Yet, the word of God reminds us, and certainly reminds me
that God uses the ordinary man (Acts 4:13),
and that what seems highly esteemed among men is an abomination to the Lord.
(Luke 16:15)
However, people, including fellow believers want to know
what you bring to the table. A blog post or a Facebook page hardly draws
attention, unless one has a doctorates degree or majors in literature. If you
want recognition in today’s society, you need an education, a title, and write
a book or two. You also need a network of people of similar status, educated,
well spoken, and charismatic. Often, you will get a network of people who agree
with your stance, yet, it is commonly believed unless these people have
“credo”, your message remains uninteresting or at the very least, passé.
This is often true of those in the profession of “pastor,”
or commonly referred to as “clergy”, a title related to what we know as the
clergy/laity system. A pastor is virtually non-existent or has very little
credibility outside the influence of his congregation if he is without a
degree, has authored a book or two, is charismatic, an excellent public speaker,
and is part of a network among the other elite clergy.
We should consider that this clergy/laity system is contrary
of the early church and the body of Christ. This caste system makes a
separation of the body of Christ by separating the clergy from the laity. In
addition, this system generally believes that education and scholasticism elevates
above or the very least includes the power of the Holy Spirit within an individual’s
life. This is not to say that there are elders, but these older men were
examples to the body and never lorded over the body believing they have special
revelations and greater expectations from God. In addition, an elder has wisdom
from experience as a father figure to his family and this hardly qualifies a 20
something year old man fresh from seminary.
Does this sound far fetched. Not really…it is the truth.
Unless you upload a viral video on youtube, no one is going to listen to any
ordinary uneducated layperson. The clergy believe that their profession is
sufficient to administer proper leadership among the body. Yet, their
profession is dependent upon their progress, and if they do not influence the
elders who hired them when they begin their ministry, they will be looking for
another job quicker than you can say the word “hireling”.
Yet, we see that scripture shows us that when Jesus chose
His disciples, the early pillars of the church, He chose the ordinary
uneducated layperson and not the crème de crème of the Sanhedrin or the
Pharisees. Jesus selected fishermen, tax collectors, and uneducated men. Yet,
today we see in the evangelical circle, if you do not have a title, if you do
not have a degree with the word “bible” in it, you have very little influence
and you are pretty much have nothing or have very little to bring to the table.
Combine this truth with a touchy subject matter that remains
taboo among the church, and no one will listen and no one will want to listen
to someone without credentials. The subject that is so taboo is the subject of
marriage, divorce, and remarriage. Many leaders in the evangelical church will
tell you marriage is a permanent one-flesh covenant, yet in the same breath,
they will say God allows certain exceptions and loopholes to exit marriage and
then remarry someone else. It is important to note that should the clergy
preach on this subject, they are very careful not to convict and upset the
members of their congregations. It may have something to do with 50% of
confessing believers are divorcing and remarrying, a number that includes the
clergy themselves.
This has truth because just recently, I had a
conversation with a pastor and I asked him why he never preaches on the subject
of divorce sand remarriage. I asked why he does not address the serious problem
of bitterness and unforgiveness to restore a marriage. He was about to say in
so many words that he would lose half his congregation, but caught himself. It
was too late, I know this reason and it all revolves around a pastor’s
livelihood and his reputation. Fear is the biggest reason most clergy will not
speak the truth about marriage, divorce, and remarriage.
Regardless, this never really answers the original question,
but only verifies you will be rejected and ignored even if you have something
to bring to the table on this subject matter. This is not to say there are not clergy
who speak for, and have written books on the matter. It just proves that the
mainstream popular church ignores this subject, and covers it over with cheap
grace by validating remarriage while promoting hundreds of divorce recovery
ministries. Most pastors writing on the subject will also twist scripture for
the sake of creating loopholes to validate divorce and remarriage. The pastor
who writes on the permanence of marriage will not have the backing of big name
publishers because these corporations make more money on divorce and remarriage.
Sad, but true.
So to answer to the original question, what does one
uneducated, plain, ordinary, nonprofessional, layperson bring to the
table? I personally am a blood bought
believer who has faith in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit in me. I am a
past adulterer convicted by the word of God that marriage is a permanent
one-flesh covenant that only ends in death. Had I known 20 plus years ago that
I could not date a married woman and then believe that our marriage after her
divorce was adultery and not a marriage, I would not be writing this. Had the
word of God not convicted me that after four years I believed in the permanence
of my marriage after she left me for another man, I would have waited until
death to restore the marriage. God is patient and merciful with us. God used repentant
murders and adulterers in the past, surely He would use me to stand for the
permanence of His covenant.
I am reminded of Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his
thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him;
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
I have seen it all and experienced it all. I experienced a
marriage that was not according to His plan, I thought I was a man who could remain in sin
and believe I was doing God’s will, I experienced a separation that pierced my
very soul, and I received the grace, restoration, and redemption through
repenting of my adultery. It was only by
the power of the Holy Spirit convicting me of the word of God. It had nothing
to do with my education, my status to society, or my faith in the philosophies
of men. The hard part is convincing several generations of people to believe
the truth of what Jesus and Paul has to say on the subject of marriage,
divorce, and remarriage, instead of them listening to the man they hired to
make their church experience enjoyable.
What I have to bring
to the table is obedience to His word and accepting the truth even if the whole
world is against me. God calls marriage a one-flesh covenant until death,
He calls divorce, hardheartedness, and He calls remarriage after divorce of a living spouse, adultery. I will humbly stand for the permanence of
marriage and will preach the truth about divorce and remarriage even if the
majority will not. I bring experience to
the table, yet I do not seek recognition from man…no…never…because if the
scriptures reveal the truth that there are millions of people in adultery
through divorce and remarriage… saving souls is more important than anything we
could ever do on this earth for His glory…and I will write for this very reason,
and nothing more…so help me God.
In Christ’s love,
Neil
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