The first priority when counseling couples who are thinking about getting married is to find out whether they are Scripturally eligible. When at least one of the couple indicates that he or she has been previously married and divorced for a reason other than fornication, the three of us first study Genesis 2:18-25 to learn that God intended the relationship of marriage to be monogamous ("a man...and his wife"), companionship ("help meet"), interdependent ("leave father and mother"), committed ("cleave to his wife"), and permanent ("one flesh"). Then we study Matthew 19:3-12. Without fail, when the couple is asked what is the meaning of Jesus' statement, "Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery," each person has said exactly what it means: unless a person put away his or her spouse because of fornication, he or she does not have a Scriptural right to remarry! It does not take a trained "scholar" to understand Jesus' simple teaching on divorce and remarriage. It simply takes our will to obey it, regardless of the earthly consequences!