was 30. The average length of a second marriage was about 10 years". Another statistical analysis says, “Almost 50 percent of all marriages in the US will end in divorce or separation”.
The Church ought to be one united entity with universal judgment on divorce to curb the excesses since she’s the light of the world. But it's unfortunate that the biblical interpretations defer: Divorce for any and every reason, divorce for certain reasons, and never to divorce are ubiquitous.
What the church of the white nations declared as grounds for divorce is different from what that of the black has to say. So, what are the “true” biblical grounds for divorce? What are not? And what are those issues that simply require mediation?
If the black nation church (not all churches but the majority) sees divorce as a "taboo” or abomination or something ungodly or even unscriptural, and if that of the white (not all churches but their influence on the land and the world) gives freedom (because of the all-round freedom their citizens demanded), that has now led to the freedom to divorce for "any reason", have the Church leaders exhaustively examined the Scripture on divorce to see something deeper or correct the world’s impression? Are the leaders afraid to point out the truth even if such would shake the world-Church's foundation? Is leaving, the discrepancies in judgments and the pain God’s children face with divorce challenges, alone worth it for Satan to rejoice? 

The Divorce Commandments
1) Christ's commandment: 
(Since the source of controversy over divorce for the black nation church is the statement of Christ, it is important to start from here.)
"And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery" (Mat:19:9).
Jesus commanded that there should be a divorce. The next is to ask, "On what ground?" "What does he really mean?" "... except it be for fornication..."
The original manuscripts of the New Testament Scriptures were written in the Greek called "common Greek" as the Roman Empire took over from the Greek's. This is the reason for the language in the early centuries of the Christian era. And from there, "fornication" means "marital unfaithfulness". 
The Greek word translated "fornication" applies to "all sexual activities with another person outside marriage that involves the use of the sex organ". So, fornication does not only associate with two unmarried people, it also involves sex between married people who are not married to each other or one among the two to be unmarried. 
This is why many other published Bible "versions" also from this common Greek use "sexual immorality" in place of "fornication": MSB: "adultery"; NLT: "unfaithful"; GNB: "unfaithfulness"; RSV: "unchastity"; AMP: "unchastity"; NIV: "marital unfaithfulness".
Also in English dictionaries, fornication is also defined to mean two things:
i) sexual intercourse outside marriage
ii)sexual intercourse between two persons where one is or both are unmarried
Thus, Christ commanded that divorce is allowed on grounds of adultery.

2) God's commandment: 
"[1]When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favor in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. [2]And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife" (Deut.24:1-2).
This was God Himself, not Moses—as many assume—speaking.
Hebrew is "`erwah" translated "uncleanness", "shame" and "nakedness" which comes from "`arah" which means, to make bare, empty, indecent, destitute, discover, make naked, uncover etc. In relation to divorce, this is about the nakedness of “infidelity”. So God commanded a certificate of divorce to be issued. He gave same analogy to Jeremiah about His own relationship with a whole country (the old church):
"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; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also" (Jer. 3:8).
However, both the Greek and Hebrew forms mean "without clothing," are used “frequently” in the sense of "lightly clad" or simply, "without an outer garment." At this, the interpreters have issues with the “unfiltered” meaning, and flow with “simply” lightly clad or forms of disappointment, and extreme dislike against the wife. They gave two reasons for their assertion:
i) Because Jesus said Moses permitted divorce as a result of their hardened hearts.
ii) Because adultery was a capital offense.
The summation of their reasons is, because Jesus had tackled Israel leaders on divorce for “all causes” (Mat.19:3), the command in Deuteronomy 24 verse 1, is therefore, the "permission which the Pharisees erroneously referred to as a precept". 
The fact remains that, against the first reason they gave, in his first teachings to the people of Israel, Jesus had said that nobody should think he had come to abolish the Law, that not the smallest letter nor the least stroke of a pen will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is fulfilled.² So, it is a misinterpretation, since every written word is the law. Moses put down what God ordered. It is thus a precept. (The permission will be explained next.)
And against the second reason given, a certificate or bill is made to be written. Like the modern world, you may decide or not to publicize the reason(s) for divorce. God's mind is not for all punishment to be capital. Some adulterous claims were even assumptions or false. So, if a person wants the capital punishment, he goes to the city gate (public) with his accusations. But with the bill of divorce, they both peacefully end the marriage. The former is what Jesus permanently stopped.³ (In Israel, like idolatry from anyone, a woman found guilty of adultery got a capital punishment.⁴ Christ came to stop it, even as the executioners are guilty of same.³ And when the leaders saw what he did—stopping the usual execution—they decided to jettison bringing such up again, and then came with the all-time freedom to divorce for "any and every reason". To this, he declared that such isn't in the written Scripture, that Moses permitted it because of their ungenuine piety.⁵
There is also the thought that Moses "modified the law” by permitting a wife to clear herself with a solemn oath in some cases, and in other cases allowing the husband to divorce his wife privately without bringing her to trial. This also isn't a perfect interpretation - it was God Himself, not Moses, that declared these.⁶
Uncleanness leading to divorce is a moral sin, and there are various translations for this: Young: "nakedness of anything"; Rotherham: "some matter of shame"; the Peshitta: "some evidence of open prostitution"; Berkeley: "something improper in her"; Moffatt: "found her immodest in some way"; the Septuagint: "found something unseemly in her"; Fenton: "found repulsive qualities in her."
Many researchers didn't look for the spiritual interpretations in relation to the view of God himself either. The greatest uncleanness–that was expected to lead to public divorce among Israelites couples–was the worship of an idol. While adultery is the 7th in the Ten Commandments, idolatry takes 1st and 2nd positions. It is a physical entanglement but of spiritual nakedness and impurity. God divorced a whole nation because of the uncleanness of idolatry, which he refers to as adultery. So, both idolatry and marital unfaithfulness are physical entanglements (fornication/prostitution) but make a person spiritually unclean, naked, empty, and destitute or polluted.⁷

3) Moses’ commandment (or "permission"): 
(This is about the all-time freedom the white nation church desires.)
"[7]They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? [8]He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so" (Mat.19:7,8).
The teachers of the law who knew that the only ground given by the Scripture is uncleanness, came to Jesus to ask if they could divorce "for every cause":
"The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?" (Mat. 19:3).
God talked only about "uncleanness" but they forced Moses to divorce for "any and every reason" they chose.
Moses had firsthand experience of how obstinate the Israelites were.⁸ God talked about uncleanness buy they came for absolute freedom. The people wanted more than what God gave. They had fiercely argued as usual with their leaders. They were eventually permitted by Moses and Aaron. They were permitted for any reason they chose.⁵ Moses believed he had delivered (declared and recorded) the true commandment from God but if Israelites chose to become freer, “that's their business”.
This is exactly what Jesus tackled the leaders on.

4) Paul's commandment: 
(This is about the great confusion affecting the black nation church.)
"But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace" (1 Cor. 7:15).
From the time of Noah, it has become known from the Creator’s perspective that, there are two different groups of people in the world: firstly, those who follow his command, and secondly, the rest of the people (that is, those who do not follow his command). In spite of God using the great flood to wipe out those who didn't follow his commands, same type of people re-emerged years later.
And when Jesus came, he said he was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel,⁹ so he did not operate outside Israel. Before his crucifixion when sent his disciples out for evangelism, he instructed them to only evangelize to the citizens of Israel".¹⁰ He specifically warned them not to go and preach to those who had chosen not to know or follow God's command—the Gentiles.¹¹ After his resurrection, Jesus picked Paul and specifically stated that Paul would go and deliver the gospel message to the Gentiles.¹² Apostles Peter, John and James, agreed that Paul would be an apostle to the Gentiles, while they, would be to the Jews/Israelites/those who already knew and followed God's command.¹³
So, on the issue of divorce, Apostle Paul gave commands to “those who follow God's command” and gave another to the “Gentiles who have become converted” through his evangelism:
i) Believing Jews: "[10]And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: [11]But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife" (1 Cor.7:10-11).
ii) Converted Gentiles: "[12]But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. [15]But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace" (1 Cor.7:12,15).
He said to the first group, "... I command, yet not I, but the Lord..." This group represents believing families. As at the time of Christ, the Jews, were all those regarded as the only people who dedicated their lives to the true God. They were fully familiar with the scripture/commandments and they regarded non-Jews as Gentiles/enemies of God. Jesus' message was to the believing Jews. It is the same message he projected for all future believers in such category, that is, couples who are his true followers. So, Paul quoted Jesus' command for this group on how Christ taught about how those who already know and follow God's command should stick together. (The grounds for divorce for such are clear as explained earlier.)
Paul said to the second group, "But to the rest speak I, not the Lord...." This group represents a family (married couple) with the mixture of a believer and an unbeliever. This is because, through the evangelism, the Gentiles ( that is, the pagan/unbelievers’/heathen/atheist world) had been touched. And since Jesus didn't physically say anything specifically in relation to divorce for the future Gentile Church, Paul, as the Apostle to this new group, gave a judgment.
Paul taught the Gentile Church the message of Jesus on faith and living peacefully with others. So, if there is “an acceptance” of the believing spouse by the unbelieving wife or husband, that unbeliever will become "divinely recognized" and the children "spiritually cleansed".¹⁴ But if the unbelieving wife or husband would “not accept” the spouse who becomes born again, divorce is allowed.

The Salient Verdict
The Church is about believers and their care. While God ordered divorce on grounds of uncleanness between two married believers and on grounds of unacceptance between mixed couples, there's a salient message of the Lord which has to do with everything of Christian living:
"[15]Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. [16]But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. [17]And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican" (Mat.18:15-17).
In everything that has to do with believers, the Lord had put the final verdict: In all issues with a fellow believer, seek "dispute resolutions": 
1) Discuss with the person personally. 
But if the person wouldn't listen,
2) involve right/good persons (like unbiased friends, parents, or Court’s mediation center) in the matter. 
And if the person wouldn't listen,
3) involve the Church.
All matters must go through this path–personal discussion, to group intervention, and then to Church’s court. The Church would identify the one who is on the wrong side. And if such wouldn't listen to the Church, Jesus gave a verdict that one should see such a person as an heathen, an unbeliever, a pagan (that is, an enemy of God).
Exactly same in marriage: In all issues like barbarism, poisoning, and any form of wickedness from any fellow believer (or even the unbeliever who has accepted his or her believing spouse), "dispute resolution" must first be applied. But in the end if the guilty one wouldn't follow Church's instructions, regard such as a pagan, an heathen. Seek divorce immediately!

Perfect Scripture Vs Imperfect Judgments
The US has over 210 million Christian population, the Western world in general with around 900 million, 383 million in Asia, and around 650 million in Africa. So, with about 2 billion Christian population in the world, what could make it so difficult to get the basic judgment? All researchers and interpreters did a great work to help Christians have knowledge of the scripture as well as everything that goes with it—historical past to the present. But there is still something missing. 
What is missing is as a result of the spiritual war. The war from Satan against the Church is very real.¹⁵ It appears physically in different forms to either give excess freedom or deprivation just as it happened in the garden of Eden. All is aimed at putting Christians in any form of bondage. For the Church to give herself total freedom or deprive herself of anything divinely given, is a defeat for the Church in an aspect, but good enough for the devil to fiercely stick to.¹⁶ 
Judgment is made as a result of someone's or group’s interpretation of the law or a case. Without the teachers of the law, it would be difficult to understand everything in it. So with imperfect interpretation or analysis, the judgment to be made would be imperfect. And with imperfect judgment, many followers may lose a lot for a life time, sometimes, if not the life itself. Sad to say, the devil is the Mastermind.
What seems to be missing is the knowledge that all judgments or commands of the Scripture are from the Spirit.¹⁷ Every message in the Word is perfect - and all must understand that all recorded teachings or judgments by Paul are the word from God. This is why Peter never criticized anything he said.¹⁸ 
The Church worldwide must have a uniform conclusion. Mistake can only come from human interpretations of the biblical commands but the Owner of the Word will always fight and bring out the truth in order to defeat the gates of hell. It only depends on us to either receive it or not. 
The white nations Churches and those of the black must be united because they virtually use the same Scripture. The divorce for "any and every reason" or "no reason" should be corrected. The final point for resolution should be the Church. But if the Church is bereft of thorough interpretations, the devil succeeds over a God's child involved.
Divorce is allowed, it is just not allowed for all reasons.

References: 
¹Jer. 3:8; ²Mat. 5:17,18; ³Jn 8:3-7; ⁴Jn 8:5; ⁵Mat. 19:8; ⁶Num. 5:11 & Deut. 1:3; ⁷Ex. 32:25; Jer. 3:2; Acts 15:23,29; Rev. 14:8; 2 Chr. 21:11; Is. 23:17, Ez. 16:28,29; ⁸Exo. 32:9,22; 33:3,5; 34:9; Deut. 9:6,13; ⁹Mat. 15:24; ¹⁰Mat. 10:6; ¹¹Mat. 10:5; ¹²Acts 9:15; ¹³Gal. 2:9; ¹⁴1 Cor. 7:14; ¹⁵Rev. 12:17; ¹⁶Jn 14:30; ¹⁷2 Pet. 1:21; 2 Tim.3:16; 1 Cor. 7:40; ¹⁸2 Pet. 3:15,16; 1 Cor. 7:17.

Biography:
SAMUEL OLUDARE OLUFEMI is a graduate of Lagos State University, Nigeria, and has been a preacher/teacher of the Word for the past twenty-seven years. He is the Pastor of a Christian fellowship, AFMM. Apart from being trained in various fields, he is a writer, proofreader, an editor, and resides in Lagos Nigeria.