For the Kingdom of Heaven's Sake

We are content to serve God as long as it is convenient and it allows us to be happy. But when the will of God has some hard sayings that apply to us or those we love, then we are tempted to tinker with God's will-- if not abandon it all together. This is no better illustrated than in the longstanding, ongoing, and evolving arguments on the subject of divorce. As we wrestle with the knotty scenarios that are all the more frequently presented to us these days, we plunge ourselves into God's Word looking for answers. Yet, while seeking those answers we are prejudiced by what we have taught before, confused by the teachings of others, and haunted by the real people we know who might not like us anymore if we teach what Jesus and His apostles taught.

There seems to be a prevalent attitude that-- since it is not good for man to be alone-- marriage is the inalienable right of all people, regardless of what God has revealed on the subject of divorce and its consequences. Yet, the God that observed that it was not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18) also said that He hates divorce (Malachi 2:16).

We would be better served if we spent more time preaching on the sanctity of marriage and the sin of putting asunder what God has joined and less time looking for justification to "marry another."

The "right" to marry another disproportionately dominates our arguments compared to what the Scriptures have to say on the subject. Yea, our technical justifications have us so violating the spirit of Jesus' teaching that we have crammed enough liberty into Matthew 19:9 to make a Pharisee proud. It is time to take our focus off the exception (which usually does not apply-- otherwise it would not be an exception) and start making application of the rule: putting asunder what God has joined is sin as is marrying another.

But what about the "rights" of the victim--the one who was put away without her consent? Jesus said that if another man marries her, he commits adultery (Luke 16:18). While it is a violent injustice for a man to put away his wife, it does not justify her marrying another (Matthew 5:32). We understand the principle that two wrongs do not make a right, but many, believing in the "right" to marry, make an exception where God has not. "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21).

Overcoming evil with good means allowing the spirit to rule over the flesh. "Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5:24). The fruit of the spirit is characterized by meekness and self-control (Galatians 5:23). We who live in the spirit (Galatians 5:25) are not dominated by "rights" and our desire to exercise them, but in control of the flesh we humbly submit to the will of God. Thus we must obey God rather than our passions! The desire to marry does not equal the right to marry when God has declared that marrying another is wrong.

In response some have appealed to Paul's "it is better to marry than to burn with passion" (1 Corinthians 7:9) as justification to marry another. However, it is presumptuous, indeed, to extend to the divorcee the general liberty God gives to the unmarried and widows. This application is especially egregious in light of Jesus' specific prohibition of marrying another to which Paul immediately alludes and concludes that reconciliation is the obligation (vs. 11). Barring reconciliation, one must remain unmarried. There is no liberty to marry another in this context.

Many find the teaching of Jesus and Paul on this subject hard. This difficulty is nothing new; it was the reaction of Jesus' own disciples when he taught it (Matthew 19:10). Jesus' response needs to be seriously considered today. Some are born eunuchs, some are made eunuchs by men, and some are eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake (vss. 11,12). Instead of marrying another, the mind of the spirit is content to be a eunuch in the service of the Lord.

But what about the natural desires? With regard to sexual temptation and the battle of the flesh and spirit, Jesus instructs us to "pluck out" and "cut off" whatever causes us to sin because it would be better "that one of your members perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell" (Matthew 5:29,30). There are eunuchs who are made eunuchs by men! Of course, Jesus is not literally calling for such extreme action as much as He is calling for a self-controlled mind of the spirit that puts the kingdom first.

"For I say unto you, that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven," (Matthew 5:20).

Andy Diestelkamp
adiestel@verizon.net
Originally published in THINK Magazine, 37.1

Scriptures of Encouragement

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, (Romans 8:31-35, 38-39 ASV).

The church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio

Thank you for reading the electronic version of our bulletin, Good News for Norwalk. If you live in Norwalk or happen to be traveling in the Norwalk area, we would certainly love to have you visit one of our assemblies!

Our location:

386 North Edgewood Drive (just off US 250 just north of Norwalk's city limits)
Norwalk, Ohio 44857

Our assemblies:

Sunday morning assembly: 10:30am
Sunday evening assembly: 6:00pm

Our Bible studies:

Sunday morning Bible study: 9:30am
Wednesday evening Bible study: 7:00pm

For More Information

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