The Apostle Paul took the command of Jesus to take the Gospel into the world very seriously. There were doubtless other Christians in the first century who took this command just as seriously. It is Paul’s efforts, though, that are recorded about most in the New Testament. When you consider how much he did you can’t help but be amazed. It’s true that he had persecuted the church with zeal before believing the truth of the Gospel (Philippians 3:6). That changed dramatically when he was baptized for the remission of sins and became a Christian.
Paul traveled throughout most of the known world without the luxury of any modern forms of transportation. He probably didn’t even have the luxury of 1st century transportation but walked everywhere. All this he did for the purpose of taking the Gospel into the world. He preached everywhere he went. One of the most admirable things about Paul was his eagerness to take the Gospel to people who were hostile to the message of Christ. We read in the book of Acts that he preached to the Jewish Council in Jerusalem, to the high priest, Ananias, the Roman procurator, Felix, and to the governor, Agrippa. As Acts ends, we read that Paul was in Rome preparing to go before the emperor himself.
It wasn’t just to big names that Paul preached. We read in Acts 17 that when Paul arrived in a town it was his custom to take the Gospel into the local Jewish synagogue on the Sabbath. Talk about going into the belly of the beast. In the 1st century, these were the people most hostile to the Gospel. The synagogue we read about Paul going into in Acts 17 was in Thessalonica where we also read that the Jewish people chased him out of town. Paul, wrote about his journeys. “Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers” (2 Corinthians 11:24-26). Take some time and think about that because there are precious few Christians that would endure that today.
Tensions between Jews and Christians have cooled since then. Still, we can scarcely imagine taking the gospel in to a synagogue. Putting what Paul did in modern terms would be like preaching the Gospel in a Mormon temple or a Muslim mosque. How many of us would be willing to go into any of those places much less talk about Jesus there? Paul was fearless as he went into the world with Gospel of Jesus Christ and the truth is that we should be fearless, too.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Saturday, November 14, 2009
The Tin Star
Frank Miller ruled Hadleyville for years with crime and terrorism. He made it a dangerous place. It wasn’t safe for women or children to be out in the streets. That all changed, though, when a new law enforcement officer named Will Kane was appointed. He arrested Frank Miller and got rid of the criminal element that held the small town captive. Hadleyville became a good place again. All the townspeople were deeply grateful to Will Kane (or so it seemed).
That was five years ago. Now, Will Kane is retiring and leaving Hadleyville but Frank Miller has just been released from prison. While his gang waits at the station, Miller is heading back to Hadleyville on a train that will arrive at noon. Something needs to be done. So, Will Kane decides to face down Miller and his gang again. This is the only way Kane won’t have to keep looking over his shoulder for the rest of life and the only way to keep the town safe.
Such is the setting for the 1952 movie, “High Noon.” A movie so good that many intellectual elites still can’t decide what to make of it. Gary Cooper, as Will Kane, is determined to stop Miller and he is counting on the townspeople to help him. After all, there are four ruthless killers on the way. He soon finds out that nobody in town will stand with him. Neither his friends, his deputy, or even his wife will help. The only one willing is a 14 year old boy.
The townspeople all have different reasons. One says he is too old. Another says he too busy with work. Some think that Miller might go easier on them if they don’t help. The mayor comes to the ridiculous conclusion that if Kane will just leave, Frank Miller won’t do anything bad. Another man is ready to help until he realizes that nobody else will. They all have excuses but what they are really doing is putting their heads in the sand and leaving it all up to Will Kane.
It’s true that the main target of the bad guys is Kane but it’s not just his problem. It is a town problem. After they kill him, Frank Miller and his gang will take over Hadleyville again. When the time comes to do something for the town the people literally hide. The defining scene shows Will Kane at noon, stepping out into what was a bustling street earlier but now it is completely deserted. The town looks abandoned. Will Kane has to stand down the whole gang by himself.
Local congregations can seem this way sometimes. Like the people of Hadleyville, we can see things that need to be done. Hopefully, it’s nothing as dramatic as a gunfight. It might be teaching a class, attending a meeting, or cleaning the building. When things are easy, we see people everywhere. When it comes to doing something even slightly hard, too many times we look up and find nobody there. It’s up to people like Will Kane to handle all the hard stuff. At the end of “High Noon,” Will Kane pulls off his badge, throws it on the ground, and rides off away from Hadleyville forever. We have to ask ourselves what the future will hold for the congregation when our Will Kanes finally throw down their badges and ride away.
That was five years ago. Now, Will Kane is retiring and leaving Hadleyville but Frank Miller has just been released from prison. While his gang waits at the station, Miller is heading back to Hadleyville on a train that will arrive at noon. Something needs to be done. So, Will Kane decides to face down Miller and his gang again. This is the only way Kane won’t have to keep looking over his shoulder for the rest of life and the only way to keep the town safe.
Such is the setting for the 1952 movie, “High Noon.” A movie so good that many intellectual elites still can’t decide what to make of it. Gary Cooper, as Will Kane, is determined to stop Miller and he is counting on the townspeople to help him. After all, there are four ruthless killers on the way. He soon finds out that nobody in town will stand with him. Neither his friends, his deputy, or even his wife will help. The only one willing is a 14 year old boy.
The townspeople all have different reasons. One says he is too old. Another says he too busy with work. Some think that Miller might go easier on them if they don’t help. The mayor comes to the ridiculous conclusion that if Kane will just leave, Frank Miller won’t do anything bad. Another man is ready to help until he realizes that nobody else will. They all have excuses but what they are really doing is putting their heads in the sand and leaving it all up to Will Kane.
It’s true that the main target of the bad guys is Kane but it’s not just his problem. It is a town problem. After they kill him, Frank Miller and his gang will take over Hadleyville again. When the time comes to do something for the town the people literally hide. The defining scene shows Will Kane at noon, stepping out into what was a bustling street earlier but now it is completely deserted. The town looks abandoned. Will Kane has to stand down the whole gang by himself.
Local congregations can seem this way sometimes. Like the people of Hadleyville, we can see things that need to be done. Hopefully, it’s nothing as dramatic as a gunfight. It might be teaching a class, attending a meeting, or cleaning the building. When things are easy, we see people everywhere. When it comes to doing something even slightly hard, too many times we look up and find nobody there. It’s up to people like Will Kane to handle all the hard stuff. At the end of “High Noon,” Will Kane pulls off his badge, throws it on the ground, and rides off away from Hadleyville forever. We have to ask ourselves what the future will hold for the congregation when our Will Kanes finally throw down their badges and ride away.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Sin in the Camp
How seriously does God take it when there is sin among His people? It’s a question we might be tempted to avoid but we learn from the Bible that when there is someone among God’s people who is not really one of God’s people, the consequences can be severe. The Old Testament book of Joshua provides a very good illustration of God views sin among His followers.
Joshua and the Israelite army were finally in the Promised Land and on the march. God Himself was in command. He had destroyed the walls and they had taken the city of Jericho. The next city for them to attack was the strategically important city Ai. The Israelite spies reported to Joshua that only a few thousand men would be necessary to conquer the city. When the time for battle came, though, something went wrong. The Israelites were beaten and chased away from Ai.
The battle wasn’t supposed to turn out that way. God’s people were supposed to be triumphant. So, Joshua inquired of God about why this had happened. God answered: “Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings” (Joshua 7:11). There was a thief and a liar among them. Someone had stolen from the treasure of Jericho and lied about it. The commandments to not steal, not lie, and not covet were some of the most basic given to the Israelites. They were three of the Ten Commandments. One definition of sin is a failure to obey God’s commands and that is exactly what one of God’s people had done.
The next morning, Joshua went to each family in order to find the culprit. When he came to a man named Achan, from the tribe of Judah, Joshua implored him to confess. “And Achan answered Joshua, "Truly I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I did: when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath"” (Joshua 7:20-21).
All the things were taken from his tent and brought before God. Achan, his family, and all his possessions were taken to the desolate Valley of Achor (a name that means trouble). There, Achan and his family were stoned to death and burned. Once this was done, the Israelites were allowed to successfully conquer Ai.
When there was sin in the camp, the consequences for God’s people was severe. Thankfully, we aren’t called to this kind of violence today but God still expects us to take sin in the camp very seriously. In order to keep God’s favor, Achan had to be put out of the camp. When there is someone like Achan or anyone who does not truly follow the gospel among us, Christians are called upon to send them out. We won’t stone them but the loss of a church home might make them see how much trouble awaits them. Perhaps they will see that an even worse end will come if they do not return to the camp in repentance.
Joshua and the Israelite army were finally in the Promised Land and on the march. God Himself was in command. He had destroyed the walls and they had taken the city of Jericho. The next city for them to attack was the strategically important city Ai. The Israelite spies reported to Joshua that only a few thousand men would be necessary to conquer the city. When the time for battle came, though, something went wrong. The Israelites were beaten and chased away from Ai.
The battle wasn’t supposed to turn out that way. God’s people were supposed to be triumphant. So, Joshua inquired of God about why this had happened. God answered: “Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings” (Joshua 7:11). There was a thief and a liar among them. Someone had stolen from the treasure of Jericho and lied about it. The commandments to not steal, not lie, and not covet were some of the most basic given to the Israelites. They were three of the Ten Commandments. One definition of sin is a failure to obey God’s commands and that is exactly what one of God’s people had done.
The next morning, Joshua went to each family in order to find the culprit. When he came to a man named Achan, from the tribe of Judah, Joshua implored him to confess. “And Achan answered Joshua, "Truly I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I did: when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath"” (Joshua 7:20-21).
All the things were taken from his tent and brought before God. Achan, his family, and all his possessions were taken to the desolate Valley of Achor (a name that means trouble). There, Achan and his family were stoned to death and burned. Once this was done, the Israelites were allowed to successfully conquer Ai.
When there was sin in the camp, the consequences for God’s people was severe. Thankfully, we aren’t called to this kind of violence today but God still expects us to take sin in the camp very seriously. In order to keep God’s favor, Achan had to be put out of the camp. When there is someone like Achan or anyone who does not truly follow the gospel among us, Christians are called upon to send them out. We won’t stone them but the loss of a church home might make them see how much trouble awaits them. Perhaps they will see that an even worse end will come if they do not return to the camp in repentance.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Declaration of Independence
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” - 2 Corinthians 3:17
Last fall, as many financial markets collapsed, the Toxic Asset Relief Program (T.A.R.P.) was devised in which the U.S. Government would give funds to some large banks. There were a few people who opposed T.A.R.P. because they understood that the more government “gives,” the more government controls. While talking with some other parents on the playground during this time, one mother expressed her anxiety that T.A.R.P. might not be passed. “They say we can either keep our freedom or our wealth” she said loudly. Then she asked, “Can’t we just give up some freedom for some wealth?” Before I could stop myself, I replied dryly, “So much for ‘give me liberty, or give me death.’”
It was Patrick Henry who first said this in a speech before the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1775. “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!” Henry was part of a movement that led to the independence of the American colonies from Great Britain and he very much meant what he said about the importance of liberty.
When the Continental Congress first met in 1774, independence was not their goal. It eventually became clear, though, that liberty would mean separation from the oppressive British government across the sea. A committee that included Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams was formed to draft a document declaring this separation and the establishment of a new nation. This Declaration of Independence included a statement of their faith that individuals “are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” (they would have added “private property” but some were then under the false impression that slaves were property).
Never before or since has a nation been formed with such a great statement. They announced to the world that God does exist, that every person has been created by God and that each individual has been given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness by God. They declared that it was with this authority that the United States of America was established.
As Christians, we might consider how we would declare our own independence because it is indeed independence that we need. Jesus is recorded in John 8 as having said that without Him we are “slaves to sin” but that we can gain freedom by the truth of God’s word. We need freedom from sin, from the things that would tear us away from Christ, from the “dark forces” that blind us to the truth, and from Satan. Christians must declare their independence from the world with the realization that our freedom was why Jesus Christ came to Earth.
Jesus declared in Luke 4:18 that God sent Him to “proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” So, it is no wonder that later in life, Patrick Henry observed “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ!”
Last fall, as many financial markets collapsed, the Toxic Asset Relief Program (T.A.R.P.) was devised in which the U.S. Government would give funds to some large banks. There were a few people who opposed T.A.R.P. because they understood that the more government “gives,” the more government controls. While talking with some other parents on the playground during this time, one mother expressed her anxiety that T.A.R.P. might not be passed. “They say we can either keep our freedom or our wealth” she said loudly. Then she asked, “Can’t we just give up some freedom for some wealth?” Before I could stop myself, I replied dryly, “So much for ‘give me liberty, or give me death.’”
It was Patrick Henry who first said this in a speech before the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1775. “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!” Henry was part of a movement that led to the independence of the American colonies from Great Britain and he very much meant what he said about the importance of liberty.
When the Continental Congress first met in 1774, independence was not their goal. It eventually became clear, though, that liberty would mean separation from the oppressive British government across the sea. A committee that included Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams was formed to draft a document declaring this separation and the establishment of a new nation. This Declaration of Independence included a statement of their faith that individuals “are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” (they would have added “private property” but some were then under the false impression that slaves were property).
Never before or since has a nation been formed with such a great statement. They announced to the world that God does exist, that every person has been created by God and that each individual has been given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness by God. They declared that it was with this authority that the United States of America was established.
As Christians, we might consider how we would declare our own independence because it is indeed independence that we need. Jesus is recorded in John 8 as having said that without Him we are “slaves to sin” but that we can gain freedom by the truth of God’s word. We need freedom from sin, from the things that would tear us away from Christ, from the “dark forces” that blind us to the truth, and from Satan. Christians must declare their independence from the world with the realization that our freedom was why Jesus Christ came to Earth.
Jesus declared in Luke 4:18 that God sent Him to “proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” So, it is no wonder that later in life, Patrick Henry observed “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ!”
Sunday, September 13, 2009
On Your Sleeve
One of the worst things you can say about someone in 2009 is that they “wear their Christianity on their sleeve.” It’s a phrase adapted from a line in Shakespeare’s Othello in which the insidious Iago confides “I will wear my heart upon my sleeve.” Iago’s line has come to describe someone who openly displays their emotions and feelings. Likewise, when someone “wears their Christianity on their sleeve” it means that they openly display their faith in Jesus Christ.
It is a phrase that is almost always meant as an insult. It’s also a way to dismiss everything that a person may say or do. In society, many have decided that openly displaying faith in Christ is rude, distasteful, hurtful, and perhaps even illegal.
You are likely to hear it said about many different people, even politicians. One prominent politician recently paid a heavy price for “wearing his Christianity on his sleeve.” You are also likely to hear it said by any number of people. We can understand this coming from secular humanists, people of different religions, and of no religion.
Surprisingly, there is another group from which we might hear this phrase: other Christians. When a Christian complains this way, what are they really saying?
They are saying that our faith in Christ must take a back seat if it offends other people. This, despite the fact that Jesus Christ stated that He would cause offense (Matthew 10:34).
They are saying that we shouldn’t hurt the feelings of non-believers. Again, despite the fact that Jesus told us that we are unworthy of Him if we put others ahead of Him (Matthew 10:37).
They are saying that faith in Christ should be secret. Regardless that everything we say and do should be done in His name (Colossians 3:17).
They are saying that Christianity should not be talked about in certain company. They thereby dismiss the examples of people like Peter and John who wanted Christ to be known by everyone (Acts 4:10).
They are saying that Christ is recreation and Christianity some kind of a hobby. Even though, we are told plainly that Jesus Christ is far above every authority and power (Ephesians 1:21-22).
They are saying that Christ should be kept in the closet. While the Bible tells us that we must “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” as a garment (Romans 13:14).
They are saying that we should be ashamed of Christ and forget the stern warning that to do so has eternal consequences (Matthew 10:33).
Being told that we “wear our Christianity on our sleeve” is a compliment, even when it is not meant to be. The truth is that we should all strive to proclaim openly and unashamedly our faith in, hope in, and love for Jesus Christ. It is to Him, God’s Son, that we belong and our lives must be lived to bring glory to God in every way (1 Corinthians 6:20).
It is a phrase that is almost always meant as an insult. It’s also a way to dismiss everything that a person may say or do. In society, many have decided that openly displaying faith in Christ is rude, distasteful, hurtful, and perhaps even illegal.
You are likely to hear it said about many different people, even politicians. One prominent politician recently paid a heavy price for “wearing his Christianity on his sleeve.” You are also likely to hear it said by any number of people. We can understand this coming from secular humanists, people of different religions, and of no religion.
Surprisingly, there is another group from which we might hear this phrase: other Christians. When a Christian complains this way, what are they really saying?
They are saying that our faith in Christ must take a back seat if it offends other people. This, despite the fact that Jesus Christ stated that He would cause offense (Matthew 10:34).
They are saying that we shouldn’t hurt the feelings of non-believers. Again, despite the fact that Jesus told us that we are unworthy of Him if we put others ahead of Him (Matthew 10:37).
They are saying that faith in Christ should be secret. Regardless that everything we say and do should be done in His name (Colossians 3:17).
They are saying that Christianity should not be talked about in certain company. They thereby dismiss the examples of people like Peter and John who wanted Christ to be known by everyone (Acts 4:10).
They are saying that Christ is recreation and Christianity some kind of a hobby. Even though, we are told plainly that Jesus Christ is far above every authority and power (Ephesians 1:21-22).
They are saying that Christ should be kept in the closet. While the Bible tells us that we must “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” as a garment (Romans 13:14).
They are saying that we should be ashamed of Christ and forget the stern warning that to do so has eternal consequences (Matthew 10:33).
Being told that we “wear our Christianity on our sleeve” is a compliment, even when it is not meant to be. The truth is that we should all strive to proclaim openly and unashamedly our faith in, hope in, and love for Jesus Christ. It is to Him, God’s Son, that we belong and our lives must be lived to bring glory to God in every way (1 Corinthians 6:20).
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Love is a Verb
For a long time, the best sermon I had ever heard was preached by a man named Gary Grady. Until that sermon, I struggled with love. I read over and over again in the Bible that God commanded me to love but I just didn’t feel that way about everyone. How are we supposed to love people who don’t love us? How are we supposed to love people who don’t believe what we believe? How are we supposed to love people we don’t like very much? What I learned that day can be summed up by the name of the sermon; “Love Is A Verb.”
The problem I was having is a problem that many people have. We misunderstand what love really is. We tend to think that love is a feeling of great warmth toward someone. The kind of love God tells us to have is about is much, much more. Part of our problem in understanding of the Christian concept of love comes about because the English language uses only one word for something that the original Greek used several words to explain.
In fact, there are four separate words in 1st Century Greek that are commonly translated as love. Eros is the love that typically exists between a man and a woman. It is a physical love and usually what we mean when we say we “fall in love.” Storge is a loyal affection. This is the kind of love we see in a close-knit family. Phileō and its forms refer to the warm affection we have for friends. We often call this brotherly love. All three of these types of love involve feelings we have. They are emotional responses that come to us naturally.
However, when we read Jesus telling us to love our neighbors and to love our enemies, He wasn’t telling us to have feelings we don’t. There is no magical way to suddenly have Phileō towards people who hate us. Jesus was talking about a fourth kind of love: Agapē. In order to make this distinction, the King James Version sometimes translates this as charity (as in 1 Corinthians 13). Agapē is a completely different kind of love. It is love in action. Agapē is God’s love and it is the love he requires of us for Him and other people. Yes, the best way to explain Agapē is love as verb. It’s not what we have so much as what we do.
How do we do love in this way? Here are some examples: Agapē is what we do when we give money to the needy. Agapē is what we do when we offer hospitality. Agapē is what a husband does when he cares his ailing wife. Agapē is what a woman does when she teaches children. Agapē is what children do when they obey their parents. When we forgive people or tell them the Gospel we are loving them with Agapē.
So, this is the love Jesus commanded in verses like Luke 6:27 "But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” It was not Eros, Storge or even Phileō but Agapē. Hence the clarification to “do good.” Jesus was commanding us to act in the best interest of other people even when we don’t feel love. This is not love from emotion but love from our will based on our gratitude to God. When it comes to love, we can learn from the master of active love, Jesus Christ. Everything that he did on Earth was an act of love for us. He still loves us by what He continues to do.
The problem I was having is a problem that many people have. We misunderstand what love really is. We tend to think that love is a feeling of great warmth toward someone. The kind of love God tells us to have is about is much, much more. Part of our problem in understanding of the Christian concept of love comes about because the English language uses only one word for something that the original Greek used several words to explain.
In fact, there are four separate words in 1st Century Greek that are commonly translated as love. Eros is the love that typically exists between a man and a woman. It is a physical love and usually what we mean when we say we “fall in love.” Storge is a loyal affection. This is the kind of love we see in a close-knit family. Phileō and its forms refer to the warm affection we have for friends. We often call this brotherly love. All three of these types of love involve feelings we have. They are emotional responses that come to us naturally.
However, when we read Jesus telling us to love our neighbors and to love our enemies, He wasn’t telling us to have feelings we don’t. There is no magical way to suddenly have Phileō towards people who hate us. Jesus was talking about a fourth kind of love: Agapē. In order to make this distinction, the King James Version sometimes translates this as charity (as in 1 Corinthians 13). Agapē is a completely different kind of love. It is love in action. Agapē is God’s love and it is the love he requires of us for Him and other people. Yes, the best way to explain Agapē is love as verb. It’s not what we have so much as what we do.
How do we do love in this way? Here are some examples: Agapē is what we do when we give money to the needy. Agapē is what we do when we offer hospitality. Agapē is what a husband does when he cares his ailing wife. Agapē is what a woman does when she teaches children. Agapē is what children do when they obey their parents. When we forgive people or tell them the Gospel we are loving them with Agapē.
So, this is the love Jesus commanded in verses like Luke 6:27 "But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” It was not Eros, Storge or even Phileō but Agapē. Hence the clarification to “do good.” Jesus was commanding us to act in the best interest of other people even when we don’t feel love. This is not love from emotion but love from our will based on our gratitude to God. When it comes to love, we can learn from the master of active love, Jesus Christ. Everything that he did on Earth was an act of love for us. He still loves us by what He continues to do.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
He's Against It
It doesn’t seem to matter. Statistical studies show that Americans who identify themselves as “Christians” are just as likely to divorce as anyone else. Moreover, among these divorced people one quarter have been divorced twice or more. At any other time in history, these figures would seem impossible. Christians would be motivated for change. Churches would spend more time explaining the truth about divorce. Yet, in these times of permissiveness outside and inside the churches, we probably aren’t surprised.
How can it be that divorce has become so common and so easy? Many people who call themselves “Christians” just don’t believe that divorce involves sin and that is exactly what some of their churches teach them. Just as people have always done, there are those who try to change the word of God to be more comfortable and convenient for them and others. Many religious people have come to accept “new understandings” about marriage and divorce.
No matter what the Holy Bible tells us about divorce, few people seem to agree with it. Among the denominations, a majority of both Protestants (58%) and Catholics (69%) disagree with the idea that divorce for any reason is sin. Even among churches of Christ, people have risen up to challenge what God has said about divorce. Many might agree with the statement “the bible isn’t really clear about the subject.” Perhaps they believe that God just doesn’t care that much about marriage and divorce.
The truth is that God has spoken to us clearly about divorce. Contrary to what some think, He’s against it. Although different from the New Testament in that the law Moses delivered from God did allow divorce for various reasons, it was very specific about how divorce was to be handled. For example, we read in Deuteronomy that a man was not permitted to take his wife back after she had left and remarried, even if her second husband died. The reason was that although there was a bill of divorce, marriage to a second husband was a defilement. It was a desecration of the sanctity of the first marriage, in the same sense in which adultery is called defilement in Leviticus and Numbers.
By reading the Bible, we can learn what divorce is in God’s eyes. Divorce always involves the moral defilement of adultery in some way. Malachi wrote that God hates divorce. He also made reference to the violence of it. We might not think that way. However, in the words of God Himself, divorce is a violent and faithless act. There are many innocent ex-spouses and children of divorce who can verify this. Divorce was permitted in the Old Testament but it is clear from reading the Old Testament that God has always been against it.
How can it be that divorce has become so common and so easy? Many people who call themselves “Christians” just don’t believe that divorce involves sin and that is exactly what some of their churches teach them. Just as people have always done, there are those who try to change the word of God to be more comfortable and convenient for them and others. Many religious people have come to accept “new understandings” about marriage and divorce.
No matter what the Holy Bible tells us about divorce, few people seem to agree with it. Among the denominations, a majority of both Protestants (58%) and Catholics (69%) disagree with the idea that divorce for any reason is sin. Even among churches of Christ, people have risen up to challenge what God has said about divorce. Many might agree with the statement “the bible isn’t really clear about the subject.” Perhaps they believe that God just doesn’t care that much about marriage and divorce.
The truth is that God has spoken to us clearly about divorce. Contrary to what some think, He’s against it. Although different from the New Testament in that the law Moses delivered from God did allow divorce for various reasons, it was very specific about how divorce was to be handled. For example, we read in Deuteronomy that a man was not permitted to take his wife back after she had left and remarried, even if her second husband died. The reason was that although there was a bill of divorce, marriage to a second husband was a defilement. It was a desecration of the sanctity of the first marriage, in the same sense in which adultery is called defilement in Leviticus and Numbers.
By reading the Bible, we can learn what divorce is in God’s eyes. Divorce always involves the moral defilement of adultery in some way. Malachi wrote that God hates divorce. He also made reference to the violence of it. We might not think that way. However, in the words of God Himself, divorce is a violent and faithless act. There are many innocent ex-spouses and children of divorce who can verify this. Divorce was permitted in the Old Testament but it is clear from reading the Old Testament that God has always been against it.
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