How Different The World Would Be…
It’s summer. We have lots of things vying for our attention so I’m going to keep this study short. Something you can do quickly over the weekend and then just let it mull over in your mind.
As I was doing my devotions this morning, this section was near what I reading and I was drawn to it. So I read it and let the Holy Spirit guide me to where to turn next.
The Verses that Caught my Eye
“And He [Jesus] said to them, ‘whosoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery..’” MK 10:11-12.
How Different The World Would Be IF…
…we adhered to what Jesus said here. If you’re a Christian there’d be no divorces. Period.
But, you say, “you don’t know my husband and what he’s done.” Scripture says, “The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.” [I COR 7:39]. I hear the comeback right away, “BUT I’M NOT UNDER THE LAW, I’m under grace.” This letter was written to the Corinthians. They were Gentiles. They weren’t Jews. Paul is applying this to Gentiles.
Then there’s the marriage vows. My marriage vows specifically stated until death do us part. I know some say “as long as love remains,” but if you got married in a church, it says until death. Now that vow was made to your spouse AND God. Scripture states, Woe to a man [person] who vows a vow and does not keep it. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like to be under the WOE category when facing God.
What would people do if divorce wasn’t an option?
Wouldn’t you look at your dating choices before marriage with a closer eye? The things you hope “he’ll grow out of” or you think will change over time would now be red flags or black flags. I look at some friends who really allowed their parents to guide or even decide who they would marry, parents who know their bents and weaknesses, those marriages are working. Why? Because their hearts and emotions aren’t tied to that person. They have years of experience in marriage, know their child and are looking out for the best interest of their child.
Once married, spouses would work at their marriage through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, for better and for worse…until death parts them if they wanted to live a happy life. Spouses would learn to forgive. Spouses would cut each other some slack. Spouses would learn to zip their lips. Maybe women would give in to the mandate in the Bible to respect their husbands realizing that by respecting them most husbands would start treating their wives better, too (even though we obey the Word just to obey the Word, not to get something in return). Maybe spouses would even learn to love as we’re supposed to love – giving without expecting anything in return.
Let’s quickly review the most famous verses about love in the Bible, 1 COR 13: 4-8: “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” [NLT]. The Message version says it this way: “Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head, doesn’t force itself on others, isn’t always “me first,” doesn’t fly off the handle, doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, doesn’t revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end. Love never dies.” I did an entire blog looking at the original texts of those verses. It can be found here.
The Consequence of Adultery
God lays out consequences for sinful actions repeatedly in the Bible. As we read above, divorce and remarriage is adultery. What is the consequence of adultery? Several times in the Bible it says that adulterers will not see the kingdom of heaven (Rev 22:15; 1 COR 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-20; Eph 5:5). I don’t know about you, but “enjoying” the short years on this earth is not enough for me to give up my golden ticket to heaven – the ticket that was paid for with the blood of The Lamb, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The Word is clear, even if the churches of this day have chosen to ignore it. The Bible is also very clear that we are responsible for our own actions. We won’t be able to say that “the church led us astray” and get a free pass. We are told to be like the Bereans and search the Scriptures daily to see if what we are being taught is true.
Thought for the week
So, what would the world be like if we went into marriage knowing divorce was not an option? I imagine the world would be very different if every Christian kept their vows to stay together until death parted them – and worked at their marriages. How would you change your attitudes and actions if you knew that regardless of how you were being treated you are in this marriage until death parts you – remembering you will give account for every word you spoke, every thought you had, and every action you took?
Going Deeper
Earlier this year we did 18 weeks on being a godly woman and wife. They start back in January with my Call to Teach Younger Women. There were weeks we studied about divorce and love more specifically. I encourage you to read those, if you have not already done so. There were many other good topics in that study.
Have a great week. At least in my area we will be enjoying cooler and less humid days for a few days. It will be a blessed relief from the unseasonably hot and humid days we’ve had so far this season. I plan to enjoy some of that weather myself. Especially not that the tree pollen count has dropped.
©TheIndustriousHomemaker.com
I love the declaration the Complete Personalized Promise Bible says about Malachi 2 verses 15 and 16 where God says he hates divorce. It says, “I guard myself diligently in my spirit so that I may remain faithful to my spouse. Together, God has made us one flesh and we produce Godly Offspring. Our sons and daughters walking Holiness before the Lord. I will not disgrace Myself by being violent to my spouse in any way, nor will I use divorce as a solution for non-reconciled differences. I hold these principles as sacred and guard myself diligently in my spirit so that I will not break faith.” It references Genesis 2:24; Ephesians 5:22 through 6:4; Matthew 19:4-12 and 1st Corinthians 7:14.