Isaiah 55:11 So
shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void,
but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing
whereto I sent it.
I believe that ultimately, no matter how many posts I write in defense of one-flesh covenant marriage, it is the Holy Spirit that delivers the truth. If what I write is not grounded in the love of Christ, then it becomes nothing more than a banging gong. (1 Cor 13:1-8) I pray that what I write not only brings many to the truth of the Gospel, but that it brings glory to the Lord Jesus Christ.
I sincerely believe
that the Gospel and marriage are significantly intertwined so as to show the
world that God has revealed Himself and His love for us through covenant
marriage. As a man loves his wife, so too will a wife respect her husband. This
is not unlike the love of Christ’s love for His bride. When we come to know
Christ and His sacrifice on our behalf, we too also must put on Christ (Galatians 3:27) to love others even when they do not deserve it. In doing so we show our
respect for the One who loved us and died for us so that we may live. If we say
we cannot love a prodigal spouse and remain true to the one-flesh covenant vow we
made before the One who saved us, then we have not known the love of Christ and
have not been baptized in the Holy Spirit.
First and
foremost, I offer you the words of scripture, who is the Word of God (John 1:1)
to lead you to the truth, grace, mercy, and love of Christ. Please read these
verses out loud and in order. It is your choice to heed these words as you are led.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Secondly, If you are a human being,
created in the image of God, and you want the Holy Spirit to show you what
God’s word says about one-flesh covenant marriage, please read the following
verses aloud and in order…It is your choice to heed these words and do with them as you are led.
If you read these verses in order, the Holy Spirit WILL convict you that one-flesh covenant marriage is one man and one woman for life.
If you read these verses in order, the
Holy Spirit WILL convict you that one-flesh covenant marriage is one man and
one woman for life… This “covenant” can only end in death, a civil divorce
cannot end this one-flesh marriage covenant. You also know that to exchange
vows of marriage to another person is adultery, and remains adultery unless you
exit this unlawful union and forever call these “remarriages” adultery.
Unfortunately, you may have read, or
were taught to believe that a civil divorce permits one or both spouses to exit
a one-flesh covenant marriage. Based on these teachings, or your own opinion,
you made a “choice” to believe this rather than what the Holy Spirit just
revealed to you a few minutes ago. You must decide whether you want to follow
God or follow what seems right in your own eyes. Please read: Proverbs 16:2; Proverbs 16:25; Proverbs 21:2;1 Samuel 16:7; Luke 16:15; Romans 8:27
If you are single, never married,
these verses tell you that should you one day make a covenant vow of marriage,
you will be expected by God to keep that vow for LIFE…until you or your spouse
dies. This is exactly what the Lord’s disciples believed as well. (Please read
Matthew 19:10) Besides your faith in Christ, a marriage vow is the most important decision of your
earthy life. (Please read Ephesians 5:22-33)If you are single and you are
having sex outside of marriage read these verses. 1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Corinthians6:9-10; 1 Corinthians 7:2; Galatians5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3; Col 3:5-6
If you are already in a one-flesh
covenant marriage, please read Ephesians 5:22-33. These verses will show you that marriage is a
selfless commitment to love your spouse for life as Christ loves His bride for
eternity, and that death is the only way you can end this covenant. You will
understand that civil laws of divorce have no power whatsoever over your
one-flesh covenant marriage.
If your spouse commits a sin against
you, read Matthew 18:15-17. If he or she repents of this sin read Matthew6:14-15; Matthew 18:21-35; Mark 11:26; Luke 17:3-4; 1 Peter 3:1-7.
If your spouse does not repent to the
point of Matthew 18:17, read 1 Tim 5:20; John 3:20; Acts 26:18; 1 Cor 5:11-12;1 Cor 5:5; Ephesians 5:11; Proverbs 1:10; Proverbs 28:4; 2 Corinthians 6:14
If your spouse is excommunicated because
he or she did not repent of church discipline (Matthew 18:15-17), abandons your
marriage (1 Corinthians 7:15), or files a civil unilateral divorce (Colossians3:6, Romans 1:18; Ephesians 5:6) read: Phil 4:6-7; 1 Thessalonians 5:17;Ezekiel 18:23; John 3:17; 1 Tim 2:1-4; Titus 2:11; Matthew 5:43-48; Luke15:11-32; Gal 6:1; 2 Tim 2:25-26; Roman 2:4; 1 Peter 3:1-6; 1 Peter 3:15; 2Peter 3:9; Ephesians 4:17-32
If your spouse “remarries” another
person while you are still alive, he or she will not inherit the Kingdom of God
unless he or she repents and exits the adulterous union. Read 1 Cor 6:9-10
If you are a clergy who performed
and/or solemnized marriage vows to divorced person/s, were unilaterally
divorced from, or initiated a divorce and then “remarried” another, re-read the
first verses again.
If you chose to ignore the Holy Spirit
and these passages of scripture and wish to remain in adultery, AND, If you chose to
ignore the Holy Spirit and these passages of scripture and wish believe that a
“remarriage” is a marriage in the Lord, when it is an unlawful and adulterous
union which requires repentance… Read
If you are a clergy and wish to
continue to deceive many into exchanging adulterous vows and chose not to
contact every person whom you performed adulterous vows, read these passages:
James 3:1; Matthew 18:6-7; Matthew 23:15-16; 2 Peter 3:8-10; 1 Cor 6:9-10; 1Cor 15:50; Is 3:9; Is 5:20; Proverbs 8:36; Proverbs 16:5; Jeremiah 2:19; John3:18-20; Rev 2:21-22; Rev 2:16; Rev 3:19; Rev 21:7-8; Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew25:41
If you “repent” of your sin of adultery (which
must include ending the union and forever referring to that union as adultery)
…If you are a clergy who repents of performing adulterous unions (which
includes telling all previous people you solemnized with vows of adultery)
Please read these verses: 1 John 1:9; Proverbs 28:13; Psalm 32:5; Psalm 51; Titus 2:14
In conclusion, the word of God is
certainly a swift and powerful sword; a discerner of the heart. Yet, it is also
a great comfort to those who remain obedient to the word of God. I can assure
you that remaining true to marriage as one man and one woman for life is not
without peril. If you repent of what you formerly believed about marriage,
divorce and remarriage and seek to walk in God’s obedience, you will be
criticized, attacked, and be called self-righteous, you will be hated by
co-workers, friends and family… And I can tell you the greatest persecution
will come from those who defend divorce and remarriage from inside the confines
of apostate congregations and denominations; those who swear loyalty to Christ and yet
their fruits reveal what the truly believe.
They are really antichrists who
defend their own sins. These are man-pleasers and not God -pleasers. These are they who will tell you that
everyone is a sinner and that we must forgive their willingness to remain in the
sin of adultery...all the while they do not forgive their spouse of covenant. They will tell you that the blood of Christ covers “unrepentant”
sin. They will tell you that there are “exceptions” and “privileges” which
permit one to not to love a prodigal spouse as Christ loved us. The word of God
reveals the truth of their hearts and reveals the fruit of their works.
You now know that to remain obedient to
God and His word comes with a price. But it is what He told us would happen.
Therefore, live in the truth of His word and become a beacon of light so that
many will come out of the darkness and see the Light of the world which is the
Lord Jesus Christ. Preach, teach, and live the Gospel and proclaim the truth of
marriage with the mind of Christ so that He will receive all the glory. God bless you as you remain in Him.
1 Cor 2:9 But
as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into
the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath
revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea,
the deep things of God.11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.
Neil
