73 - Allan – “What do you believe about divorce and remarriage?”
“What do you believe about divorce and remarriage?”
Beyond the Letter of the Law: Divorce, Remarriage, and the Spirit of Christ
The Church has been plagued for years with a divorce crisis, but is it truly the crisis we think it is? No. The great epidemic facing the Church for many decades now, is not divorce, but an epidemic of false faith, and unconverted, worldly believers, inside the marriages which end in divorce.
We get caught up in debates about divorce and remarriage, poring over the few verses that address these topics while neglecting the thousands that speak of the importance of loving God, obeying His commands, and living a life transformed by the Holy Spirit. We become experts in the letter of the law, but we fail to grasp the Spirit and Father’s heart behind it.
Marriage is a temporary earthly institution, NOT the savior of the Church or the world, which many seem to have made it out to be. Marriage does not exist in heaven (Mat 22:30). This temporary earthly institution is not more important to God than the eternal soul and spiritual health of its members, especially if that union threatens the spiritual welfare or salvation of one or both souls. (Exodus 34:14,16, Deut 7:3-4, Deut 13:6-10, 1 Kings 11:1-4)
There are multitudes of professing Christian couples, who overcame troubles and avoided divorce, staying committed to their marriage until death did them part, who are now in hell together! What good does it do to avoid divorce at all costs, and still end up in hell?
In 2 Corinthians 13:5, we are urged to "examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith." This is not a call to obsessive self-doubt, but to honest introspection. Are we truly following Christ, surrendering our lives to Him, and allowing His Spirit to guide us? Or are we merely playing the part of a Christian, outwardly conforming to the rules while our hearts remain unchanged?
So, let us shift our focus from the external to the internal, from the temporal to the eternal. Let us prioritize our relationship with Christ above all else. Let us seek His will for our lives, not just in matters of marriage and divorce, but in every aspect of our being.
