Thursday, July 21, 2011

Calmly Think On This (Selah)

I was reading a book entitled, Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage in the Bible by Jay E. Adams. It is one of the few books that I even bothered to read the preface and introduction (I usually like getting into the meat of the Word, nevertheless...) before really diving into it. Not usually reading Christian authors that weren't referred to me by a reputable Christian themselves (Matthew 7:16 KJV), I was surprised that some of the questions he remarks about, even before I could finish the first chapter, I have had; which is the reason for this blog entry.

The topic of his book is where I believe God called me to (along with the family, of course) and I am in agreement with the author that there just isn't enough information to help believers who seem to be falling in slots of the world with the excuse that God doesn't mention these matters in the Word and therefore neither do men and women of God. That would be error.

The other focus the author mentions is the differences between conservative and liberal Christians. Terms I would only use with politicians but until he described his definitions of each, I had to do a selah myself. The liberals bend the biblical principles to fit everyone in and the conservatives border on tradition and religion rather then faith, research for the truth, and prayer. Which are you?

Its just with all of the reading, it made me think of something that I don't believe has really been an issue. I  don't mean for it to be an issue now, its just that I would think that pastors would be more on their guard not to marry people so quickly just because the two individuals say that they are ready when we all know who has ever been there, they don't have a clue. Let's calmly think about this, seeing it is one of the elements that makes the foundation for the next generation.

Understanding that the two young people determined to marry have no idea what the life they are choosing will come to, who then is at fault when the two end up in divorce. Resoundingly, most people will say that it is the fault of the two individuals that decided to marry, yet we have already established that they have no idea what they are getting themselves into. So therefore, we could then use the verse, my people perish for lack of knowledge, and be done with it (Hosea 4:6 KJV). Oh well, it was their choice. But what about the verses that if you know to do good and not do it, to him it is a sin (James 4:17 KJV)? Or the one about, the older training the younger (Titus 2:1-4 AMP)? What about the one where the Word tells that if you saw that something bad was going to happen and did nothing to stop it and bad happened, that the blood is on your hands (Ezekiel 33:1-11 AMP)? With that established, let's look at these young people stepping into a territory that they know nothing about.

Not doing things as the world does them, wouldn't it be beneficial for all of the denominations to come together and be in agreement - at least those that believe Jesus is Lord and are only looking to please the Father, to not marry anyone without them agreeing to 4 weeks of marital counseling. I don't mean meeting one day a week... I mean 4 weeks. That's 30 days! 30 days of the pastor (or qualified Christian counselor) seeing the behavior of the two people each time they come in to meet, the attitude of the two people when asked those tough questions, the answers given of the two when topics that weren't discussed in the dating process comes up, talking about finances, sex, their history of sex, children, family, values, ethics, morals, fidelity, taxes, etc. No stone left unturned. If not this way, then what?

I pose the question to all who believe that Jesus is Lord. There will come a day when we are all going to be judged (James 5:9-10 AMP). Believers who have divorced and have remarried will be judged as whore mongers and adulterers, for it is written (Hebrews 13:4 KJV). There is no getting around that. But if the two that married didn't know this and the one that married them did - who is it again that will be judged? I have been to Christian counseling sessions and I believed many times that the counselor would have this enormous insight about the issue I was having. I believed this not only because of the expertise but also because of the anointing that is on this professional individual. I cannot describe to you the disappointment when leaving the session no more enlightened then I was going in. Would that be my fault that there was no breakthrough? The counselor would have you believe that it is. What would Jesus say?

There are pastors, ministers, evangelists, and all sorts of clergy that marry people to enhance and build their congregation. On the outside it looks well and we move on to matters of more concern. But if we really looked at the heart of this man/woman of God in doing such a thing it is the equivalence of giving the keys to a drunk to drive himself safely home with the instruction, "be careful." You can see that he cannot be careful! He is not equipped to! How can we keep doing this?!!

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