Marriage/Divorce/Celibacy
Marriage/Divorce/Celibacy
Sounds like the three go in sequence. If you are married, you stay married and if divorced or single, you stay celibate. No casual sex outside of marriage as those who are not in Christ practice and unfortunately is being practiced in our churches without shame or remorse. What is Jesus saying on marriage, divorce and celibacy? The Pharisees were not asking, “How do I have a better marriage and stay married”? Rather they asked, “What is the loop hole for getting divorce”? It sounds like questions of our day. Why am I still in this marriage? How can I get out of this marriage legally and righteously? Why don’t we focus on “How can I stay married” for the glory of God; because what you think on the most, you become. As a man/woman thinks, so is he/she as Scripture says.
There is no ambiguity on what Jesus stands for on marriage – stay married. Jesus said, “They are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” Let no man separate is the rule except for the “hardness of your heart”. Our hardness of heart that reflects unforgiveness and not accepting one another as Christ has accepted us, will always lead to divorce. If you think about, we as the bride of Christ have enough offense against Jesus that he can divorce us almost every minute of the day. What does Jesus do? He still forgives us and loves us to the very end. Even the sexual immorality often cited as reason for divorce must equally be forgiven. As long as the immoral partner repents, there can be reconciliation and the marriage can thrive again. No betrayal is easy and but we must forgive. Jesus still loves the divorced.
What exactly is Jesus saying in the following statement: "9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality,[d] and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.” He is saying, anyone who marries a woman or man that is divorced for any other reason than sexual immorality, commits adultery; because in essence they are just separated and not really divorced.
Let’s stay married and encourage people to be married unless they are as Jesus described as follows, “12 For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake”. Marriage is the will of God. If you are a eunuch, enjoy your state for the glory of God.
A word for our single brothers. There is no one-only “soul mate” for you, so please stop looking and waiting. There are many honorable sisters, washed by the blood of Christ; and that is your pool. Like your salvation where you trusted Jesus, you must trust Jesus for the rest of your life. You must trust Jesus and choose one of the sisters in Christ and trust God to see you two through to the end. Please stop keeping that sister waiting; for hope deferred makes the heart sick. Pray, make up your mind and take action to the altar. Sisters, be patient. If a brother has been interested in you for a little while, pray for him, and then tell the one to make up his mind or take a hike from you.
It is all about Jesus and being with Him forever; married, divorced or single. Are you looking forward to seeing Jesus regardless of your marital status? Lord, help me yearn for you more than ever and help me to be a witness to others to draw them to you; Jesus the only one who satisfies all of our longings. Amen.
Matthew 19: Marriage and Divorce
19 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.
3 The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?”
4 And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made[a] them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’[b] 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?[c] 6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”
7 They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”
8 He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality,[d] and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”
10 His disciples said to Him, “If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”
Jesus Teaches on Celibacy
11 But He said to them, “All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: 12 For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.”
Sounds like the three go in sequence. If you are married, you stay married and if divorced or single, you stay celibate. No casual sex outside of marriage as those who are not in Christ practice and unfortunately is being practiced in our churches without shame or remorse. What is Jesus saying on marriage, divorce and celibacy? The Pharisees were not asking, “How do I have a better marriage and stay married”? Rather they asked, “What is the loop hole for getting divorce”? It sounds like questions of our day. Why am I still in this marriage? How can I get out of this marriage legally and righteously? Why don’t we focus on “How can I stay married” for the glory of God; because what you think on the most, you become. As a man/woman thinks, so is he/she as Scripture says.
There is no ambiguity on what Jesus stands for on marriage – stay married. Jesus said, “They are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” Let no man separate is the rule except for the “hardness of your heart”. Our hardness of heart that reflects unforgiveness and not accepting one another as Christ has accepted us, will always lead to divorce. If you think about, we as the bride of Christ have enough offense against Jesus that he can divorce us almost every minute of the day. What does Jesus do? He still forgives us and loves us to the very end. Even the sexual immorality often cited as reason for divorce must equally be forgiven. As long as the immoral partner repents, there can be reconciliation and the marriage can thrive again. No betrayal is easy and but we must forgive. Jesus still loves the divorced.
What exactly is Jesus saying in the following statement: "9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality,[d] and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.” He is saying, anyone who marries a woman or man that is divorced for any other reason than sexual immorality, commits adultery; because in essence they are just separated and not really divorced.
Let’s stay married and encourage people to be married unless they are as Jesus described as follows, “12 For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake”. Marriage is the will of God. If you are a eunuch, enjoy your state for the glory of God.
A word for our single brothers. There is no one-only “soul mate” for you, so please stop looking and waiting. There are many honorable sisters, washed by the blood of Christ; and that is your pool. Like your salvation where you trusted Jesus, you must trust Jesus for the rest of your life. You must trust Jesus and choose one of the sisters in Christ and trust God to see you two through to the end. Please stop keeping that sister waiting; for hope deferred makes the heart sick. Pray, make up your mind and take action to the altar. Sisters, be patient. If a brother has been interested in you for a little while, pray for him, and then tell the one to make up his mind or take a hike from you.
It is all about Jesus and being with Him forever; married, divorced or single. Are you looking forward to seeing Jesus regardless of your marital status? Lord, help me yearn for you more than ever and help me to be a witness to others to draw them to you; Jesus the only one who satisfies all of our longings. Amen.
Matthew 19: Marriage and Divorce
19 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.
3 The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?”
4 And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made[a] them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’[b] 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?[c] 6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”
7 They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”
8 He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality,[d] and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”
10 His disciples said to Him, “If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”
Jesus Teaches on Celibacy
11 But He said to them, “All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: 12 For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.”
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