I have been writing about the debate concerning divorce & remarriage in the Church.
We know the ideal: Jesus spoke against divorce and remarriage, save the exception over adultery. And then others argue to include abuse and addictions, etc…
But put that all of that away for a moment. For the purpose of this writing, what if there is absolutely NO exception in play? What if people divorce for no other reason then they are selfish and want out of their marriage and decide to marry someone else? I think most who follow Biblical teaching would agree that is wrong.
OK. But then what?
Remember: Grace never erases Truth.
Can I kill someone?
No.
Will God forgive me if I kill someone?
Yes.
Then I can kill someone!!
No.
Imagine this scenario: A man has no faith and no interest in God in his life. He has been divorced and remarried 4 times – all without any Biblical justification. He has 3 children with his current wife who left her first husband so she could be with him.
Now, for the first time in his life he hears the message of God’s forgiveness and grace through Jesus Christ. He and his whole family become believers. They are all baptized and are now excitedly serving in their new found church.
Is that man now to divorce the wife he has? Most, who understand God’s saving grace, would say, “No”.
But if such Grace is available to the first time convert, are we to deny that very same Grace to any erring Christian? Certainly not. While we argue for the Truth that Jesus taught, we must never forget the Grace he died to bring.
“But can God take that which is wrong and now make it right?”
Remember King David. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and then had her husband killed. Pretty much in the “bad” category.
But David turns to God for forgiveness. And then, out of the many wives David has, God chooses Bathsheba to give birth to Solomon and now the line of the messiah goes through her. In short: God takes that which was very wrong and through his grace, made it right.
It is a concept many Christians struggle to grasp. They fear that such Grace will corrupt the Truth, but that never happens. God’s Truth can never be corrupted by God’s Grace.
Can I kill someone?
No.
Will God forgive me if I kill someone?
Yes.
Then I can kill someone!!
No.
While discussing the ideal Truth of what Jesus taught about marriage and divorce, we must never forget about the power of His Grace.
And fear not: Grace never diminishes the Truth, for God cannot diminish himself.
So argue for the Truth. Preach the Truth. Uphold the Truth. But in doing so, never forget that there are people involved and that God’s Grace is always available to those who stray.