The infamous exception clause. Things would be much easier without it.
Jesus says in Matthew 19:9, “And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery” (ESV).
Jesus does not rule out divorce for any reason. Nobody argues with that. The question is not whether divorce is ever valid, but when and under what conditions it is valid. The debate largely centers on the exception in the above verse—“except for sexual immorality.”
Whether this is for true marriages or betrothals, here is an important observation: Jesus does NOT demand divorce; it is merely permitted. Contemporary Judaism required divorce in the case of sexual immorality; Jesus merely permits it. Thus, Jesus’ view of divorce was higher than even the conservative branch of Judaism in his day.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Working through Divorce, Part 1
A foundational verse on divorce and remarriage in the Old Testament is Deuteronomy 24:1-4, which reads as follows:
When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and if she goes and becomes another man’s wife, and the latter man hates her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter man dies, who took her to be his wife, then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after she has been defiled, for that is an abomination before the LORD. And you shall not bring sin upon the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance (ESV).
Notice a few things about this text:
a.) It presupposes that divorce is a reality and does not explicitly fight against it “He writes her a certificate of divorce”
b.) It conditions the reason for a divorce based upon the phrase “if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her” In other words, divorce for no reason is not justified in this text. The question now becomes how to properly understand “indecency.”
This passage became the nexus where all debates in Jesus’ time centered. Interpretations of “indecency” abounded. The two school of Pharisees, Shammai and Hillel, interpreted “indecency” as sexual immorality or simply not pleasing one’s husband, respectively. These debates are in view when Jesus is asked in Matthew 19 by the question, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?”
Instead of replying directly to their question, Jesus ups the ante. He replies that divorce was only presupposed by Moses because of their hardness of heart, but it was not so from the beginning. God’s ideal for marriage is permanence. Therefore, as Andreas Kostenberger so effectively notes, Deuteronomy 24:1-4 is “descriptive rather than prescriptive” (God, Marriage, and Family, 228).
So, Jesus says that understanding what “indecency” means is the wrong question, for it misses the purpose of Moses’ instructions and it bats a blind eye at God’s ideal of permanence for marriage.
“So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:6, ESV).
When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and if she goes and becomes another man’s wife, and the latter man hates her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter man dies, who took her to be his wife, then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after she has been defiled, for that is an abomination before the LORD. And you shall not bring sin upon the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance (ESV).
Notice a few things about this text:
a.) It presupposes that divorce is a reality and does not explicitly fight against it “He writes her a certificate of divorce”
b.) It conditions the reason for a divorce based upon the phrase “if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her” In other words, divorce for no reason is not justified in this text. The question now becomes how to properly understand “indecency.”
This passage became the nexus where all debates in Jesus’ time centered. Interpretations of “indecency” abounded. The two school of Pharisees, Shammai and Hillel, interpreted “indecency” as sexual immorality or simply not pleasing one’s husband, respectively. These debates are in view when Jesus is asked in Matthew 19 by the question, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?”
Instead of replying directly to their question, Jesus ups the ante. He replies that divorce was only presupposed by Moses because of their hardness of heart, but it was not so from the beginning. God’s ideal for marriage is permanence. Therefore, as Andreas Kostenberger so effectively notes, Deuteronomy 24:1-4 is “descriptive rather than prescriptive” (God, Marriage, and Family, 228).
So, Jesus says that understanding what “indecency” means is the wrong question, for it misses the purpose of Moses’ instructions and it bats a blind eye at God’s ideal of permanence for marriage.
“So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:6, ESV).
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
10 Reasons Why Sexual Sin is Harmful
1.) Our body is God’s and is not to be joined with another woman outside marriage.
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
2.) The sexually immoral will not inherit the kingdom of God.
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral…will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
3.) God’s will for your life is that you are made continually into the image of God.
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor.”
4.) We exploit and defraud others through sexual sin.
“That no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter.” (1 Thessalonians 4:6)
5.) To disregard and ignore commands on sexual immorality is a sin against one’s own body and against God himself.
“Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.” (1 Corinthians 6:18)
“Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” (1 Thessalonians 4:8)
6.) We should not continue in sin because we have been positionally raised with Christ. Just as Christ defeated the bonds of death, so also in Christ the damning nature of sin is crushed by the cross. Therefore, to continue in sexual sin is contrary to our positional nature.
“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4)
7.) Continued obedience and sanctification is an inherent part of “working out” one’s salvation.
“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13).
8.) The wages of sexual immorality is death, complete separation from God.
“For the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)
9.) Sexual immorality is deceitful: rather than bringing the promised life, it brings death.
“[A forbidden woman] does not ponder the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it.” (Proverbs 5:6)
10.) Sexual immorality is idolatry—valuing one’s own desires over the desires of God.
“Do not be idolaters as some of them were…We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.” (1 Corinthians 10:7-8)
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
2.) The sexually immoral will not inherit the kingdom of God.
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral…will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
3.) God’s will for your life is that you are made continually into the image of God.
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor.”
4.) We exploit and defraud others through sexual sin.
“That no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter.” (1 Thessalonians 4:6)
5.) To disregard and ignore commands on sexual immorality is a sin against one’s own body and against God himself.
“Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.” (1 Corinthians 6:18)
“Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” (1 Thessalonians 4:8)
6.) We should not continue in sin because we have been positionally raised with Christ. Just as Christ defeated the bonds of death, so also in Christ the damning nature of sin is crushed by the cross. Therefore, to continue in sexual sin is contrary to our positional nature.
“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4)
7.) Continued obedience and sanctification is an inherent part of “working out” one’s salvation.
“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13).
8.) The wages of sexual immorality is death, complete separation from God.
“For the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)
9.) Sexual immorality is deceitful: rather than bringing the promised life, it brings death.
“[A forbidden woman] does not ponder the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it.” (Proverbs 5:6)
10.) Sexual immorality is idolatry—valuing one’s own desires over the desires of God.
“Do not be idolaters as some of them were…We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.” (1 Corinthians 10:7-8)
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Love is the Key to Conquering Anxiety
In Romans 13:8, Paul writes, “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” The one who loves has fulfilled the law. What does this mean?
Immediately after this statement, Paul then gives different commands: “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet, and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” All commandments (“any other commandment”) are consummated in loving one’s neighbor. I take that to mean that if I commit a sin of omission or commission, the root problem is not that I have a nasty habit I need to kick, but it is that I am not a loving person. Love is the issue, not mental or social conditioning.
Is it really this simple? Let’s take a test case. How about anxiety. We are commanded in Philippians 4:6 not to be anxious about anything. A positive command for anxiety is also given in Proverbs 16:3: “Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.” If I stray from this command and let the issues of my day overwhelm me, am I loving others?
I do not believe so. When I am anxious, I am not trusting God to provide for me. I am allowing the worries of my life to be ultimate, rather than God’s promises to provide for me to be ultimate. If my worries and concerns are supreme, and if my delight for God is diminished (I am not trusting him!), then how can this attitude point others toward Christ (This is what is most loving)? My attitude will be one of despair and self-pity, causing others to be drawn to my concerns, rather than have a heart-felt trust in God’s sovereign plan despite overwhelming circumstances. That kind of peace will glorify God, and that is loving others.
Today, fulfill the law, and by the Holy Spirit’s aid (Gal 5:22), love others.
Immediately after this statement, Paul then gives different commands: “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet, and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” All commandments (“any other commandment”) are consummated in loving one’s neighbor. I take that to mean that if I commit a sin of omission or commission, the root problem is not that I have a nasty habit I need to kick, but it is that I am not a loving person. Love is the issue, not mental or social conditioning.
Is it really this simple? Let’s take a test case. How about anxiety. We are commanded in Philippians 4:6 not to be anxious about anything. A positive command for anxiety is also given in Proverbs 16:3: “Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.” If I stray from this command and let the issues of my day overwhelm me, am I loving others?
I do not believe so. When I am anxious, I am not trusting God to provide for me. I am allowing the worries of my life to be ultimate, rather than God’s promises to provide for me to be ultimate. If my worries and concerns are supreme, and if my delight for God is diminished (I am not trusting him!), then how can this attitude point others toward Christ (This is what is most loving)? My attitude will be one of despair and self-pity, causing others to be drawn to my concerns, rather than have a heart-felt trust in God’s sovereign plan despite overwhelming circumstances. That kind of peace will glorify God, and that is loving others.
Today, fulfill the law, and by the Holy Spirit’s aid (Gal 5:22), love others.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Relationships: Are You a Giver or Taker?
Note: From early February to mid-March, I taught a series of lessons on sexuality and relationships for the youth group at First Baptist Church in Webster, WI. This article, hopefully followed by a number of others, will draw from those talks.
Some men follow rainbows, I am told,
Some search for silver, some for gold
But I have found my treasure is in your soul
All I ever need is you
Without love I would never find the way
Through ups and downs of ever single day
And I won’t ever sleep at night until I hear you say
“All I ever need is you”
With these words, Kenny Rogers and Dottie West conclude their country hit song, “All I Ever Need is You.” The song is about romantic relationships, and we as humans, both young and old alike, naturally find ourselves identifying with the message. Of course, God has created love, and it is a wonderful thing is his eyes, but is this song an attitude a young man or woman should have in a relationship? Or, more pointedly, could one feel these words and truly be loving? I would suggest that although they seem innocent enough, these lyrics are NOT loving, but rather selfish and idolatrous.
To see how this works out, let’s look to the Bible. In the beginning of time, God made Adam and Eve, and he proclaims everything as being “very good.” Given as a test, a tree is placed in the center of the Garden, and God forbids the happy couple from eating of its fruits. After some time, the serpent comes along, makes God’s rules look terrible, and convinces Eve to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. In the events following hereafter, we learn three things about relationships: Adam chose gift over Giver, a conflict between the sexes ensued, and a hope for redemption was administered.
We first learn that Adam chose gift over Giver. When Eve ate of the fruit, she disobeyed God. Adam, who was standing right beside Eve, was then presented with this fruit, and it was at this time that he had an incredible choice to make. On the one hand, he could obey God’s commands and trust him, or on the other hand, he could enter into sin with the gift given to him, his wife. He chose poorly. He turned to Eve and said, “I think I will find true life with you, obeying you, rather than obeying God and getting my life from him.” Sadly, Adam did not realize that Eve was given as an aid and complement rather than one that could fulfill.
Secondly, as soon as Adam placed Eve above the place of God, conflict ensued. Though he should have taken responsibility for what he had done, Adam cowardly places the blame on God and Eve (“The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate” 3:12). The woman is cursed, having a desire to manipulate men through beauty and sex, serving their own desires rather than the glory of God (3:16). The man is cursed in relation to his sphere, the field, where he will now struggle to provide for his wife and family. Idolatry in relationships did not pan out well.
Finally, we see hope for redemption. In Geneses 3:21, an animal dies to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve. Their sin caused the death of another. All the progeny of Adam and Eve have found themselves elevating different things to the level of ULTIMATE, and this often includes the opposite sex. We are cursed, drowning in our inward-bent. Someone needed to become a curse, like the lamb, and die so that we could be released from that curse. That man was Jesus Christ. He came so that we could finally be givers and leaders and nurturers rather than simply takers, expecting others to satisfy us. In Christ, we can finally truly love our boyfriends/girlfriends, fiancé, or spouse by pointing them to God rather than self to find true fulfillment.
Are you looking to another boy or girl to fulfill you? Are you pining away for a relationship, thinking that you will only be satisfied if you have it? This approach did not work well for Adam and Eve, and it will not work well for you. Only when you trust in God as the wellspring of life (Ps. 16:11), are you then truly ready for a relationship, being a giver rather than just a taker.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Free Calfskin ESVSB
If you have not purchased the new ESV Study Bible, I would encourage you to save your money and purchase one. It is well-laid out, and the study notes and format are thorough without being overbearing. Great study aid!
Until then, check out this post by David Porter, where he is giving away one free Calfskin Premium Leather ESV Study Bible (retail: $239).
Until then, check out this post by David Porter, where he is giving away one free Calfskin Premium Leather ESV Study Bible (retail: $239).
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Christmas Poem
"Irony from Bethphage"
A clatter shot up from Bethphage
In the small town awoke a sage
A worn face stretched from its slumber
A lack of sleep he encumbered
The sun was high, laborers gone
Caring for sheep outside of town
The old man, from his napping chair,
At the intruders he did stare
“What are you doing?” he growled,
His face tight and clothed with a scowl
Taken aback, the rope they held
Around the colt instantly fell
“Apologies, sir, we were told
To hurry here and watch unfold
A gift be given from above
An escort to the Lord we love.
My name is John—I beg you sir—
She shall return so please defer
Donkey and colt as a transport
To our King and powerful Lord.”
His forehead wrinkled, “What was that?”
“Ne’er a king on donkey has sat!
Imposter! Fraud! So is your Lord
A King with pomp shall wield a sword
And press upon people his pow’r
And revel in his ivory tow’r.
No, you see, your mission’s a loss
To reign as king comes at a cost
Of humility—Pride shall cloth
A proper ruler like a robe.”
Expecting heads of them to hang—
What ignominy, fear, and shame—
And mouths of cour’ge, he thou’t he’d mamed
But shockingly, they did proclaim,
“Your point is good—I’ve thought it, too
A Son of David…and humble??...it’s crude!
Again, again, my mast’r’s replied.
‘A seed is nothing lest it dies.
And taking root it bears good fruit.’
About these things our master knew-it.
To spill his blood is why he came
Redeem the world is how he’ll save.”
Interjecting, all so soon,
Giving commands, fringing on rude,
“Hurry! Enough of this babble.”
Frantically, he threw on a saddle
Whisking them, denying a sound
Leave! He urged, “Across the far mound.”
With donkey and colt under stay
James and John went off on their way
Looking quite puzzled, John shot back,
To man who now animal lacked,
“Now we’re off, before we depart
Unfold, explain this change of heart?”
“About this King, I’ve heard before
A night so calm and full of lore
Angels appeared, glory they bore
Telling the dawn of King and Lord.
To my surprise, pomp was forlorn
Rejecting strength, a baby was born
Curtain of expectation torn
A child in dirty cloths now worn
It took some time, but now I see
How King is clothed, I shall not weep
Nor query nor moan nor despair
If King above with meekness share
Once again, pricked are pretensions
Of lowly stoop, most won’t mention
But I shall praise, and worship him
This God-Man, deliverer from sin."
A clatter shot up from Bethphage
In the small town awoke a sage
A worn face stretched from its slumber
A lack of sleep he encumbered
The sun was high, laborers gone
Caring for sheep outside of town
The old man, from his napping chair,
At the intruders he did stare
“What are you doing?” he growled,
His face tight and clothed with a scowl
Taken aback, the rope they held
Around the colt instantly fell
“Apologies, sir, we were told
To hurry here and watch unfold
A gift be given from above
An escort to the Lord we love.
My name is John—I beg you sir—
She shall return so please defer
Donkey and colt as a transport
To our King and powerful Lord.”
His forehead wrinkled, “What was that?”
“Ne’er a king on donkey has sat!
Imposter! Fraud! So is your Lord
A King with pomp shall wield a sword
And press upon people his pow’r
And revel in his ivory tow’r.
No, you see, your mission’s a loss
To reign as king comes at a cost
Of humility—Pride shall cloth
A proper ruler like a robe.”
Expecting heads of them to hang—
What ignominy, fear, and shame—
And mouths of cour’ge, he thou’t he’d mamed
But shockingly, they did proclaim,
“Your point is good—I’ve thought it, too
A Son of David…and humble??...it’s crude!
Again, again, my mast’r’s replied.
‘A seed is nothing lest it dies.
And taking root it bears good fruit.’
About these things our master knew-it.
To spill his blood is why he came
Redeem the world is how he’ll save.”
Interjecting, all so soon,
Giving commands, fringing on rude,
“Hurry! Enough of this babble.”
Frantically, he threw on a saddle
Whisking them, denying a sound
Leave! He urged, “Across the far mound.”
With donkey and colt under stay
James and John went off on their way
Looking quite puzzled, John shot back,
To man who now animal lacked,
“Now we’re off, before we depart
Unfold, explain this change of heart?”
“About this King, I’ve heard before
A night so calm and full of lore
Angels appeared, glory they bore
Telling the dawn of King and Lord.
To my surprise, pomp was forlorn
Rejecting strength, a baby was born
Curtain of expectation torn
A child in dirty cloths now worn
It took some time, but now I see
How King is clothed, I shall not weep
Nor query nor moan nor despair
If King above with meekness share
Once again, pricked are pretensions
Of lowly stoop, most won’t mention
But I shall praise, and worship him
This God-Man, deliverer from sin."
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