Know That You Can Leave
In Malachi 2:16, God outright says, “I hate divorce.” It would seem that this would automatically preclude any thoughts of divorce, no matter what your spouse’s offense.
But it’s actually a common misconception that the Bible teaches that you must stay with your spouse if they cheat on you. This simply isn’t true.
Let’s look at what the Bible actually has to say.
In Matthew 19:9, Jesus says that “whoever divorces his wife, except on the grounds of sexual immorality, and marries another commits adultery.” Notice that “except”—if your partner commits sexual adultery, you are not Biblically obligated to stay with him or her.
And again, in 1 Corinthians 7:15, Paul writes that “if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace.”
You are not enslaved to a spouse who unrepentantly cheats on you, abandons you, or abuses you. God wants you to have a life of peace, and because of this, does permit divorce in these cases.
As we’re about to see, though, if your cheating spouse is willing to reform, God wants you to at least make an attempt at healing your marriage.