King James Bible
King James Version (KJV)
Bible Discussion Replies PAGE 12
Viewing page: 12 of 5497
< Previous Discussion Page Next Discussion Page >
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Do you have a Bible comment or question?
Posting comments is currently unavailable due to high demand on the server.
Please check back in an hour or more. Thank you for your patience!
The first thing I'll say is WHY such lame presentations have to exist. Are there not enough messages from REAL people (for instance on NDI) that one could spend endless hours reading such accounts and of course accumulate the predictable collateral damage from such exposure over time?
Before we whitewash this whole topic; let us examine the idea of images. Artists ALL have; more or less represented images that are artificial replicas of real world events; persons; nature; etc. No one of a sane mind; of course would put the same level of value on such an object as compared to the counterpart in the real world. Of course idolatry does that and creates an unhealthy obsession with our own fantasies rather than reality and more importantly the Triune God that created all things.
Having to chase down truth and constantly go into rabbit holes lest some artificially produced image or worse quotation arises is time consuming. It is bound to happen on occasion; and if truth is our overall message it may be an unintended transgression.
It PERHAPS is helpful for an overall summary of society at large to put together some of this material; as no doubt whether something is real or even deliberately manufactured it shows the mindset of the world and influences particularly on the youth today. It is personal testimonies which I find the most disturbing; and specifically when much scriptural truth is in them. That has maximum effect as it were to promulgate some sort of agenda. There may be a significant amount of truth to the summation but whatever isn't true is lost in the sea of information. At best the creator may be trying to summarize a particular event or testimony to reflect a basically true biography. The obvious thing is unless it is approved by the person referred to it is a violation of their personal story and individual freedom-something we should consider before glibly listening.
MOre to come...
Ugh I always forget how to spell the word gray (or grey). Sorry about that maybe I should examine AI for that but it might get me obsessed with UFOs...
Ok enough for my nebulous humor. From the get go; I will certainly say that our time online should be limited; and I can certainly understand those who choose to stay off completely. For those of us who can't because our jobs depend on it; or we aren't convicted to stay permanently off the grid this article I pray is helpful.
The last posting ended with the idea of AI images; I will begin there then discuss videos and other things.
Images; still ones in particular at least have hints for now of when they were artificially generated. It used to be say 5 years ago that reporters would like to sneak in a picture from years past of an event from another country to promulgate false narratives regarding government massacres in particular; often diverting attention from terrorists and certain news networks feeding a certain narrative. Take my word for it; I won't go any further with that subject. Now; of course we can't tell reality from fake images but there are certain things such as fuzzy foregrounds that can be a clue of artificial images.
Now this isn't anything new at least on dating sites; advertising for generations has promoted physical beauty in it's sales practices so it is expected that such individual actions help to promote the site and the organization. Cropping images of course has gone to a whole new generation or evolution as it were. The same can be said for the "music industry" Christian or not; smoke and mirrors is nothing new but it has become the end all basically of many of today's so called concerts.
Assuming we aren't out there to boost our ego but truly searching for true testimonials; for example it is sometimes easy enough to read the underlying text about voices being not real. Simulated NDI's and such seem to abound.
I was prepared with a message on the children of God related to true salvation and how we must never forget our utter dependance on the Lord but the page froze. I'll divert to this topic next.
Like it or not AI is the latest social media craze that is dominating today and clearly will for a time-likely not ending until sometime late in the Tribulation when all communications are cut off of that venue.
As with any other neutral influence some benefit can be seen with this technology; for the Gospel's sake it can provide much more rapid references to Scripture; and other historical information from a nearly infinite source of references and WHEN truly unbiased or uncontrolled by nefarious operators and preprogramed to enact and enforce expected outcomes supporting evil propaganda can be very helpful indeed to gather concepts for a sermon or essay on a given scriptural concept. It can; of course be just as useful to find statistics and facts from nonchristian materials or studies that help to bolster Christian articles and messages.
The caveat here is to test source materials to ensure that there isn't indeed error in the facts given. It is clear that evil can be exonerated and accelerated with these technologies which is bolstered by the abhorrent results of suicide of several individuals recently publicized and other deviant behaviors that no doubt have significantly bolstered Satan's agenda through the efforts of his minions on such platforms.
The third factor is what we may call the "gray" zone and no doubt is the most difficult to assess; and judge as to whether it is fundamentally wrong. To err on the side of caution is always the best policy; unfortunately if we are realistic we see that any computer use at this point is going to place us into a constant mode of decision making based on evidence we have and can see and common signs of intrustion of AI; particulary with images.
I am writing this partly because of a recent experience visiting a new church where the issue seems muddled as to a firm stance on the subject. We face the extreme of two parameters; either giving no one any assurance that they can hold onto hope of His promises to that effect; or conversely a hypergrace mentality which basically ignores testing our faith and seeing if we are producing fruit; being chastised by God etc.
I am greatly burdened with this presentation. It isn't the first time I have mentioned it here but it is such a fundamental issue that it seems necessary to regularly reexamine. I experienced this issue way back in college when a young lady who seemed to be filled with the joy of the Spirit was terrified when someone mentioned that she couldn't be assured of salvation. It is at best an affront to the Spirit here. We are said to "know them by their fruits". Such a statement could be like telling a child that their parents may not always recognize or adore them. But such statements take discernment from the speaker to the recipient; Jesus had a vastly different message for instance to the woman at the well and other notorious "sinners" and the Pharisees.
The other extreme is assuming we can hold onto a grace that is cheapened by lack of obedience, fear of the Lord and a lifestyle of holiness. God is not mocked; we reap what we sow. Therefore in the end we all must agree that He will save all He chooses to save and all who are in hell will have no viable excuse for why they don't belong there. Or; let God be true and every man a liar.
Matthew 7:24-26
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
And the opposite fate for those building on the sand as foundation.
That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore." Here we see a distinct change of wording than set forth in God's promise to Abraham in 13.16 "And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth:" Dust of the earth is different than the sand which is upon the sea shore. The Spirit presents 144,000 on mount Sion while he presents "And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire:and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name"(15.2) They are also carry a number 144,000 to designate them as overcomers. This number and the mark gives them of same position in the sight of God. "till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads./And I heard the number of them which were sealed:,,, an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel."
One group owe to the mercy of God that they are the first fruits under predestination. How did this second group come into being. God called Abraham or rather 'tempted' him. Holiness of God does not permit the word of God to fall by the wayside. The ram was a substitutional symbol for the lamb of God. God justifies his ways to Moses as thus, "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."(Rom.9.15). It is thus seed of Abraham includes Ishamel as well as of Isaac. How shall justify all those Moslems who were slaughtered in the name of Crusade, the lie of literal Jerusalem goaded the church of Rome; no less was the lie of Inquisition and the religious wars. The imposter church masquerading as the church of the first begotten has caused countless victim. It is thus God has created two bodies under the Father Son fellowship. The sea of glass mingled with fire is indicative of divine mercy.
"And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham,"
The Spirit uses the word 'tempt' in the same restricted sense as 'remember' as in the case God set the bow in heaven. "And I will remember my covenant" which is in restricted sense since the Covenant everlasting is already in operation so establishing it anew is impossible. God cannot deny his holiness. He remebers the specific token which he is setting after the flood. In this case why should God tempt Isaac when the emblem of the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world is ever in the divine Will?(Rev.13.8;Gen.9.15)
The Spirit compares the state of mind of the father of whom God demands that he sacrifice 'thine only son.'. In vv.6-8 we can sense the pathos of the patriarch wrestling with the knowledge he dare not divulge and the son asks, " And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" The Spirit parallels the Father Son relationship on the mount which doubles for Golgotha.So 'temptation' as a word refers to reduce the Father of heaven and earth to a human parent and seeking a resolution to the problem in human terms.
The Lamb slain already exists in the divine Will of the Father. There is also the Lamb of God who shall manifest in fulness of time. " So we have the problem resolved by producing a ram,"And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son."
v.14 "And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen."
The tag 'to this day' refers to the day of Lamb which began in Egypt on the ever of deliverance for the Israelites their first Passover. "And this day shall be unto you for a memorial;... ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever." 'Forever' is a tag for Jesus Christ.
"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."
Matthew 24
Mark 13
1 Peter 4:17-18 " For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"
Read the Book of Jeremiah. It is TODAY'S NEWSPAPER.
Mark 4:33-34
"33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples."
"for in Isaac shall thy seed be called./ And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed."
Calling and gifts whenever God has given are without repentance. Here God called Abraham for a purpose."Walk thou before me and be perfect."Perfection is his gift in his Son. It is called grace. God showed grace to Lot in his calamity. He sent two angels to deliver him out of Sodom. His heart was not right before him. Therein lay the problem. God fashioned his heart same as of Abraham. There was nothing for him to respond. It is thus predestination works. God searches all hearts alike but in some fear of God is zero. "Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."(Rom.8.30) We see how Abraham was glorified. Even though he died he was gathered to his people who are in the land of the living. God is the God of the living. Another glory we find where he has become a sign and wonder.In the Parable we read, "the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom" (Lk.16.22-23)
Here God tells "In Issac shall thy seed be called." Nevertheless seed of Ishamel shall be a great nation because Abraham was called. Not all of Isaac seed are called for which we have a citation from Jesus Christ."There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out./And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God." (Lk.13.28-29) What went wrong? The nation was thrust out for their disbelief. Their heart was not right before God.
Abraham made his calling and election sure. So the church of the firstborn for which we are called, shall be signs and wonders. Heb.2.4;Isa.8.18
There is no answer given in the Bible about the length of time Adam and Eve spent in the garden but most scholars believe it was a short period.
We do know they didn't have any kids while in the Garden.
Blessings
1 Peter 2:24 KJV
[24] who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
My Interpetation:
To be set free from checks and balances scales through Jesus Sacrifice on cross death 3rd day rise again from grave.
Provided - Hand of God Taking Authority over our words and minds speaking faith , living your life like God, Christians.
Mark 1:15 KJV
'"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!" '
To believe I'm Jesus Christ to be the truth also healing God's spoken words
Interpretation Written and Spoken by REDAPPLETREATY4MEONLY
God Bless!
Welcome to the site!
There are those of us that would love to answer you questions to the best of our abilities.
Feel free to ask what ever you want.
Blessings.
Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Exodus 20:10 "But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:"
John 14:21 "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."
John 15:10 "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love."
Matthew 19:17 "And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."
Blessings
welcome to the site; read with understanding, and seek you shall certainly find. The word of God never fails.
"And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is."
Here the angel calls to Hagar out of heaven while we have the angel of the Lord at hand to comfort Hagar, who "she fled from her face./And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur."(16.6-7)
It is inn this context we are to look at the three men who announced to Abraham in the plains of Mamre, "And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son." The Word circular has two aspects for which the angel is the medium so the word of God shall certaintly comes to pass. It is like the name of the Father. It is a sign marked in heaven and it shall have its corresponding body on earth. For example we have the verse,"and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads." (Rev.14.1) A Lamb stood on mount Sion. This lamb in the Will of God shall never change till the Son shall fulfil his Father's will completely. As the Word become flesh Jesus said,"For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me"( Jn 6.38). This lamb on the mount has its reality which John the Baptist testified. "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."( Jn 1.29) Thus the Word was God sets a sign: These 144,000 refers to the first fruits, heirs of salvation separated by God before the worlds began. The angels are a sign bridging the time element. So the set time is fulfilment. "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb.14.1)
Space and time holds no meaning to God but there is a time set for man, "and a time to every purpose under the heaven:"
"And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God./ And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days."
Abraham made piece with the king of Gerrar and sojourned there many days, and believed that his time of life shall be as appointed, "And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age." (15.15) The Spirit gives us his inner growth and we read of an altar set up 'in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord."(13.4, 18).
The well of water was a sign for him. Here he planted a grove and called on the name of the everlasting God. This revelation did not come by itself but the Father who as with Simon Peter instilled or fortified his heart to the everlasting Covenant. The tamarisk tree works as the pillar at Bethel in the case of Jacob. "(28.17)The river of God opened up his eye with awe,"Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.". Hagar the bond-maid had sensed it herself. (16.13) Now he could get a clear picture as to why heas called out. He had to make his election sure.. Here onwards we see Abraham settling down his life as a pilgrim and sojourner. "And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you." He enters into the God's rest from this point onwards.(Isa.46.4)
Out of the belly shall flow living waters, streams of which connect believers to the holy city of God. "There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High."(Ps.46.4) Sons of Belial confuse it for Jerusalem destined to be cast into outer darkness.
"Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?"(Isa.66.1)
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves? And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well."
Jesus promised " He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." Principle of Similitude sets the Spirit of God moving upon the waters. God creates man and sets him in a garden prepared by God. He sends thereafter rain from his storehouse. This is what we read in Gen.1.6 "And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters." The river goes out from Eden while the rain flows from above. My Father worketh hitherto, and I work". Commandment of God and of the testimony of the Son work at tandem. It is how the Word circular holds heaven and the earth as one. Servants of Abraham dug the well and the king claims it as his own. So the Covenant binds Abimelech to the Covenant of seven days. The Spirit sets seven lambs, receipt of which made the king bound to his oath. We shall see later on how it fared at the time of Isaac.
The advent of the Son is in the fulness of time but he was the Word which was God. So eternnally he coexisted with the Word. Water was a proof. Jesus refers to rivers of living water which serves as a token same as the bow in heaven. It is in this context Jesus tells the Samaritan woman, "Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:/ But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."( Jn 4.13-14)
Claims of the king without the Son were hollow.
31 Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them.
32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba:
Have a great weekend!
"For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him".
The Covenant in seven days covers the full circle so the Law establishes the Fellowship of God with man on the basis of what exists in heaven. The Word was with God, we have taking a full circuit. God made angel spirits and in the vision of Zechariah we see the result of four chariots of horses . The angels explains,"And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth."(Zec.6.1-5) With this context what does this verse indicate? "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."
Law of the Spirit ties the Word circular and the world made to appear is thus framed by the word of God. It is what the house of God means. Every soul shall give an account of it. God fashioned all hearts alike. Heart of Abimelech has same integrity as that of Abraham." The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men." The Psalm quote hovever adds, "he considereth all their works."(Ps.33.13-15) Here we see the coflict arising between the king of Gerar and the patriarch. "And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away." (21.25)
Here who owned the well? The earth and the fulness thereof belongs to God. So the Covenant holds statues and commandments. It is what Jesus promised on the last day of the great feast, "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink./ He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water./(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified."( Jn 7.37-39)
So Jesus' question to them was: 'Who is the Christ (the Messiah), whose Son is He'? They obviously knew that when the expected Messiah would come, He would be born into the world in a Jewish family and would be their Savior (leading them to freedom from their enemies and rule over them righteously). But as we know, Jesus came first to free them from bondage to their greater enemy, the Devil, who kept them blind, ignorant, in sin, and estranged from the God Whom they worshiped. But even in their blindness to their sin and Who Jesus really was, they did answer Him correctly to a point: that the Christ would come from the loins of King David.
Taking them from this word of confession that the Messiah would be the son of David, Jesus then asks them another question (similar to your question): 'If the Messiah is David's son (i.e. in the lineage of David), how then could David call Him, Lord?' And here Jesus took them back to the Psalm they knew well: Psalm 110. If King David, speaking by God's Spirit calls his son 'Lord', how can he then be his son as well? He can only be one or the other: either a biological son or the Lord from Heaven, not both. Or could it be?
So Matthew 22:46 tells us that no one could give Jesus the answer to that question. Because if they were astute, yet humble enough, reason would tell them that the Son of David Whom they expected as their Messiah was also the Lord from Heaven ( John 3:13). Yes, the Divine Birth was shown to them through this Psalm: God came in the flesh through the lineage of King David, and He was standing before them - as the Son of Man and the Son of God. So King David could well say, "The LORD (God) said unto my Lord (Jesus, my Messiah)..". David could see Him in the distance but the Jews were blinded.
Given the passage in 1 Timothy 3:12 ("Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well"), I understand that the Apostle Paul's instruction to Timothy on this matter was strongly influenced by the marriage/relationship culture of the day. And that was one of polygamous liberties prevalent at that time. So the apostle's clear instruction was that a deacon, as also with the 'bishop/elder/presbyter' (v2), was not to be appointed to this worthy and responsible position in Christ's Church if he was married to more than one wife at the one time.
But what if that man was not in a polygamous relationship but was divorced because of his wife's adultery and has since remarried? If we consider the Lord's Word on this matter, we can believe that a spouse was free to remarry if the divorce was necessitated because of fornication/adultery by the other spouse ( Matthew 19:7-9). Whereas the Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 7:10,11, indicates that if one separates/divorces from the other, then then they should remain single. But Paul doesn't specifically refer to fornication/adultery as being the cause for the separation; physical or mental abuse could also be a cause.
So, if we consider both these passages in relation to the example you gave, although there appears to be permission for a remarriage when unfaithfulness has occurred by the wife, would this be the right example and clear testimony before the Church, for a person's appointment to the diaconate? What would happen if this second marriage fails for a similar reason, is the deacon's position still tenable? I'm sure, various Church administrations would have their own understanding and applications on this difficult matter, but I would be very careful.
"Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men."
Matthew 6:14
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:"
Ephesians 4:32
"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."
Romans 3:23
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
Blessings
I have had that said to me as you pointed out in part 2; namely that God will convict someone. That is hard to do if a Pastor doesn't adhere to sound preaching on this doctrine and there is a nearly uniform consensus that it is ok somehow. Of course if we actually believed this we would tell nonbelievers the same advice. Again the scriptures show examples of this with John the Baptist and the times Abraham and I believe Isaac tried to pass on their wives as sisters. This affected pagan rulers badly; as God remains who He is with these moral truths wherever His presence is. Now when we don't live up to standards the world rightly calls us hypocrites and justifies deviant lifestyles since we have such a cavalier attitude towards marriage in the church.
The problem I have experienced is discerning evil as well as impartial observations with those in these situations; these include having demonic apparitions around them; uncontrolled rage and increased health issues. The other thing on the table (since you are a thinker) is the lack of divorce for any Bible characters in scripture; albeit multiple marriages. It seems in my limited understanding that both wives in that case had some sort of agreement with the man to provide for them and although it wasn't God's plan it seems He honored both covenants at the time. The verse about God hating divorce sort of sums up that such an act is worse than multiple wives; althiugh it is illegal here and against God's design.
"nuff said". Agape.
RP
Pt. 2
I really do not know what a solution to this mess that exists in the church at large. Do we create a new sect that does not allow divorced/remarried people to attend of become members. What about drunkards? What about those who lack self-control of their anger? The list could be endless.
I do think we are to truthfully teach what the Scriptures do on the topic of divorce/remarriage because it is a serious matter. And we should not be spoken to from others as you or I have been in accusatory ways. Is there room for ministry to take place to people who have divorced and remarried that is based on what Scripture teaches in which we do not condone their choices/ongoing sin but be gracious to them and let the Holy Spirit be the one who convicts them?
I guess perhaps the best we can do is to teach and warn others and let God do the work in them that will guide them to live godly lives.
Steve and I will be celebrating our 46th anniversary next month. We are going the distance, thankfully, and God has blessed us through the ups and downs of life together. I wish all believers would have a lifelong marriage. When we are young and choosing to marry, how little we truly know-whether about our future spouse, about what marriage really entails, whether we realistically know what we want our partner, marriage to be like and what kind of partner we want to be. But, in times past marriages were arranged by parents without courtship and such. Those were valid marriages that were to last for a lifetime, too. I guess the key truly is to entrusting our life together to God in a covenantal way, bring prayerful over our lifetime, and aiming to become more and more like Jesus in all of our ways and with one another.
As for your new church situation, I thought you said you can access services online. Perhaps that will work for you through the winter months. But an hour drive each way may be a fruitful time for you to commune with the Lord each Sunday!
The way fellow believers responded to you sounds familiar.
When I approached my pastor at a church (which I did leave after a number of unpleasant encounters on topics) about a divorced and remarried person who in the congregation who was allowed to preach, lead worship, etc. I was told I was being judgmental and pharisaical for speaking up about it to him. I had not said anything to any other person in the fellowship.
In our present church situation (of 25 years) I asked the pastor early on what was the teaching of this church on that. He said that on the whole it agrees with what Jesus said, but in pastoral care, many people come into the fellowship who already are divorced and remarried and so this is where grace and love comes in.
We are to love one another deeply because love "covers a multitude of sins".( 1 Peter 4:8) but we need to balanced that with standing firm about what Jesus has taught. I guess it is a tight-rope kind of thing. We can advise people considering divorce what Scripture teaches about this and remarriage and we can not support remarriages of divorced people.
But if these remarriages have occurred and children are born to these marriages are we to insist that the marriage be dissolved? Many of these remarriages have children from both prior marriages and children from this marriage. the children from the first marriages have already been traumatized from the first divorce and are already enduring shared custody arrangements. Do we traumatize these children again by separating and annulling the marriage?
It seems to me that the church greatly dropped the ball on this topic loosing the battle with worldly view in the past few generations. How do recover this truth in actual practice in our congregations? Do we create yet another sect that does not allow for divorced/remarried persons to be in the fellowship? I can't say that I really have any real solution here.
see Pt. 2