Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the Lord detests them both. -Proverbs 17:15, NIV When going through my ecclesiastical trial to keep my license, I experienced many questions unrelated to the most important issue regarding my divorce–namely, that my former spouse committed adultery and refused to repent. I remember all sorts of exploration about … Continue reading “Inconsistency When Evangelicals Deal With Divorce”
Category: Theology of divorce
More Madness From Dr. Laney
In a sense there is no “innocent” or “guilty” party in a marital break-up. It takes two to make a marriage and it usually takes two to make a divorce. While one partner may be the major contributor to the difficulties, it is hard for me to designate the other partner “innocent.” Did that spouse … Continue reading “More Madness From Dr. Laney”
Hosea Was Called!
When the Lord began to speak by Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea: “Go, take yourself a wife of harlotry And children of harlotry, For the land has committed great harlotry By departing from the Lord.” – Hosea 1:2, NKJV What strikes me as in last post is how Biblically educated men can miss this very special call upon Hosea’s life. It starts … Continue reading “Hosea Was Called!”
Not Long Ago…
What continues to astound me is how blind some pastors are/were to using the example of Hosea in dealing with adultery. Application moves that they would never do in other places of Scripture, they do in applying this book to every Christian marriage ravaged by adultery. It is sickening. An example of this short-sighted and destructive … Continue reading “Not Long Ago…”
Grief and Divorce
Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. – Romans 12:15, KJV Recently, a tragedy struck a community to which I am connected. A young man died in a car accident while going to work. In response, people are sending card(s), flowers, and prayers to his mother plus the work community directly … Continue reading “Grief and Divorce”
Looking For Marriage Deficiencies Is “Barking Up Wrong Tree!”
People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving. Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house. -Proverbs 6:30-31, NIV These verses about a hungry thief stealing are in the midst of the passage warning the … Continue reading “Looking For Marriage Deficiencies Is “Barking Up Wrong Tree!””
Agency & Advisors After Adultery Discovery
I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. – Rev. 20:12, NLT This past week I viewed a YouTube video of a former megachurch pastor … Continue reading “Agency & Advisors After Adultery Discovery”
How Did the Church Get To This Place?
While I was going through my divorce and subsequent ecclesiastical trial, I looked at a variety of theologically conservative denominations searching out how they handled divorced pastors/priests. What I found in the evangelical landscape was discouraging to put it bluntly. Plus, I experienced much of the problem in my very personal and humiliating trial to … Continue reading “How Did the Church Get To This Place?”
When Supporting Divorce Is Viewed As Worse Than…
Today, I am responding to an write-in article posted on RELEVANT Magazine. This is an explicitly cutting edge evangelical Christian magazine designed to engage culture from a Biblical Christian perspective. Here is the link to the article: I’m Getting Divorced. Why Won’t My Church Help Me? | RELEVANT Magazine. This exchange between a man, Marc, and … Continue reading “When Supporting Divorce Is Viewed As Worse Than…”
Truth as Punishment
“But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”-Matthew 12:36-37, NIV When reconstructing one’s narrative, truth can be both freeing and punishing. It is punishing … Continue reading “Truth as Punishment”