Posted on 11/09/2007 6:12:33 PM PST by WileyPink
Matthew 19:1 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judea beyond Jordan;
Matthew 19:2 And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.
Matthew 19:3 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?
Matthew 19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
Matthew 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh
Matthew 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Matthew 19:7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away
Matthew 19:8 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.
Matthew 19:9 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.
Matthew 19:10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
Matthew 19:11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.
Matthew 19:12 For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.
Matthew 19:13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.
Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 19:15 And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.
A beautiful quilt is proudly displayed just around the corner from my office at Bethel Baptist Church in Monticello, Mississippi. I often find myself standing engrossed before this historic piece of memorabilia which was crafted in 1932 by the Women’s Missionary Society of Bethel Baptist Church. This priceless quilt was made from dozens of patches of various colors with a name sewn in the center of each patch. It seems that in 1932 the Women’s Missionary Society of Bethel Baptist Church hit upon a stroke of fundraising genius. The ladies charged a whopping ten cents to stitch a name into a patch that would be assimilated with other patches to make a quilt. Ten cents was the price of immortality. As I mull over this timeless collection of patches, I reflect on how each distinctive patch is seamlessly stitched together to create a single quilt of profound importance and pristine beauty. In contemplative moments, I find it easy to see the church in this quilt. Each diverse patch represents a distinctive life and a unique journey; yet God seamlessly stitches together each distinctive patch to create a beautiful church of profound importance and pristine beauty which is precious in his sight.
Every local church is like a patch-work quilt. Each person is distinct and yet God, according to his sovereign plan, stitches us seamlessly together. The distinctiveness of each precious “patch” is often determined by the level of spiritual maturation. Unfortunately many believers who are suffering from the consequences of past sinful decisions or who are struggling with sinful behavior often feel too ashamed and too unwelcome to come to the very place where everyone is welcome—church.
Our lesson passage for the week focuses on Jesus’ teaching concerning divorce. Divorce is a painful issue for the individual and a perplexing issue for the church. Our society has been ravaged by divorce. The residue of the consequences of our divorce-friendly culture has adversely settled upon our churches. Divorce has done more to undermine God’s biblical design for marriage than homosexuality and voyeurism. And divorce is a clear transgression of God’s biblical ideal for marriage. When challenged by the Pharisees on the issue of divorce, Jesus vigorously defended the sacred institution of marriage. The Pharisees desired to use the controversial issue of divorce to manipulate Jesus and to trick him into a moment of contradiction and inconsistency. They confronted Jesus with a loaded question: “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason” (Matthew 19:3 NIV)? Jesus responded with marriage 101. According to Jesus, the basic premise of marriage is traced back to God’s principle design for man and woman: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” (Matthew 19:5 NIV). Marriage is a divine institution and should not be defiled by the prevailing whims of mankind. The Pharisees rebuffed this sacred ideal by citing a case study from Deuteronomy 24:1-4 which implied that divorce was permissible under certain circumstances. In response, Jesus provided clarity for this befuddling issue—divorce was not ideal, however, it was permitted by the Law of Moses because of the putrid effects of sin.
Divorce is a perplexing issue for the church because it is not some mere theoretical fence that needs whitewashing. Divorce involves real people who are often faced with impossible situations. I have encountered many people who have divorced for many different reasons. Many people have experienced divorce because of infidelity by a spouse. Many people have experienced divorce because of abandonment or abuse. Still others have experienced divorce because they made a spontaneous decision at an impulsive age. And yes, many people have experienced divorce because of their sinful pursuit of happiness in greener pastures. Divorce, for whatever reason, should not disqualify individuals from meaningful membership and ministry. Divorce may require gentle discipline and concrete correction, but it should not be a label that individuals are forced to wear. Divorce is a derailment of God’s ideal; however all of us have derailed in some area of our lives at some point in time. The church is well suited for folks who have derailed off the tracks of God’s ideal because the church is built upon Jesus Christ, whose blood covers the multitude of our sins. Is your church a place for all?
Michael Smith is pastor of Bethel Church, Monticello.
Please continue to pray for this study.
In Christ,
WileyPink
Please let me know if you'd like to be added to or removed from this list.
In Christ
Thanks for the post, Wiley.
Yours truly gets to be substitute Sunday School teacher this weekend - I do believe I can derive some inspiration from this....
WileyP, I was pleased to read this sermon on divorce. I haven’t heard good strong teaching on this for about ten years.
My former church had a rather draconian approach for many years—if you divorced, you could not be remarried and stay in the church. They eventually realized, as your sermon says, divorce is a result of human sinfulness and may be forgiven as other sins can be, by the blood of Jesus.
My “aha!” moment on divorce came when I realized that God also suffered through a divorce—He divorced Israel, because of their unfaithfulness. This makes the Pharisees’ comments in Matt 19 even more ironic, and Jesus’ reply “except for fornication” even sharper.
Please add me to your ping list.
I truly look forward to your weekly Sunday School postings. Thank you for your time and dedication with this Jesus inspired work.
Well, if they are coming to that particular church for guidance, I don’t see any this week. Sorry. It is out of focus or at least wrongly aimed, imo.
Of course it can be forgiven. That doesn’t mean a church shouldn’t teach the right and wrong of it or weigh the issue according to the scriptures when selecting pastors and elders.
Thank you for the ping. After the result of the last Bible Study thread, I think I’ll pass on this one.
I think it means that a church MUST teach the right and wrong of it. We must especially hold our pastors and elders to the highest standards of Scripture. I think there's been too much "tolerance" in our churches and not enough Scripture.
Thank you for your input
In Christ
There is more to forgiveness that the blood. The blood was shed for all but are all forgiven? there also needs to be repentance
Luk 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Luk 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Act 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Jesus taught that whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery
Matthew 19:9 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.
Would you agree that if someone is divorce whose spouse did not commit fornication and is remarried that unless they end that adulterous relationship they can't be forgiven any more that a prostitute who keeps on working her trade.
as to the question a "church for all" what about what Paul taught?
1Co 5:9-13
I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
“There is more to forgiveness that the blood. The blood was shed for all but are all forgiven? there also needs to be repentance”
All who repent are forgiven. Without repentance toward God, one cannot accept Jesus.
“Would you agree that if someone is divorce whose spouse did not commit fornication and is remarried that unless they end that adulterous relationship they can’t be forgiven any more that a prostitute who keeps on working her trade.”
Yes.
Cheating seems to be the root of most people that I know of that are divorced but say a woman (or man) left because of other reasons and later re-married and even had children by the 2nd spouse ..how would she repent? Would God expect her to divorce and end this marriage also? Or would it be a forgiven and go and sin no more issue?
The blood was shed for all but are all forgiven? there also needs to be repentance
No argument here. One must recognize his sin, then repent, then accept the atonement of the shed blood of Jesus for those sins. I believe your Scriptural references.
Would you agree that if someone is divorce whose spouse did not commit fornication and is remarried that unless they end that adulterous relationship they can't be forgiven any more that a prostitute who keeps on working her trade.
No, I don't believe that. There is but one unforgivable sin and that is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
Example: I am in the catagory of which you speak. My first wife has been remarried (for 20+ years now). My wife and I have been married for 11 + years. My ex has since come to faith in Jesus and so have I. When we came to faith in Christ, did He forgive all of our sins except that one of adultery? {rhetorical question} Obviously not. Now, having said that...If I continued in sin after my "conversion", then I would have to question my "conversion"...don't you think?
We must be changed and die to those sins.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
I am not proud of my adulterous sins. But, I am not proud of ANY of my sins. But Jesus' sacrifice has bought and paid for the adultery and all the other ones too. Any thing that I could do to add to His sacrifice to "help" atone for those sins, I believe is sinful in itself. (Did that make sense?)
I know it's a rhetorical question, but here's another...Wouldn't that second divorce then become another sin? These are the circles we create when we live and stay in the flesh.
Romans 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Our minds have been renewed thus we are transformed. We are no longer in the flesh. We are dead to sins and now live unto righteousness.
1Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
AIN'T GOD GOOD!
Morning brother Wiley!
Do we know what the full context of what was happening culturally in regards to marriage at when Jesus spoke this?
Good Morning! I'm sorry to say no, I haven't studied your question specifically. But Solomon came to mind...
Ecclesiastes 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
I can only imagine that many of the same things that are going on today were going on then. "Marrying and giving in marriage..." and so forth. I believe that it goes to show the consistency of God...He never changes. He still wants us to be in His will and rely only on His sacrifice.
Your question is a very good one though. It will cause me to study.
In Christ
Take a look at these:
http://www.biblebb.com/files/macqa/divorcere.htm
http://www.believersweb.org/view.cfm?ID=822
http://members.aol.com/dwibclc/divorce1.htm
I've read that in that faithless generation, divorce was common.
Marriage is a lot more than a vow between two people or it is not a marriage as God intends. Making two flesh into one is a process & God does it or He doesn't. When couples fail to have God centered marriages, God isn't making two flesh into one. Hearts remain hardened, causing the sin of divorce to rise. Divorce brings the trespasses (sins) between partners into the light of day. A high divorce rate proves a failure going on in society, a failure to have God centered lives.
That is a great question and we need to only look the word of God to find the answer. The key to forgiveness is in repentance. Without repentance there is no forgiveness.
On the issue of Divorce and remarriage I recall one man of God who lost his head over it.
Mat 14:3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife. Mat 14:4 For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.
Could Herod and Herodias repent of Adultery and stayed in there marriage? True repentance must mean more that words
Mat 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: Mat 3:9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. Mat 3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
what would you say to a prostitute is she ask can I be forgiven while I continue in the sin of prosution what did Paul say about that
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Paul said that God forbid us to continue in sin while I understand your concern about the family that would need to be broken up. what is often forgotten is the family that was broken up when the first marriage was ended.
Mar 10:8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. Mar 10:9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Who among us would be so bold to beleve that in the second marriage the one that is adulterous. God had Join them together. If so they would not be in a adulterous marriage in the first place now would they.
To believe that the blood of Christ removes both sin but the bond of marriage goes beyond what is taught in the Bible.
When confronted with the Problem of Adurty in the church at Corinth the answer was to remove the Adulterer this was done and the result was repentance. 2Co 2:6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. 2Co 2:7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 2Co 2:8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
What are we to believe that this man remained with his Fathers wife?. I tend to believe this was his step mom and not his Mother. But let pretend for a moment that it was his birth Mom and in truth maybe it was.lets say that his dad divorced his mom and he marries his Mother now lets say they both repent of this great sin can they stay married?
If so just what did they repent of?
Mat 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Just something more to think about
This subject is one that is very near but not so dear to me. I jump up and down and stomp my feet because I am limited in the areas that I am allowed to take part in the church. (Titus 1:6 in particular) I may not personally like it, but I still accept God's qualifications.
I believe that it's more than just the physical fornication and divorce that we as man commit. In addition, I believe it's the spiritual fornication we have committed against God. We must be faithful to Him.
Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. If we are trying to server mammon and God, we are committing adultery against God. We are fornicating with man when we should be one with God, just as we are to be faithful and one with our spouse. If we continue to serve "the other", we are serving sin and we can't do that.
Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
We must turn ..."be ye transformed..." from our sin. When we do, God will forgive our sin.
2Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
I'm reminded of a story I once heard about a guy who had a motorcycle accident and lost a leg. At the hospital, the doctors did all they could to save his life but in the end, they couldn't replace his leg. He was even told that he could never ride a motorcycle again. Still, he would always have the scars from that accident, regardless of his regret or his future actions. In my case at least, my sin of divorce has left me with scars to which the Bible says, "Those sins matter." Luke 16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
I accept that my feet are not acceptable to be on the mountain to bring the good tidings as a pastor. (Isaiah 52:7) So, I just bring them as me, a servant of the creator of this universe to whom I will always be faithful and Love only Him.
In Christ
Women are restricted in where they can serve even when they are faithful in their marriages. That's hard to accept for some also. Many men are simply not called or gifted for such positions. I figure anyone angry about not getting a leadership role proves his/her unfitness right out of the gate anyway. It is not supposed to be a glory position. If Christ can humble himself and become a man...obey even to the point of death on a cross....well then who am I to complain that God my Creator chooses one role for me and not another. That goes for reasons related to sin and those not related to sin. No one is entitled to it.
Only those in the tribe of Levi wwere called to be priests. It didn't make anyone else less important. The authority is God's. He chooses.
AMEN!
Anyway, I look at the woman at the well. Jesus didn't tell her to not marry again but to sin no more. David repented but stayed with Bathsheba. May the repentance is admitting you sinned and not doing so again. A new life in Christ. If you don't go back and try to make amends for all the hurt you inflicted and continue your old ways in a second relationship did you truly repent?
Thanks for the links.
( Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.)
There is no reason to believe that she was married to the man that she was with and if she was married he was not consider to be her husband even tho she be married if she was. If the Bible did not say she was from Samaria based on her many marriages I would have guessed Hollywood .
As to King David his Marriage is different he eliminated the adultly by killing her husband thus freeing her for marriage. David should have been put to death for his sins. That was the punishment demanded by God but God chose to spare David and instead take the life from his son as a consequence for his sins
2Sa 12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. 2Sa 12:14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
Big Amen to that!!!!
Insert “1Corinthians 12” here.
Anyway, as I mentioned, I don't have all the answers but is this question answered in just one verse or does God answer in several? I have to disagree with you about David though . He committed adultery and then had someone killed because of it. He most certainly did not eliminate the adultery. He sinned and then sinned again trying to cover his sin.
There were consequences but God forgave him. Why would not the same God forgive someone that divorced and re-married if they were truly repentant? Would expecting a new Christian that realized he had sinned to leave a current wife fit the pattern of the examples we see in the Bible?
Deuteronomy:20:17: But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:
Does that make the (clear) murder of Uriah "ok"? I don't think so. Still, this is important.
After Uriah's death (murder), Bathsheba COULD be David's wife without any penalty. She was free to marry.
One wonders if David had simply allowed Uriah to be killed in battle BEFORE his adultery with Bathsheba, if there would have been any sin...at all! But that is just speculation on my part.
I guess my point is that after Uriah's death, there was no more "on-going" adultery.
Bottom line, Jesus hates divorce. Through it, we show our inability to be faithful. The question I think is how do we "fix" that sin. It's not by sinning again.
I think we can all agree that if a 14 year old boy gets his 14 year old girlfriend pregnant, that is a sin. How is that situation reconciled with God? Do the young couple get married? Do they put the baby up for adoption? Or, do they terminate the pregnancy? I certainly believe that the last option is...well...not an option. That's murder.
So, do we "fix" the first sin - fornication - by committing another - murder? A resounding, NO!
Therefore, do we "fix" our sin of divorce by divorcing our new spouse and have our first spouse divorce their spouse just so we can re-marry them? Again, I say a resounding, NO!
So does that mean that the original sin of adultery never occurred? Or does the sin of murder now just take its place? And, if we go and do the same to our ex's, does that mean that there is nor more "on-going" adultery?
I know these questions are absurd, at least they are to me. But, that's what I like about these studies.
In Christ
Well it seems most of us agree that we can be forgiven for sin, including adultry and divorce. As for as repentance though I think I’m just going to say that is going to have to be between them and God.
Emphasis mine, but I don't agree. Neither does the Bible.
Deut 22:28-29 If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; 29 Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.
OK, I'm confused. I think you missed my point...but, are you saying that the fornication of the 14 year olds would not be a sin just because, "...she shall be his wife..."?
Again, I may be missing your point.
My whole point is that divorce is a sin. We can be forgiven of that sin even though there will be ramifications from that sin. However, I don’t believe that we can “fix” that sin by committing another sin. That’s my point. I may not should have gotten off on the other illustration of the 14 year olds. That’s all it was, an illustration.
I 'm not sure what you mean by this? Could you expound?
I see in scripture that divorce is not pleasing to God and that adultry is a sin. That’s loud and clear. What I don’t see is that a new Christian that was divorced must divorce his second wife . If no adultry was committed, would not a person be sinning again? Do churches tell people this? What scripture is used to support it?
I'm not sure why you think this is such a terrible thing?
I still have no idea what you are talking about. I didn't commence the "on-going" idea discussion. You missed my point entirely. I never said anything about on going fornication.
I'm not sure why you think this is such a terrible thing?
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT???
Back to the original point of the lesson. There is a Place for All...even those who divorce. Divorce is not the unforgivable sin. Should we do all that we can to avoid divorce? YES! Will being divorced ensure that we will go to hell? Only if you don't accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior...just as anything will if you don't accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
Either I missed your point or you missed mine. Sorry if I missed yours.
In Christ
So....how about a nice debate about Paul?:’)
ah...that was supposed to be Peter:’)
Mar 10:9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Jesue only give one way for that bond to be broken and that is fornacation otherwise the bond of marriage the one that God joined together remains enforce until death.
I have yet to hear anyone make the point that forgiveness of sin takes away the bond of marriage from the first. We can pretend that when the State or even a Church proclaims one divorced that which God Has joined together has now been separated. But it was God who did the Joining and Only God can do the separating. God has only given us one reason he would end that bond before it due time in death and that is fornication.
When someone is in a marriage that God has not join together and they divorce is that divorce sin?
I am not trying to give you a hard time nor do I question your sincerity after all even those who followed Jesus when he taught the laws on marriage divorce and remarriage had a difficult time accepting the truth.
It’s not a matter of accepting but understanding. If a family comes to your church and one or both were divorced what does the Lord require of them. Are they to stay together and not sin again or are they expected to divorce ? What would you tell them?
Which death? We assume that the only death implied is the physical death. But behold! I am a new creature in Christ Jesus. The old things have been put to death.
Does God hear the "oaths", "pledges" or "prayers" of the non-believers before they have become new creatures? Is it possible that all "marriages" outside the realm of Believer marriages have never been recognized as a joining in the eyes of God? What good is a pledge of marriage to a God that one doesn't believe in?
Just asking. Not a studied point of view, but just some thoughts.
First of all if a family came to my church I would tell them whatever I want since it is my church I can make the rules.
but I don't have a church The Lord has a church he died for it it was his blood that paid for it and he get to make the rules
Therefore I would not tell them anything I would teach them what is taught in the word of God. If the Divorce was the result of Fornication then the bond of the first would have been separated by God and they would now be bound by God to each other
If not the reason then I would teach them That God has already bound them to another. This would be the same teaching that Jesus gave, and the same the John the Baptist gave, and the same that Paul gave. They need to be reconciled to their true spouse the one God has joined them to or remain unmarried.
That would mean they would need to end their adulterous relationship so they may do as God commands that they reconcile to the one they are bound to or remain unmarried. Any other doctrine is going beyond what God has taught. If they don't like that to bad so sad. Its not about what pleases man or what others may think its about what God has bound and to whom.
The Great thing about America is we can alway find a church that will teach whatever we want. Some Churches will marry homosexuals. If two men are married two each other would that be a sin?
What if they divorced and each married other men would that be a sin? What about the blood of Christ and forgiveness. Of all the reasoning in defense of multi marriages that have has been made, which ones would not apply to a homosexual marriage? Be they in their first or second marriage.
Its Getting late and if you was to see me you would know how desperately I need my beauty sleep
I don't see that anywhere in Scripture.
What is your theological background and your theological leanings for your understanding of Scripture in this way?
I have been a Baptist all of my life and have never heard divorce taught this way. (This is after all a Baptist Sunday School Bible Study)
In Christ
Upon that study, I found your remarks from posts titled, "Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation?", "The Relationship of Baptism to Salvation", and "Why I Left the Baptist Church"...among others.
I really don't understand this. I know that this is no longer a caucus, and I guess you can be here if you want to be, but now the sheep's clothing has been removed.
In Christ,
WileyPink
Thanks. Now I understand:’)
Instead, may I please post part of an email I got? I think he says it better than I could...and in far fewer words.
He said:
What you say is true, but another thing is if it is edifying. In any way: my intention was (and I think I used the right words) to explain that there should be NO SHADOW on any current marriage, regardless of what bureaucrats or clergymen say. To look back at "past marriages" is to lay a shadow on your current marriage. There is no such thing in the New Testament as dissolving a current marriage, simply because you were married before. Of course it was wrong to divorce, but it cannot be undone, when you are already married again. Sure, it is not a good testimony, but we ALL fail in many respects.
THINK ABOUT THIS:
To reflect on FORMER marriages IS a form of HINDERING your current marriage.
To "wonder about" former marriages seems to be some kind of self-inflicted punishment. As if bringing self-inflicted harm and grief ( i.e. by wondering if you should leave your current spouse to go back to your former one) would make it any better. I do not believe in self-punishment as good for anything. Let God do the punishing and rebuking as He sees fit. It does not mean that you declare it "OK" that you've been married more then once.
If someone is married and want to divorce the message is "do not divorce unless the unbelieving spouse leaves". If divorced but not yet remarried the message is "do not marry another person". If remarried anyway the Bible stays silent AND SO SHOULD WE.
Quite some time ago we found out that the requirements for elders is to have only one CURRENT wife. That makes sense in this light. It is always about HERE AND NOW. A man with multiple wives (the Bible does not strictly forbid it) is NOT a visible representative of Christ and his ONE Bride. A man with ONE wife - even if he had former wives - IS, currently, by his marriage depicting that Christ has only ONE Bride.
So I do believe that we are NOT allowed to lay a shadow on any CURRENT marriage.
...my brain is hurting.
Thanks,
In Christ
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