No other
factor is more
relevant to the
moral decline of
our country than
the breakdown of
the family. Loss
of the family as
the beginning
unit of civil
society is at
the crux of what
is wrong with
this nation we
live in. God
chose to make
man in His
image, and to
that creation He
added woman.
Genesis
2:21 And
the LORD God
caused a deep
sleep to fall
upon Adam, and
he slept: and he
took one of his
ribs, and closed
up the flesh
instead thereof;
2:22 And
the rib, which
the LORD God had
taken from man,
made he a woman,
and brought her
unto the man.
She was made
from taking a
rib from his
side and brought
woman unto him.
Note that it was
not from his
foot to walk
over her, or
from his head,
so that she
would rule over
him. No, God
took from him a
rib that would
show that she
was to be at his
side to walk
with him in
unity of spirit
and physically
as a helpmate in
all their shared
lives together.
Let me make one
thing perfectly
clear, before I
go on as this
sermon applies
to only one
definition of
marriage, as
there is only
one in God’s
eyes. God made
the first man in
His image, and
made He them
(man and woman).
It was Adam and
Eve, not Adam
and Steve. Any
other definition
of love in
marriage is an
abomination in
God’s eyes.
(Romans
1:26-27). God
ordained this
union as one
man, one woman
for life and not
any other
perversion of
the perfect
union of two
people. This
world is trying
to substitute
and redefine
marriage into
the complete
opposite or the
profane, but the
secular approach
will never work
and produce a
healthy society
as in all cases,
as it effects
how the children
view society and
the circle of
depravity
perpetuates
itself to their
children. In our
Bible, marriage
is permanent,
its ties so
binding that
they can be
broken only by
death—or
something worse:
physical
infidelity,
moral
abandonment, or
sustained abuse
by either
spouse, all of
which Jesus
encapsulates in
the term
porneia,
translated as
"sexual
immorality."
While Jesus was
on earth, the
Pharisees tested
Him on this
point, and He
made it so
binding by the
institution of
marriage, from
even the
beginning:
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."(Matthew
19:4-6)
Let’s deal with
a case in point,
or the
redefining of
marriage in this
country and “no
fault divorce”
laws. Anyone can
lawfully enter
into a holy
contract, called
marriage and if
they choose to
discard the
spouse, the
husband or wife,
they can do it
in a whim,
almost with no
questions asked
in divorce
court. But I ask
you, “Was that
the way God
intended it? Or
are we sinning
against God and
His commandment?
What does the
Bible say? When
Jesus was
approached by
the Pharisees,
they asked Him
about divorce
and putting away
one’s wife (or
husband). Jesus
echoes what
Matthew records
above in another
passage. What
did He say? Mark
chapter 4:
10:2 And
the Pharisees
came to him, and
asked him, Is it
lawful for a man
to put away his
wife? tempting
him.
10:3 And
he answered and
said unto them,
What
did Moses
command you?
10:4 And
they said, Moses
suffered to
write a bill of
divorcement, and
to put her away.
10:5 And
Jesus answered
and said unto
them,
For the
hardness of
your heart he
wrote you this
precept.
10:6 But
from the
beginning of the
creation God
made them male
and female.
10:7 For
this cause shall
a man leave his
father and
mother, and
cleave to his
wife;
10:8 And
they twain shall
be one flesh: so
then they are no
more twain, but
one flesh.
10:9 What
therefore God
hath joined
together, let
not man put
asunder.
Our Lord,
Jesus Christ
limited the
permission of
divorce to the
single case of
adultery or
sexual
immorality, as
noted above. .
It seems that it
was not uncommon
for the Jews at
that time to
dissolve the
union on very
slight
pretences.
So it was then,
so it is now.
The family is
falling apart,
as men and women
tear up the
marriage
contract for the
slightest whim.
The “if it feels
good do it
crowd”, needs
only their own
pride and
selfishness to
rule in their
lives to the
destruction of
their marriage
vows and
ultimately, this
nation.
Many have
found an
abundance of
reasons to
discard the
marriage and the
love of their
youth with any
reason that
makes them feel
justified. But
are they
justified?
Matthew chapter
5:
5:31 It
hath been said,
Whosoever shall
put away his
wife, let him
give her a
writing of
divorcement:
5:32 But
I say unto you,
That whosoever
shall put away
his wife, saving
for the cause of
fornication,
causeth her to
commit adultery:
and whosoever
shall marry her
that is divorced
committeth
adultery.
That my reader,
goes both ways.
If a man puts
away his wife
for any cause or
the wife her
husband, but for
adultery, it is
sin in God’s
eyes, as it
violates the
commandment
“Thou shalt not
commit
adultery”. You
cannot get away
from this
Biblical
doctrine, no
matter who you
are. Don’t think
that you can
hide behind any
false church
doctrine that is
misled you to
support your
sinning against
God. You can be
a “Christian”
and do these
things and God
will judge you
in the end,
harshly. And
then there are
some who think
they can get
around this
doctrine,
because of their
parents dislike
for your choice
of mate or my
church says so,
or it’s gotten
too hard to stay
married and “I
just don’t want
to stay married
to this person,
as we’ve grown
“apart.” On and
on they go. So
they devise a
plan for making
life so
difficult for
their spouse
that the union
falls apart, by
fiat and they
feel justified.
Let’s go over a
few that I have
seen in my days
of life on this
earth from
others who have
transgressed the
sanctity of
marriage by
examples I have
prayed over for
healing.
There are some
that believe
that they can
force you into
repentance by
shaming you and
having nothing
to do with you.
It is called in
some perverted
circles as
“shunning”,
“excommunication”
or “disfellowshipping”.
The Jehovah’s
Witness, the
Amish, and the
Church
of
Scientology
are just some of
the larger
groups that
follow this
practice.
There are also
many smaller
“religious”
groups that
follow this
practice,
including some
that claim they
are Christians.
These groups
believe that
they are
“loving” you to
repentance by
their actions.
I believe, they
have been
deceived by
Satan to the
detriment of the
family unit and
promote Satan’s
master plan.
Their actions
only proves
their own
unrepentant
souls and
influence from
Satan. This new
found “doctrine”
in some
“religious”
circles, and I
use that
term loosely,
feel that they
can point to
Paul’s
admonishment to
the Corinthian
church found in
I Corinthians
chapter 5:
5:11
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 idolater, or
a railer, or a
drunkard, or an
extortioner;
with such an one
no not to eat.
5:12
For what
have I to do to
judge them also
that are
without? do not
ye judge them
that are within?
5:13
But them
that are without
God judgeth.
Therefore put
away from among
yourselves that
wicked person.
Erroneously,
they use this to
apply to their
own family,
meaning their
wives, husbands
or children and
take on a self
righteousness
not rooted in
Scripture.
This
passage has
nothing to do
with inside the
family, except
for adultery.
This was the
case of the man
taking his
father’s wife as
his own. In this
scripture
passage, this
man was
committing
adultery and
fornication, as
apparently his
father was still
alive.
Or was an
example of
family
incestuous
practices. I
bring this
subject up
because some
have chosen to
apply this verse
to give a reason
to put away
their wife for
other reasons
beside
fornication.
They also
use the
following verse
to justify this
term “ shunning”
but to not
confuse the two,
I will call it
what it is…moral
abandonment.
This is leaving
your first
responsibility
apart from God
and to not care
for your own
flesh and blood.
These misguided
folks also use
these following
verses to
justify their
sin, but ignore
the whole of the
Bible and rely
on their false
interpretation
of these two
passages:
Galations
5:19-21 “Now
the works of the
flesh are
evident: sexual
immorality,
impurity,
sensuality,
idolatry,
sorcery, enmity,
strife,
jealousy, fits
of anger,
rivalries,
dissensions,
divisions, envy,
drunkenness,
orgies, and
things like
these. I warn
you, as I warned
you before, that
those who do
such things will
not inherit the
kingdom
of
God.”
and
2 John 1:10,11
“If anyone comes
to you and does
not bring this
teaching, do not
take them into
your house or
welcome them.
11
Anyone who
welcomes them
shares in their
wicked work.
First, we need
to understand
the context of
who the
Scriptures are
referring.
They are talking
about people who
say that they
are Christians,
and they are
talking about
putting them out
of the church.
They are not
talking about
removing any
contact with all
people
outside of the
church and they
are not talking
about family
members.
The Bible does
not say that
Christians are
to shun others.
We live in the
world, but are
not of the
world. How can
you reach others
for Jesus
Christ, if you
have no physical
or verbal
contact with
others in this
world? You can’t
and you are not
spreading the
Good News of the
Bible to the
lost. You leave
youself a small,
select group
that you
associate with ,
as evidenced by
Jehovah Witness’
practices and
not in alignment
with God’s Word.
Concerning
Church
discipline, the
bible
is very clear in
Scripture –
Matthew 18:15-17
“If
your brother
sins against
you, go and show
him his fault,
just between the
two of you. If
he listens to
you, you have
won your brother
over. But if he
will not listen,
take one or two
others along, so
that ‘every
matter may be
established by
the testimony of
two or three
witnesses.’ If
he refuses to
listen to them,
tell it to the
church; and if
he refuses to
listen even to
the church,
treat him as you
would a pagan or
a tax collector.
“
Outside of the
church, treating
someone as “a
pagan or a tax
collector”,
doesn’t mean you
completely
ignore the
person. What do
you do? You
attempt to reach
them for Jesus
Christ. You
continue to love
them.
Jesus
himself
associated and
ate with
gentiles,
including tax
collectors.
(Matthew 9:9-13,
Mark
2:15,
Luke 5:27-29)
In other words,
you are to treat
them as you
would any other
non-member of
your church.
By erroneously
applying the
above verse to
your wife and
children,
families are
being destroyed
by the practice
of moral
abandonment
called shunning
being applied to
them.
There is no
scriptural
support of
shunning one’s
own relatives,
as some have
attempted to do.
This includes
parents,
spouses,
children, and
siblings.
Scripture states
in 1 Tim 5:8
“Anyone who
does not provide
for their
relatives, and
especially for
their own
household, has
denied the faith
and is worse
than an
unbeliever.”
Getting back
to marriage,
when God
established the
institution of
marriage, he
designed the man
to be the head
of the woman as
Christ is the
head of the
church.
The reality of
that is, if
there is a
problem in your
marriage,
usually the
responsibility
falls on the
husband.
In the case of
the
aforementioned
false doctrine
of “shunning”,
more times than
not, the wife
and children are
the ones that
are morally
abandoned.
The Bible
specifically
addresses how a
married couple
who have been
joined together
by God must
adhere to the
marriage
covenant for
life. Ephesians
Chapter 5:
5:22 Wives,
submit
yourselves unto
your own
husbands, as
unto the Lord.
5:23 For
the husband is
the head of the
wife, even as
Christ is the
head of the
church: and he
is the saviour
of the body.
5:24 Therefore
as the church is
subject unto
Christ, so let
the wives be to
their own
husbands in
every thing.
5:25 Husbands,
love your wives,
even as Christ
also loved the
church, and gave
himself for it;
5:26 That
he might
sanctify and
cleanse it with
the washing of
water by the
word,
5:27 That
he might present
it to himself a
glorious church,
not having spot,
or wrinkle, or
any such thing;
but that it
should be holy
and without
blemish.
5:28 So
ought men to
love their wives
as their own
bodies. He that
loveth his wife
loveth himself.
5:29 For
no man ever yet
hated his own
flesh; but
nourisheth and
cherisheth it,
even as the Lord
the church:
5:30 For
we are members
of his body, of
his flesh, and
of his bones.
5:31 For
this cause shall
a man leave his
father and
mother, and
shall be joined
unto his wife,
and they two
shall be one
flesh.
5:32 This
is a great
mystery: but I
speak concerning
Christ and the
church.
5:33 Nevertheless
let every one of
you in
particular so
love his wife
even as himself;
and the wife see
that she
reverence her
husband.
Christ loved the
church (His
people) with
compassion,
mercy,
forgiveness,
respect, and
selflessness. In
this same way
husbands are to
love their wives
and the wives
the same to
their
husbands…and
each to their
children…for
life.
If you are
not honoring
your
marriage vows
(which include
the words till
death do us
part) you are in
direct
disobedience to
God, and you are
not in His will.
You are in
direct violation
of the law of
God and God will
take you to task
for your sin.
In
1 Corinthians 13,
God’s
perfect love
is explained in
detail. And it
is no more
important than
inside of a love
filled family.
Anything else is
a desecration of
the marriage
covenant.
“Love is
patient, love is
kind. It does
not envy, it
does not boast,
it is not proud.
5
It does not
dishonor others,
it is not
self-seeking, it
is not easily
angered, it
keeps no record
of wrongs.
6
Love does not
delight in evil
but rejoices
with the truth.
It always
protects, always
trusts, always
hopes, always
perseveres.
Love never
fails. “
Do you love your
spouse, as
Christ loves
you?
Those that
practice this
act of
abandonment,
erroneously
called
“shunning” are
not
understanding of
what God means
when he says
“Love one
another”.
What they are
doing in reality
is showing their
pride and their
hatred. Hatred
for whom and who
do they hate?
They show hatred
for their own
flesh and blood,
their children.
What was
marriage
designed for? It
was designed for
the children.
The 5th
Commandment
speaks directly
to parents and
children, laying
the foundation
of
responsibility
that each has to
the other. When
children submit
to their
parents, and
parents provide
a loving
environment to
nurture their
children in
lawful living,
the children and
society directly
benefit from
this command.
Home government
is the
cornerstone of
national
government, and
when the home is
right, the
social structure
follows. When
marriage and
family unity are
held in high
esteem and a
fear of
violating God's
standards is
instilled, sin
can be held in
check.
Hebrews 12:11
"Now
no chastening
seems to be
joyful for the
present, but
painful;
nevertheless,
afterward it
yields the
peaceable fruit
of righteousness
to those who
have been
trained by it."
We are supposed
to be training
our children in
the way they are
to go and grow.
No wonder there
are so many
deviations from
true Christian
marriages. We
see shacking up
together and
let’s see if it
works out (which
usually it never
does). We see
one parent
households with
no man in the
picture. Maybe
there is isn’t a
mother in the
picture either,
as the sin is
not exclusive to
just men. We see
orphaned
children taken
by DFS
(Department of
Family Services)
because the
parents, either
one or both have
failed in the
marriage and the
children suffer.
We see men who
fail to support
their children
by caring for
their needs and
finding anyway
they can to
dodge child
support. This is
not love or
commitment. How
can these
children grow up
any other way,
but deficient
in love for
others or
themselves? I
see attempted
suicides, drug
addiction, and
every other sin
related to
bringing
children into
broken homes.
And where does
it start? It
starts with the
human emotion of
pride and
selfishness.
Proverbs
16:18 “Pride goes before
destruction, and
a haughty spirit
before a fall.”
And what a fall
it truly is…Our
nation is
failing because
men and women do
not fulfill the
law of God
concerning
marriage and
love inside that
relationship.
What about
spouses doing
separation? Can
it be
beneficial? It
can be if it
fulfills
repairing what
was deficient in
the first place,
love and
honoring each
other inside the
marriage vows.
"Live
happily with the
woman you love
through all the
meaningless days
of life that God
has given you in
this world. The
wife God gives
you is your
reward for all
your earthly
toil"
(Ecclesiastes
9:9).
Again in 1
Corinthians
chapter 7:
7:13
And a woman who
has an
unbelieving
husband, and he
consents to live
with her, she
must not send
her husband
away.
7:14
For the
unbelieving
husband receives
sanctification
through his
wife, and the
unbelieving wife
receives
sanctification
through her
believing
husband; for
otherwise people
would consider
your children
unclean, but now
people regard
them as holy.
7:15
Yet if the
unbelieving one
leaves, let him
leave; the
brother or the
sister has not
placed
themselves under
bondage in such
cases, but God
has called us to
peace.
7:16
For how do you
know, O wife,
whether you will
save your
husband? Or how
do you know, O
husband, whether
you will save
your wife?
7:17
Only, as the
Lord has
assigned to each
one, as God has
called each, in
this manner let
him walk And so
I direct in all
the churches.
If you are
separated from
your spouse, and
you are not
doing everything
you can to
reconcile the
marriage, I
would recommend
you spending
time in the
Scriptures.
The Bible talks
about separation
(mutually agreed
upon and only
for a short
time), but God’s
plan for
marriage is that
you reconcile as
quickly as
possible so that
Satan cannot get
a foothold.
Marriages are
designed by God
to glorify Him.
Concerning our
dissolutions of
marriage, what
does God think
about our
divorce laws?
Crystal
clear!
Malachi 2:16 “God hates
divorce”.
2:15
"But not one has
done so who has
a remnant of the
Spirit And what
did that one do
while he sought
godly offspring?
Take heed then
to your spirit,
and let no one
deal
treacherously
against the wife
of your youth.
2:16 "For
I hate divorce,"
says the LORD,
the God of
Israel, "and him
who covers his
garment with
wrong," says the
LORD of hosts.
"So take heed to
your spirit,
that you do not
deal
treacherously."
Look at
Galatians
5:19-21 again,
quoted above.
There are 2 key
words in this
verse related to
problems in a
marriage that
show us how
unbiblical the
act of moral
abandonment
(shunning)
leading to
divorce really
is.
The key words
are dissensions
and divisions.
The Biblical
definition of
dissensions
according to the
KJV
dictionary is “Disagreement
in opinion,
usually a
disagreement
which is
violent,
producing warm
debates or hot
angry words;
contention in
words; strife;
discord;
quarrel;
breach of
friendship and
union.”
Scripture is
clear.
Moral
abandonment
called shunning
causes strife,
dissensions, and
divisions. “…those
who do such
things will not
inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal 5:21). It’s a
serious offense
that God has a
dim view of
leading to sin
in the other
parts of the
verse.
I ask you to be
honest with
yourself. Do you
see yourself in
any of the
practices I’ve
outlined here?
If you do, then
brother or
sister, you need
to get down on
your knees and
pray for
forgiveness.
When you have
cleansed your
heart and mind
of this
wickedness by
repenting
tearfully before
God and
receiving
forgiveness, you
must make it
right with the
wife or husband
of your youth.
Ask them for
forgiveness and
together, get on
your knees and
ask God to
restore the love
and honor you
were supposed to
be giving one
another. If you
are sincere, and
are wishing to
do obediently
what God has
commanded, I
believe God in
His love and
forgiveness will
give you a new
found love for
the one who is
your first
priority on this
earth…Your
spouse and
filtering down
to your
children.
I pray for the
people who
follow these
practices. I
pray that the
Lord will give
them eyes to
see, ears to
hear, and a
softened heart.
Remember, we are
the Lord's
servants.
2 Timothy
2: 23
– 25
“
…
the Lord's
servant must not
be quarrelsome
but kind to
everyone, able
to teach,
patiently
enduring evil,
correcting his
opponents with
gentleness. God
may perhaps
grant them
repentance
leading to a
knowledge of the
truth”
It is God’s
command and His
institution and
sanctity of
marriage based
upon the love
Christ has for
His church. If
we as men and
women of God
would honor the
institution of
marriage in love
and commitment,
then this nation
at large would
slowly heal of
the afflictions
that are rampant
in our world and
threatens to
destroy our
country. It must
start at the
bedrock of our
republic, the
family unit.
This is Pastor
Mike Taylor
wishing you God
speed and
blessings on
each of you. If
I can be of any
help to you,
pray with you,
or counsel you
on any biblical
principle,
please drop me a
line to
realteam1999@sbcglobal.net,
or visit my
website at
www.churchofgod-usa.org
for Holy Spirit
inspired Bible
teaching.
God bless you
all, till we
meet at Jesus
feet.
