Divorce, Remarriage, and Reconciliation - Healing the Land
Divorce, Remarriage, and Reconciliation - Healing the Land
"...the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery." - Jesus
When do you feel that Jesus' words actually DO apply?
Is it ever NOT okay for people to divorce?
When do you believe it is ever NOT okay for people to remarry?
There are two main issues that I believe that God is putting His finger on with regard to divorce and remarriage:
1. The issue of the hardness of people's hearts and the need to seek God's forgiveness for divorce and remarriage to people who were divorced
2. Reconciliation - God is calling for a reconciliation between people who have wounded each other and their children through divorce (this may not necessarily mean "getting back together"), but if they cannot stand in the same room comfortably and worship God as brothers and sisters in Christ (granted that they are believers), there is a problem. There is no full restoration in a divorce, unless there is full restoration between the two parties who have divorced.
Division/divorce is of the enemy.
In Kingdom relationships, there is no division, but perfect unity and peace.
I have prayed long and hard about this issue, because it is the source of so much division and bitterness within the Church and also in the world. "I hate divorce," says God in His Word. I do as well. I hate the division it causes, and that children suffer at the selfishness of parents. Divorce was never God's original intent. What God has put together, let no one put asunder. Yet this still leaves thousands of people who have sinned in this manner feeling helplessly condemned. I encourage those who have divorced to seek grace and forgiveness from God, and then from their former spouse and children. For those who have not remarried, I would encourage them to pray toward and work toward reconciliation, and not to remarry. Consider Hosea, who sought to love his wife back to himself, after she had committed adultery. God is looking at our hearts, considering how we have responded to Him with regards to divorce. If your hearts are still bitter and angry toward someone you once loved and were married to, you are not right with God. Where there is unforgiveness, God does not abide. It is absolutely essential that love and forgiveness be maintained, even if the spouses have remarried. If you simply divorced your spouse to marry another, you have committed adultery. And anyone who marries such a person is committing adultery.
Forgiveness and grace is ONLY available to those who have repented of their sin. Grace is not a shelter for fugitives from the law. Rather, it IS for those who had "turned themselves into the law" and the consequences of the Court and plead for God's mercy.
"IF we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Divorce is a sin, yet most people find some loophole for "why is was okay for them" and never actually repent of it. Some people try to pull the "I wasn't a Christian when I divorced" card or "We're already married now, so just accept us and move on" or "they committed adultery, so I was free to divorce." Take a close look at Matt. 14 and ask yourself why John the Baptist felt that Herod's marriage to his brother's former wife (Herodias) was "unlawful". Keep in mind that they are two "unsaved" people and their marriage was already "final". I am not going to try to explain away John's or Jesus' words about divorce and remarriage. John was willing to face death for it!
As Jesus said, "...God allowed divorce as a concession because of the hardness of your hearts, but it was not this way from the beginning." Just because God allows something doesn't mean that it is His will. Remarriage to someone who is divorced is a sin -- clearly, because Jesus called it adultery. Are they forgivable? - of course every sin is forgivable, but if someone sits and justifies their divorce or their remarriage to someone who is divorced and never repents for it, they cannot enter into God's forgiveness and grace.
"Should we sin that grace may about - God forbid!"
The woman who was caught in adultery (which the religious leaders wanted to stone to death) was clearly repentant, because Jesus said he didn't condemn her and also said, "Go and leave your life of sin." This is NOT what I see most of the Church saying with regards to this. Rather, I see that they are justifying their actions and just wanting everyone to "love" them. In other words, they compromise along with the people who have sinned. They would be like people in the crowd who stand up for the woman and say, "She never committed adultery! Why are you wanting to stone her? Stop condemning her. What do you mean you 'don't condemn her', Jesus? -- she never did anything wrong!"
Have I ever lusted after a woman in my heart (Jesus calls this adultery)? I don't think you would find a man on the planet who has never done this. I don't think you would find a woman on the planet who hasn't had a wrongful seductive thought. But my sin is covered by the blood of the Lamb, because I CONFESSED it, as is everyone who does the same.
"He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy."
There is a difference between slandering someone WRONGFULLY and warning others of a very clear danger of someone's sinful actions. There is a HUGE danger in not owning up.
What does LOVE look like when someone persists in disobedience and rebellion and will not repent? There is a just and good reason for cutting someone off from fellowship after they have been warned several times - it's called church discipline (Matt. 18, 1 Cor. 5). Judgment and rebuke within the Church is something that God not only endorses, He encourages it. Search it out.
People are right when they say that God does not cut people off from relationship when they disobey; people cut THEMSELVES off because of their sin.
"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear."
Here is the GOOD news:
"If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared."
There is forgiveness with God; there is hope for restoration and reconciliation -- between God and between people. God is always standing with open arms of relationship. Full restoration will only come as people humble themselves and pray and seek His face and TURN from their wicked ways, THEN He will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
"...the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery." - Jesus
When do you feel that Jesus' words actually DO apply?
Is it ever NOT okay for people to divorce?
When do you believe it is ever NOT okay for people to remarry?
There are two main issues that I believe that God is putting His finger on with regard to divorce and remarriage:
1. The issue of the hardness of people's hearts and the need to seek God's forgiveness for divorce and remarriage to people who were divorced
2. Reconciliation - God is calling for a reconciliation between people who have wounded each other and their children through divorce (this may not necessarily mean "getting back together"), but if they cannot stand in the same room comfortably and worship God as brothers and sisters in Christ (granted that they are believers), there is a problem. There is no full restoration in a divorce, unless there is full restoration between the two parties who have divorced.
Division/divorce is of the enemy.
In Kingdom relationships, there is no division, but perfect unity and peace.
I have prayed long and hard about this issue, because it is the source of so much division and bitterness within the Church and also in the world. "I hate divorce," says God in His Word. I do as well. I hate the division it causes, and that children suffer at the selfishness of parents. Divorce was never God's original intent. What God has put together, let no one put asunder. Yet this still leaves thousands of people who have sinned in this manner feeling helplessly condemned. I encourage those who have divorced to seek grace and forgiveness from God, and then from their former spouse and children. For those who have not remarried, I would encourage them to pray toward and work toward reconciliation, and not to remarry. Consider Hosea, who sought to love his wife back to himself, after she had committed adultery. God is looking at our hearts, considering how we have responded to Him with regards to divorce. If your hearts are still bitter and angry toward someone you once loved and were married to, you are not right with God. Where there is unforgiveness, God does not abide. It is absolutely essential that love and forgiveness be maintained, even if the spouses have remarried. If you simply divorced your spouse to marry another, you have committed adultery. And anyone who marries such a person is committing adultery.
Forgiveness and grace is ONLY available to those who have repented of their sin. Grace is not a shelter for fugitives from the law. Rather, it IS for those who had "turned themselves into the law" and the consequences of the Court and plead for God's mercy.
"IF we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Divorce is a sin, yet most people find some loophole for "why is was okay for them" and never actually repent of it. Some people try to pull the "I wasn't a Christian when I divorced" card or "We're already married now, so just accept us and move on" or "they committed adultery, so I was free to divorce." Take a close look at Matt. 14 and ask yourself why John the Baptist felt that Herod's marriage to his brother's former wife (Herodias) was "unlawful". Keep in mind that they are two "unsaved" people and their marriage was already "final". I am not going to try to explain away John's or Jesus' words about divorce and remarriage. John was willing to face death for it!
As Jesus said, "...God allowed divorce as a concession because of the hardness of your hearts, but it was not this way from the beginning." Just because God allows something doesn't mean that it is His will. Remarriage to someone who is divorced is a sin -- clearly, because Jesus called it adultery. Are they forgivable? - of course every sin is forgivable, but if someone sits and justifies their divorce or their remarriage to someone who is divorced and never repents for it, they cannot enter into God's forgiveness and grace.
"Should we sin that grace may about - God forbid!"
The woman who was caught in adultery (which the religious leaders wanted to stone to death) was clearly repentant, because Jesus said he didn't condemn her and also said, "Go and leave your life of sin." This is NOT what I see most of the Church saying with regards to this. Rather, I see that they are justifying their actions and just wanting everyone to "love" them. In other words, they compromise along with the people who have sinned. They would be like people in the crowd who stand up for the woman and say, "She never committed adultery! Why are you wanting to stone her? Stop condemning her. What do you mean you 'don't condemn her', Jesus? -- she never did anything wrong!"
Have I ever lusted after a woman in my heart (Jesus calls this adultery)? I don't think you would find a man on the planet who has never done this. I don't think you would find a woman on the planet who hasn't had a wrongful seductive thought. But my sin is covered by the blood of the Lamb, because I CONFESSED it, as is everyone who does the same.
"He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy."
There is a difference between slandering someone WRONGFULLY and warning others of a very clear danger of someone's sinful actions. There is a HUGE danger in not owning up.
What does LOVE look like when someone persists in disobedience and rebellion and will not repent? There is a just and good reason for cutting someone off from fellowship after they have been warned several times - it's called church discipline (Matt. 18, 1 Cor. 5). Judgment and rebuke within the Church is something that God not only endorses, He encourages it. Search it out.
People are right when they say that God does not cut people off from relationship when they disobey; people cut THEMSELVES off because of their sin.
"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear."
Here is the GOOD news:
"If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared."
There is forgiveness with God; there is hope for restoration and reconciliation -- between God and between people. God is always standing with open arms of relationship. Full restoration will only come as people humble themselves and pray and seek His face and TURN from their wicked ways, THEN He will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
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