Luke 16:18 (ESV)
[18] “Everyone who divorces his
wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced
from her husband commits adultery.
This is not the last and final
word on divorce. Jesus provided an exception to this in Matthew, and the
epistles provide additional perspective as well. What is interesting is where
this verse is found. It is in the middle of a discussion about the Law and the Prophets.
Jesus had just told the Pharisees that wealth is not an indicator of God’s
approval. He then uses marriage and divorce to demonstrate how they have
ignored the Law and the Prophets. That is followed with a story about a wealthy
man who ends up in torment after his death while a poor man ends up at Abraham’s
side. Jesus concludes that if the man’s brothers have not paid attention to the
Law and the Prophets then they will not believe if some one raises from the
dead.
That, of course, is a
foreshadowing of their response when Jesus raises from the dead. They were twisting
the Law to justify their lifestyle while ignoring its truth. It makes me wonder
how often we justify our own bad choices. I don’t drink, smoke, or use bad
language, so I’m pretty good. Then we gossip. We hold grudges that we justify.
We carry bitterness and unforgiveness. We gaslight, we ignore the Scriptures,
we fail to spend time in prayer. But at least we’re not like “them.” God
forgive us. May we move from self-justification to submission and obedience to
the Spirit and the Word.
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