Dr Paul Allen

English: Divorce Rates in Sweden 2000- 2010 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Marriage and divorce rates in New Zealand (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 19:9 “I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality , and marries another, commits adultery” ( v. 9 ). It would be an understatement to say that sin makes a mess of things. The earthly consequences of our selfishness can haunt us for the rest of our lives and bring untold ruin upon our friends and families. Innumerable people have been destroyed through their own evil choices or the wickedness of others. Because of the way sin complicates life, we are sometimes forced to make choices that we would not have to make in a perfect world. The decision to get a divorce is one such example. Divorce is a sad event, something that may be necessary when sinners reject God ’s command for marriage to be a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman ( Matt. 19:1–8 ). Our Creator allows divorce in certain circumsta...

“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous” (Heb. 13:4). Over and over again, the author of the epistle to the Hebrews emphasizes the vast superiority of the person and work of Christ to all who came before Icon of Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia )  Him. This teaching, however, is not given only for the sake of teaching but also to exhort us to cling to Christ. Given the greatness of Christ Jesus , we must run the race of faith with vigor, and the only way we will be able to do that is if we strengthen ourselves so that we may find endurance (Heb. 10:35–36; 12:12–13). One of the many practical ways we can strengthen ourselves is to show love for our brothers and sisters in Christ (13:1). As we encourage one another, show hospitality (v. 2), and identify with the suffering of Christians in prison (v. 3), we demonstrate the great love Jesus has for us and remind each other of...

Image via Wikipedia We, as a culture may think when we take our pants off with someone not our spouse, as long as everyone is there voluntarily, the worst thing that can happen is that God might get miffed at us. And He, of course, is rather famous for having a rather forgiving nature. Six innocent men went to their death at Ai because a different man, Achan , took for himself booty from Jericho .  Who would know, I suspect, Achan wondered. Why would we think sexual immorality is any different? "Husbands and wives stray. What's the big deal? Happens all the time. " It does indeed happen all the time. And when it does bombs explode in the homes of little children. Hearts are scarred. Fear replaces the departing spouse. These children grow up thinking the deepest betrayal possible to be normal, acceptable, just a part of life. That there is nothing they can depend on. They grow up believing that mommy, or daddy loved their sexual appetites more than they loved them. An...