Have you ever read the ridiculously long 119th Psalm? Have you ever read the book of Isaiah? God is absolutely into ridiculously long. He isn't interested in His children remaining infantile, and wanting to be spoon fed little bits their entire life; but growing up in the faith, and doing the hard work of searching out the scriptures: all of them.
"For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." - Hebrews 5:13-14
"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to ALL that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." - Joshua 1:8
Happy Thanksgiving. Psalm 107 and other giving thanks verses.
Posted : 24 Nov, 2016 08:41 AM
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." 1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 106:1, Psalm 118:1, Psalm 118:29
"It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night" Psalm 92:1-2
Psalm 107
"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, And gathered out of the lands,
From the east and from the west, From the north and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; They found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, Their soul fainted in them. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He delivered them out of their distresses. And He led them forth by the right way,
That they might go to a city for a dwelling place.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul,
And fills the hungry soul with goodness. Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, Bound in affliction and irons�Because they rebelled against the words of God, And despised the counsel of the Most High, Therefore He brought down their heart with labor; They fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He has broken the gates of bronze, And cut the bars of iron in two. Fools, because of their transgression, And because of their iniquities, were afflicted. Their soul abhorred all manner of food, And they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, And declare His works with rejoicing. Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters, They see the works of the Lord, And His wonders in the deep. For He commands and raises the stormy wind, Which lifts up the waves of the sea. They mount up to the heavens, They go down again to the depths; Their soul melts because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits� end. Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, So that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, And praise Him in the company of the elders. He turns rivers into a wilderness, And the watersprings into dry ground; A fruitful land into barrenness, For the wickedness of those who dwell in it. He turns a wilderness into pools of water, And dry land into watersprings. There He makes the hungry dwell, That they may establish a city for a dwelling place, And sow fields and plant vineyards, That they may yield a fruitful harvest. He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly; And He does not let their cattle decrease. When they are diminished and brought low Through oppression, affliction, and sorrow, He pours contempt on princes, And causes them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way; Yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction, And makes their families like a flock. The righteous see it and rejoice, And all iniquity stops its mouth.
Whoever is wise will observe these things, And they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord."
"Was it fair that Messiah had to go to the cross to pay the sin debt of man in full"
There is a distinct difference in being forced to do something, and electing to do something of your own free will. What I stated, and is true, is that it would not be fair, nor right, for Christ to to pay my debt.
"Which of you thinks that if their next door neighbor kills someone, that you should pay for the crime, instead of your neighbor?"
I was speaking of being compelled as a matter of personal obligation. It is clear that I was speaking of having a personal obligation to pay the debt, which He did not have. However, He clearly stated that no man was taking His life, but that He was laying it down, and that He would take it up again. This was fair, and right. Had I given any consideration to the idea that someone would try to supplement, contrast, or randomly use the same language in such a contradictory way, I would have been more specific in the first instance.
What was stated in the video by those complaining about not being treated fairly, was that they earned a better result than someone else, based on how good of a person, or what good deeds they performed, without considering the wages of sin being death, and that overriding all other considerations. These two things are not the same thing. My discussion was based up the truth of scripture which says all have earned the wage of death for their sin. Their discussion was based upon the false standard of personal performance. These are not the same thing.
And no, not everyone will catch this critical distinction, which does make a monumental difference in its application. I waited 4 days after I saw the video to comment. It was and is necessary to understand this critical distinction. It should not be assumed that others would comprehend it on there own. There are many baby Christians, those who are not fully exercised in the discernment of good and evil, who could easily misunderstand.
Only those who humble their self before God and ask/beg forgiveness from God receive it. The evidence of this occurring, as John says, is obedience to God's commands. 1 John 2:3. Intellectual ascent to the truth of the cleansing nature of God's blood is not sufficient to get forgiveness nor into the family.
To the one who shows disrespect towards the blood of Christ God says this:
"Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? what shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come." 1 Corinthians 11
"I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever." - John 6
"But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise." - 1 Corinthians 3
"And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person." 1 Corinthians 5
Railer = Reviler definition, to assail with contemptuous or opprobrious language; address or speak of abusively.
"And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." - Hebrews 11
Have you not found it in scripture, we predates the last 30 years by a wide margin?
Eve
Sarah
Rebecca
Rachel
Deborah
Ruth
That list took me all of 30 seconds to type. Are there not many many more? Why has Satan tempted you to believe that respect of women is a recent thing?
Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.
For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just. What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law."
Romans 9:1-33
"I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."
The claim that all are created equal in the sight of Almighty God, by Almighty, is false. Vessels made for destruction are not equal to vessels made for honor. There was an is an advantage to being a Jew, as it says in Romans 3. The children of the promise are superior as compared to the children of the flesh.
We have an opportunity to gain equal status as Christians by exercising faith in Christ, but even within the body of Christ, it says in 1 Timothy 5 that the ruling elders are worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in doctrine (teaching). It says in Isaiah 61 that those who mourn in Zion will be given double honor before the gentiles. It also says that we as Christians have different places in the body, 1 Corinthians 12, with different unequal levels of honor. In 1 Corinthians 6 we are told that the least esteemed member of the body of Christ is the better person to judge an issue between the saints as compared to the most brilliant unsaved person.
So no, we are not all created equal. We do not all have the skill to hit a baseball thrown at 100 miles per hour. We cannot all throw a football 60 yards or more. We cannot all run a sub 10.0 sec 100 meter dash. We are not all equal in being able to discover cures for diseases, or understanding quantum physics. We don't all have perfect pitch or the ability to compose symphony music. Not all are gifted mechanics that can make an engine "purr".
We are to treat all men with honor. We are all commanded to love one another. We are commanded to be humble. But we are not all evangelist. We are not all helpers. We are not all gifted orators. We do not all prophecy. "For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked." If they were the same, they would not need to be given more abundant honour, but they lacked.
This false doctrine which is enunciated in the Declaration of Independence is fundamental to the eventual destruction of this country, because it has fostered an independent spirit which opposes the spirit of unity in the body of Christ. This false spirit of independence says you can do it by yourself, and be successful by being a lone ranger. We are to be dependent upon each other, as one body. We do have need of the other members of the body.
The equal thing that we are, is condemned by unbelief until we are saved by exercising trust in the Almighty who shed His holy blood to pay for our sin. Acts 20 Zechariah 12 At that point, we are joined into the family of God by an act of God in adopting us, and causing us to be born of His Spirit, making us unequal and superior in position as compared to the unsaved.
None of the above says it is okay to demean someone because of their race. It is not. But not every rejection of a people is because of race, but more often, the prevalence of evil deeds within a culture. This is why God ordered the complete destruction of people groups at the hands of the Jews. We see that God spared Rahab the harlot, because she humbled herself before God, even though she lived among an evil people. We are to be in the world, but not comingled with the world.
We are citizens of heaven. "The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray."
the video in no way represents or addresses the issues I addressed in my post:
"Are you lost and without direction for your life? Let's be F.A.I.R."
The same words are used, but that's all. The people in the video complain about not being treated fairly, but they have no idea what fair is, and their understanding of fair is not based upon God's word but their own false emotional standards. Do not mistake them for talking about the same thing about which I wrote. They do not. And make no mistake, what is truly fair is right, and what is right is fair.
"i really really want to learn Hebrew, and that because I came to know of the miss interpretations of the scriptures because of the translations and because of the cultures, the time The Bible was written, the reason and the audience was written to. And because it is the language God spoke to His people. Are we going to speak it anyways? I think so, so why not starting now?
It is time to..."come into The Light..,"
If you are into it, how is your study going? How many languages do you speak? If you play music, do you also sing in Hebrew, like i try to? :)
I would appreciate any reply into this matter, as for arguing or doctrines made by man, I dont have the time. But I do have for His Word. Bless God/YHVH"
There are times when I read things, that I know they are off, but I just can't put my finger on it, as to why, or how. But having thought about these statements for a few days, there are some things that should be noted.
God is not so feeble that He cannot protect the integrity of His own message, His own story, translated or not. I think that studying the original languages is a good venture. It can help illuminate one's understanding of some of the various passages in the scriptures. However, it is not necessary for all of the scripture.
I don't need special training in the original languages in order to understand that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. Millions of people have become saved reading scripture in their own native tongue, and have led holy lives throughout history, without the benefit of knowing the original languages. Such brothers and sisters had the Holy Spirit to guide them into all truth, in spite of the occasional failures in the various translations.
As to the use of Hebrew in heaven, I question that whole train of thought. It presupposes, on a certain level, that Adam spoke Hebrew in the garden, and that when God confused the languages at Babel, it somehow continued down through Abram and to the whole Jewish nation. And then there is the problem of Pentacost, where, not only were there various languages spoken, but also, each understood it in their own native tongue.
I have books in my personal library which talk about understanding the culture and the times at the time of the writing of each of the individual writings. They offers insights into context into the messages being delivered. I can understand them in my native tongue of English, without having to resort to learning Hebrew.
Does that mean there is no benefit to studying Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek? Of course not. But you can still be faithful and holy even without these added tools. Not everyone is gifted to be a spiritual brain surgeon. Some have the gift of helps. I'm thinking such a person is not deficient in their abilities, which God gave them, to accomplish His purposes.
So let's not make this a legalistic requirement, nor discard it as useless. It is simply another tool, which is not required for everyone to use, at the risk of being useless for their failure to conquer multiple languages. Let me put it simply. Not every person who sings makes a pleasant sound to every ear. But ask that person to care for the sick, or build a house, or fix a car, and they, through the use of their craft/talents/gifts, make beautiful music.
"For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body�whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free�and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, �Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,� is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, �Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,� is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, �I have no need of you�; nor again the head to the feet, �I have no need of you.� No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way."
May the Holy Spirit illuminate the reading of His holy word in your minds.
Nothing said by man will ever overrule what Almighty God has said in His holy word.
"My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment." JAMES 3:1
THE MYTH OF THE 3 PERMISSIONS
The first thing you must decide in your heart is, Does God lie? Will He tell you one thing in one place, and contradict what He says in the one place, by saying something opposing to it in another? Obviously, God does not lie, and every word He gives us, every command, is an expression of His love to protect us from harm we cannot fully see or understand. When He says you shall not _____________ (fill in the blank), it is because it is an unholy thing, it is harmful to the person who does it, harmful to those around the person who does it, and God in His love, is trying to protect everyone from that harm. God�s ten commandments are God's Ten Loving Blessings To Keep Us From Harm. The next thing we need to understand is that there are different target audiences in the various writings of scriptures. We need to make sure we know what constitutes the target audience, and the purpose(s) for God sending them the message He sent in the way He sent it.
What Is The Correct Way To Approach Interpretation of God's Word?
When it comes to interpretation of a verse or a passage, one must ALWAYS read the bible so that it never contradicts itself. We cannot interpret a verse or passage with multiple possible meanings so as to cause it to be in direct conflict with another which has only one possible meaning. LUKE 16:18 can only be read one way, without any exceptions. Where one verse (such as LUKE 16:18), or passage is clear and unambiguous, and another can be interpreted multiple ways, we MUST exclude any reading or interpretation of the verse or passage which causes it to be in conflict with other passages which can only be read one way. Any interpretation which causes the verses or passages to come in conflict is an illegitimate interpretation.
Also, we have to understand the culture of the target audience. Matthew was written to the Jews who had this special year long betrothal period, where the husband and his bride were considered married, but they did not consummate the marriage until the year had passed. This year long betrothal period must be taken into account when comparing statements about divorce and remarriage from Matthew with scripture directed at different cultures. To fail to note the differences in the cultures and their marriage rituals is fatal to a correct understanding of God's word and His intentions with regard to this particular subject matter. Mark was written to the Romans, who had no betrothal period. Luke was written to the Greeks, who also had no betrothal period. What is said in Matthew does not contradict what is said in Mark or Luke, nor does it modify either of them in any way. Any reading of the Matthew passages must be consistent with the reading of the crystal clear statements in Mark and Luke.
The verse in Luke 16 stands alone. Different topics are on both sides of this verse. It is not contradicted by any other verse in the bible, or God would have to contradict Himself, and be a liar. But we know that God does not lie. If there were exceptions available to the Greeks and God did not say them there, then God would be misleading people, and therefore God would be lying. However, there are no exceptions available there, once the marriage is consummated in the Roman and Greek cultures. If anyone divorces and marries another, they commit adultery, so says God to the Greeks and the Romans. If your spouse divorces you, and someone marries you, that person commits adultery, and therefore you commit adultery. By stating this truth under slightly different scenarios to the various people groups represented in the different gospels of the scripture, God covered all of the possible ways to express the relationships in a divorce and remarry.
LUKE 16:18
�Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery." (NO EXCEPTION) This is the most succinct statement on the issue of remarriage following divorce in all of scripture. This verse stands alone in the chapter. It is concise, and it is unambiguous. Whatever you read any place else in scripture must be read to be consistent with this no exceptions statement. There are no exceptions and no one, to the best of my knowledge, has ever come forward to challenge the validity of this stand alone verse. That is to say, I've never heard anyone suggest this verse is not part of the original text.
MARK 10:2-12
"The Pharisees came and asked Him, �Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?� testing Him. And He answered and said to them, �What did Moses command you?� They said, �Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.� And Jesus answered and said to them, �Because of the hardness of your heart (SIN) he wrote you this precept. BUT from the beginning of the creation, God �made them male and female.� �For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh�; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.�" (To paraphrase Jesus: NOT! You folks got it all wrong. Ain't what Dad said, (Who is Moses to overrule Father?) And ain�t what Dad intended either. So just stop it!) In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter. So He said to them, �Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.�" (no exception) Let me throw some light on the disciples reaction from Matthew 19 which is not mentioned in Mark.
MATTHEW 19:10-12
�His disciples said to Him, �If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.� But He said to them, �All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother�s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven�s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.�� They FREAKED OUT, and said, whoa, if you can�t get a divorce, nobody get married cause you're locked in for life. And Jesus said, well, yeah, but very few will get it. Again, between the statements in two passages, Luke 16, and Mark 10; it says that whether you are the person who asked for the divorce, or the one against whom it was obtained, if anyone marries a divorced person, in either case, they commit adultery. Now, is Almighty God lying here in these two passages, or has He told the truth? Because if the exceptions you think there are, are there, but God has not disclosed them to the Greeks and the Romans, then He has misrepresented the whole truth to them, because He has willfully made it appear that there are no exceptions, (if what you say is true), and God is found to be a liar. What is said in Matthew 19 mirrors what is said in Mark 10, with the inclusion of the exception clause which was written to the Jews, because of their unique marriage rituals. I will address Matthew 19 further towards the end.
What does God require of the person who obtains a divorce?
1 CORINTHIANS 7:10-11 NKJV
"Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife."
1. According to these two verses, 1 CORINTHIANS 7:10-11, does it matter why a woman departs from her husband? yes no
2. Does the command in these two verses, to remain alone or be reconciled, apply to men as well as women? yes no
3. Are there any exceptions to the command to stay unmarried or be reconciled contained WITHIN these two verses? yes no
4. If God expects the one who went after the divorce to stay alone or be reconciled, what does this mean for the person who is left by the one who departs?
4. (a) In these two verses, are the ones who are left, whose spouse departed from them, also supposed to look towards reconciliation or remain unmarried? yes no
5. Within these two verses alone, is there an absolute prohibition against the one who obtains the divorce from marrying another person while their husband/wife remains alive? yes no
6. Does God ever contradict Himself, by saying one thing in one place, and something contradictory somewhere else? yes no
7. Does the Holy Spirit lead people to contradict a command in the holy bible? yes no
7. (a) If someone is being lead to do something which violates a command of the holy scripture, are they being lead by the Holy Spirit; that is to say, is it the Holy Spirit who is leading them to violate that command? yes no
8. Does "the truth" set you free (JOHN 8:31), or is it just a tool of mean spirited people who want to spoil your fun?
9. Have you ever told someone they shouldn't do something wrong before they did it, because you knew from God's word that He didn't approve of such conduct? yes no
10. If yes, were you sinning or just being mean spirited just because you gave them a warning to obey God and His word? yes no
11. For those who have children, when you set boundaries, and tell them they can't do certain things; do you set those boundaries because you hate them and want to hurt them; because you love them and want to protect them from harm they do not fully understand, or for some other reason?
12. Has God changed His mind about the commands in these two verses because we live in a different culture? yes no
13. Is there any expiration date on the command to remain unmarried or reconcile with your spouse? yes no
14. How does ECCLESIASTES 5:1-7 inform your understanding of what God requires of someone who is intending to get married, as it relates to 1 CORINTHIANS 7:10-11?
"Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes through much activity, And a fool�s voice is known by his many words. When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed�Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands? For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But you fear God."
1 CORINTHIANS 7:10-11 - "Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife." Even after a divorce, God still identifies the man as �HER HUSBAND�, which makes her still HIS WIFE.
EXODUS 20:17 �you shall not covet your neighbor�s wife (husband)�.
Can we agree that Almighty God has given a crystal clear, no way to read it any other way command that if you are the one who goes to court and gets a divorce, you are only allowed by God, two options?
Option A Stay unmarried.
Option B Reconcile/remarry your husband/wife.
And can we agree that this is not just a command for women, but it is also intended for men? Now logically, if God intends that the person who obtains a divorce should remain open and available to remarriage to their ex, doesn't it necessitate that the one put away also remain available for remarriage to the ex? Or is God going to say to one, hold yourself available for remarriage, but to the other say, you go run along and do whatever you want? Is that the nature of God, to give conflicting direction to people? And where is there an exception to this statement in this passage? Where does it say that the person put away doesn't need to stay available for remarriage? Such a concept would have to be read that into the text, because it is not stated, and it is inconsistent with the main intent of the two verses, that there be reconciliation; preferably before a divorce, but if not, after the divorce. In case anyone has a problem with my use of the word command in the age of grace, New Testament era, allow me to share with you from 1 JOHN 2.
"My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, �I know Him,� and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." If one reads the full chapter, and indeed, the whole of 1 John, it is without dispute that the New Testament confirms that new commands were given for the age of grace, and old commands were reiterated for us to follow.
God's Tolerance of Divorce is NOT the same thing as Permission to Marry Another. The 1 CORINTHIANS 7:10-11 command stands without exception, without an expiration date, and regardless of the reason for a divorce. See also LUKE 16:18, and MARK 10:1-12.
THE MYTH OF PERMISSION GIVEN TO MARRY SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE EX, BASED UPON THE 3 EXCEPTIONS
The issues in the various texts, are the marked distinction between fornication/sexual immorality and marital adultery; the relationship of the various parties, i.e. the one who obtained the divorce, the one against whom the divorce was obtained, or a third party; and the timing involved. This was the situation Joseph contemplated with regard to Mary. MATTHEW 1:18-21 They had been betrothed, and were considered husband and wife, but the consummation of the marriage had not occurred, and would not occur until, as it says in MATTHEW 1:24-25, after Jesus was born.
MATTHEW 1:24-25.
�Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.�
The Jews, and only the Jews, (with regard to the target audiences of the 3 gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke); had a betrothal period of 1 year, where the couple was considered married, but the marriage was not consummated. If the woman was found to have committed PORNEIA and the husband divorced her, he was not causing her to commit MOXITAI. If she had not committed PORNEIA and the husband divorced her, he would be causing her to commit MOXITAi because the divorce would have been illegitimate, and they would still be bound together in the eyes of God.
MYTH #1
MATTHEW 5:31-32 Because Moses commanded people to document the divorce. there is an exception available which allows you to remarry after divorce without committing adultery. WRONG!
�Furthermore it has been said,
�Whoever divorces his wife,
let him give her a certificate of divorce.�
�But I say to you that
whoever divorces his wife FOR ANY REASON EXCEPT sexual immorality PORNEIA
causes her to commit adultery MOXITAI;
AND
whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery MOXITAI."
Let�s restate the exception:
Whoever divorces his wife for PORNEIA - sexual immorality
does not causes her to commit MOXITAI - (marital) adultery;
In all other cases, or if he divorces her for any other reason, he does cause the adultery MOXITAI. The exception doesn�t mean it doesn�t happen, it just indicates whether or not the husband is the cause. The exception addresses the question of what the man causes, and under what circumstances. The exception is the lone reason he does not cause her to commit marital adultery MOXITAI. That is to say, for all other reasons, he causes the wife he puts away to commit adultery. The exception is when she already defiled herself, by committing PORNEIA. Then it is not on him, it is on her. That is the exception. It is a strong warning to the man to not casually put away their wife;, he has the grave responsibility of their wife's sin any time they cause their wife to sin. If he puts her away for any reason other than her sexual sin prior to the time of the consummation of their marriage, he will bear the blame. Nothing in this verse says that a person who is in a marriage which has been consummated can get a divorce, marry another person, and not commit adultery.
From: Blue Letter Bible blueletterbible.org Textus Receptus, Bible Gateway biblegateway.com 1894 Scrivener New Testament
But g1161 de
I g1473 ego
say g3004 lego
to you, g5213 hymin
That g3754 hoti
whoever g3739 hos
g302 an
divorces g630 apolyo
his g846 autos
wife, g1135 gyn�
for any reason g3056 logos
8except g3924 parektos
sexual immorality g4202 porneia sex before consummation of the marriage
causes g4160 poieo
her g846 auten
to commit adultery: g3429 moichao sex outside of marriage, after consummation of the marriage
and g2532 kai
whosoever g3739 hos
g1437 ean
marries g1060 gamese
her that is divorced g630 apolyen
commits adultery. g3429 moichao
MYTH #2
MATTHEW 19:9 teaches that a man can divorce his wife for marital adultery (and other reasons besides sexual immorality), marry another, and not commit adultery. WRONG!
�And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.�
Again, let�s restate it for clarity.
�And I say to you,
Whoever divorces his wife, for any reason besides sexual immorality PORNEIA, and marries another, commits adultery MOXITAI.
However, if she had already committed sexual immorality PORNEIA, and he divorced her for that reason, he would not be guilty of committing adultery MOIXITAI if he married another,
AND, (something separate but also true follows AND)
whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery MOXITAI (NO EXCEPTION).�
Similar to Matthew 5 where the exception there addresses the question of what the man causes related to his wife, in the MATTHEW 19 passage, it is a question of what happens with regard to the man when the man who divorces his wife marries another. In the case where he divorces her without her being guilty of PORNEIA - (sexual immorality/fornication), prior to the consummation of the marriage, he commits adultery. But if she has committed sexual immorality/fornication PORNEIA, and NOT adultery MOXITAI, and she has been put away for that reason, he does not commit adultery MOXITAI if he marries another. The exception is whether or not the man commits marital adultery MOXITAI, and it is based upon whether or not she had committed PORNEIA, AND, whether or not he had put her away for that reason. If he divorces her for any other reason than her having committed PORNEIA and marries another, then he commits MOXITAI - marital adultery. Then his adultery MOXITAI is on him, and it is not on her. That is the exception from Matthew 19. Like Matthew 5, it is a strong warning to men to not casually put away their wife, for they are saddled with the responsibility of their own sin any time they divorce their wife for any reason other than PORNEIA. PORNEIA and ADULTERY are distinctly different words with very different implications and consequences for each action. This is not mere semantics. There is a very real difference, one compared to the other. If the man doesn�t like the way she looks, because she steals, because she set his hair on fire, or any other reason than her PORNEIA prior to the consummation of their marriage, he commits adultery when he divorces her and marries another. And do not lose sight of the fact that this passage also has to be read in such a way as to be in complete agreement with 1 Corinthians 7:10-11, LUKE 16:18, and MARK 10:1-12.
Matthew 19:9 Textus Receptus, 1894 Scrivener New Testament
And g1161 de
I say g3004 lego
unto you, g5213 hymin
g3754 hoti
Whosoever g3739 hos
g302 an
shall put away g630 apolyo
his g846 autos
wife, g1135 gyn‘
except g1508 ei m‘
it be for g1909 epi
fornication, g4202 porneia
and g2532 kai
shall marry g1060 game
another, g243 allos
committeth adultery: g3429 moichao
10and g2532 kai
whoso marrieth g1060 gameo
her which g3588 ho
is put away g630 apolyo
doth commit adultery. g3429 moichao
MYTH #3
1 CORINTHIANS 7:15 - When it says God has called someone to peace in this verse, God is giving such individual permission to marry another after they have been put away by an unbelieving spouse, and they won't be committing adultery. WRONG!
"But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace."
Many people use this verse to justify teaching that people can marry another if their unbelieving spouse departs without committing adultery. What they fail to realize, is that later in the same chapter, if you keep reading, you see the subject matter change, and Paul describes what happens when you marry.
1 CORINTHIANS 7:25-28
"Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made trustworthy. I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress�that it is good for a man to remain as he is: Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you."
So it is no longer the believer who was put away by he unbelieving spouse to whom Paul is speaking, but now Paul is talking to virgins, those who have never been married, and he cautions them. When one marries, they get trouble in the flesh. I have never heard of peace being equated to trouble in the flesh anywhere, in any context, outside of this twisted attempt of some to say that God calling a person to peace is a pass to marry a person other than the spouse from which you are divorced. If God was/is granting anyone peace, it didn't/doesn't include new trouble in the flesh. Such a reading of this text, that peace includes permission to marry without committing adultery, flies in the face of the entire body of scripture. The Lord says it is a grave thing to teach wrong doctrine, and I urge you to caution, for if you cause others to stumble because of your wrong teaching, the Lord will require it of you.
"Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, RIGHTLY dividing the word of truth." - Almighty God
THE THREE TAKEAWAYS
1. Do not divorce.
2. If you do divorce, do not marry anyone other than your spouse, unless and until your spouse
dies, or remarry your spouse.
3. If you marry someone other than your spouse while they are alive, you commit adultery.
"Firstly, The whole point of marriage was two fold. 1. to stop the hedonistic warfare upon society by the male psychopaths and the female prostitutes in society. 2. To express oneness and unity."
Marriage began in the garden of Eden, where there were no male psychopaths, no female prostitutes, and no hedonism. "And He answered and said to them, �Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning �made them male and female� and said, �For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh�? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.�" - Jesus Christ Matthew 19:4-6
