God established marriage to cement man and woman together for a lifetime. “Joined” means “to join closely together, or unite.” God joined male and female together to become united in ‘one flesh’.
Jesus focuses on marriage, not divorce. Read Matthew 19
Matthew 19:4-6 – “And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”Any relationship we have must begin with Jesus. If we focus on Him, He will direct our path. Satan has placed many obstacles in front of us to cause problems in a marriage relationship. Be careful --looking can slip into lusting, like the Old Testament story of King David and Bathsheba.
Sin came when David’s “look” lingered. It’s not the first glance that causes us to stumble, it’s the second glance that lingers.
Adultery in the bed begins with adultery in the head.
There are 4 simple rules for avoiding sexual impurity. Tell your kids and grandkids these rules at the appropriate time:
1. Don’t pull up.
2. Don’t pull down.
3. Don’t unbutton.
4. Don’t unzip.
Adultery is one of the leading causes of divorce. Sexual intimacy belongs to marriage.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:27-28 – “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”Divorce doesn’t just destroy a relationship, it destroys the two individuals in the relationship (their children and others too).
Deuteronomy Chapter 24 can be misapplied. Divorce was a concession by Moses because of the hardness of people’s hearts. There are no circumstances that demand a person divorce. God takes divorce seriously. Jesus talks about adultery and divorce in Matthew 5:27-32.
Matthew 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.”Only sexual immorality provides a biblical ground for divorce. “Fornication" is from the Greek word “Porneia”, which means any sexual intercourse outside the marriage relationship. What is fornication?
1Corinthians 6:18 - “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.”
Bottom line, Jesus calls us to a life of purity and faithfulness. How can we live pure lives? Are there certain magazines, TV programs, internet sites that entice you? End that relationship now! Proverbs 6:27 If you play with fire long enough, you’re going to get burned. If there is immoral activity in your life, get rid of it now. Colossians 3:5
How do we keep from stumbling? Control your looking Job 31:1; Transform your thinking Romans 12:2
If you have already fallen into sexual immorality, the good news is Jesus died to forgive your sin. You must confess and turn away from it, and with a pure heart, ask Jesus to forgive you.
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