But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” vs. 32
Matthew 5:27-37
As Jesus eliminates the loopholes that were a part of the law of Moses, he doesn’t deal with peripheral items. Instead he tackles the biggies: adultery, divorce, and truth-telling. And if those topics were important in the first century, they are at the core of the cultural morass in which we find ourselves today. The Pharisees had attempted to handle those feelings and actions in the context of the law–and Jesus said that it wasn’t working. We have gone in the other direction and lifted all restrictions. Pornography is now available at any time and any place to anyone with a smartphone. The internet has been a boon to anyone wanting to satisfy lust. Where once there had to be grounds for divorce, we’ve made it available to anyone who doesn’t want to be married anymore. And as far as truth-telling is concerned, we’ve become accustomed to alternate facts and blatant lies in every arena. There seem to be no controls on any kind of behavior. People have been set free to do and say whatever they desire. And while we don’t want to turn Jesus into a more rigid law enforcer than Moses, people of faith should pay attention to what he says. While it’s true that there is forgiveness for lust, divorce, and lying, life is exponentially better when people hold sex, marriage, and truth-telling in high regard.
Thought for the Day: What is the biggest threat to marriage?
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