Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness, but rather reprove them.
This is the fourth of a series of posts exposing the popular
divorce recovery ministry of DivorceCare. This is the first , second and third posts.
DivorceCare claims to be a Christ-centered support ministry
established for people who have experienced or who about to experience divorce.
They claim that their goal is to help find help for the hurts of divorce,
discover hope for the future, and experience God’s blessing. The founder of
DivorceCare, Steve Grissom, is a product of divorce and remarriage. He started
DivorceCare based on his experience of divorce and the experience of healing
from this divorce to remarry. He claims it was God’s calling to start this ministry.
I have decided
to combine the third and fourth session of DivorceCare (DC). If you have read
the first two responses to the video session, you will see that DC has provided
a false gospel and a false idea of marriage and divorce and how this coincides with
the “pains’ of divorce. This foundation of sand only begins to deteriorate as
they continue to “teach” on divorce recovery. In video sessions three and four, DC addresses
“anger” and “depression”.
These two “spiritual
emotions” often coincide since they are often associated with an action that goes
against what we believe to be true. The first “emotion” is anger. Anger is not
to be confused with wrath. Righteous anger is a result of reacting to something
or someone who has gone against the will of God. The Lord Jesus Christ had
righteous anger when He cleared the Temple. He had righteous anger when he
addressed the Pharisees. He has righteous anger against sin. Wrath is not
righteous anger. Wrath proclaims judgment against those who deny the Gospel and this is totally in the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ. Righteous anger ALWAYS calls for
repentance. God’s wrath against sin if for those who reject the remedy of that
wrath which was poured out on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Overall, DC’s
handle on anger is one of the few bright spots in these video series. They
accurately describe the difference of anger and wrath and make it clear that God’s
will is that we be angry but do not sin. In fact, it is parts of these videos that
seem to contradict what they believe overall on divorce. Anger against a
cheating spouse is righteous anger, and making it clear that God is not blind
to this sin seems to detract from a person remaining in covenant marriage.
The problem is
their false sense of believing divorce can end a marriage reflects in what they
teach about anger and depression. This is evident in constantly using the words
“ex” and “divorce” , as if the marriage is over. Anger in believing that there
is no hope in the restoration of a marriage is one thing, anger in calling out
the sin so there is actions of repentance is another.
The intention of
this video is to keep the attendee returning for the rest of the series. Anger
and depression coincide with the reactions against sin, and if DC is not addressing
the sin problem, they will compensate this truth to what they believe to be
true of divorce. In fact, most the advice they give on anger and depression
only gives credence to the fact that marriage is permeant until death.
This will
even be further evident when they start talking about forgiveness and reconciliation.
In the
depression session DC offers similar advice and definition as they do for
anger. The problem again is that they believe results of depression comes from
their failure into believing that divorce ends a marriage. I believe that most
depression people feel from divorce comes from believing the divorce actually
ends the marriage covenant. This can be said of their anger as well.
If a person
has a personal relationship with Christ, they will know that the marriage does
not end in divorce, thus the only depression they would have comes from knowing
a spouse is believing deceitful teachings on marriage, divorce and remarriage. The
brothers and sisters in Christ I know have feelings of depression relating to
their prodigal spouse believing he or she is justified by God in their divorce
and remarriage. If the advice DC offers for depression coincides with remaining
in covenant and believing beyond all doubt that God can restore a prodigal back
to Him, then depression is the work of an enemy whispering in the ear that all
hope is lost.
I personally
feel depressed by these teachings of DC because I know they lead people to believe
that divorce ends what God joins together. I think of all those who are lost believing
that God approved of their divorce, then they believe He sanctified their
remarriage to another while their covenant spouse is still alive. I must tell
you this depression is only temporary because I totally believe that God does
give these people the correct definition of marriage, and they either reject it
or accept it. It is not in my power to change anyone, it is my responsibility
to present the Gospel and expose the evil of false teaching.
This is why I
am writing these posts. It is to point people to the truth of God’s design for
marriage. What DC fails to understand is that marriage is an eternal covenant
that is binding in heaven. This is not to say that marriage of a man and woman
will last in eternity, rather that earthly marriage is a true representation of
the eternal love God has for His children. Anger and depression are only temporary
when we understand that God is the One who will bring righteous judgment for
those who reject the Gospel. We also know that He is patient, not wishing any
would perish, but that they would come to repentance.
In conclusion,
even though DC offers very good teaching on anger and depression, their
teachings stand contrary to what they believe about marriage and how this
applies to those who abide in His word on marriage definition. Anger and
depression that contrasts marriage definition only leads to more pain and
suffering. Anger and depression that is in harmony with marriage definition
points to repentance, reconciliation, and deep dependency for the Lord Jesus
Christ.
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Exposing DivorceCare-Facing My Loneliness
In Christ’s
love,
Neil
No comments:
Post a Comment