”…Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” Matthew 19:6
Today we want to share with you how many marriages are separated by hard hearts but united in the gospel of Jesus Christ where our hard hearts are exchanged for new hearts of flesh. First, we will see the results of those who have hard hearts, followed by the exchange found through the gospel where Jesus replaces them.
“Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” 4 ”Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh?’ 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together let man not separate.” 7 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” 8 He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.” Matthew 19:3-8
It was because of your “hardness of heart” that Moses allowed them to divorce “but from the beginning it was not so”. Friends, many marriages are in need of the Great Physician, Jesus, to take out their hearts of stone and give them a new heart of flesh.
Erick wrote; "For the first 17 years of our marriage, I looked for any and every reason to divorce Sylvia. With every argument and fight, I would use the threat of divorce. Rather than loving my wife and nurturing my family I was making excuses and looking for a way of escape. I was truly deceived in thinking that everything was Sylvia’s fault. Which shows how blind I was to my own sin and reveals how hard my heart was, which obviously began to separate us. I would point my finger, sleep on the couch and think divorce was my best option. I'm the one who would always take the easy way out. I was constantly angry with Sylvia over something and would blame her for everything, even for much of my sin. I would blame Sylvia just like Adam blamed Eve, “the woman you gave me...” (Genesis 3:12)! But in reality, it was my own heart that was hardened by sin's deceitfulness (Hebrews 3:13). Though we did not divorce on paper (in an earthly courtroom), we were certainly 'divorced' and 'separated' from each other in our hearts (in God’s heavenly courtroom)."
Question 1. Can you relate in any way to Erick’s testimony above? Please share.
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This is where the power of the gospel comes in, friend, to be joined or reunited again when we have been separated by sin. Sin separates us from one another but the gospel of Jesus Christ brings unity, love, life, new hope, healing and a powerful reunion! "I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me." John 17:21
Marriage is the most powerful union on earth joined together by God and separated by sinful hard hearts. God’s design for marriage was forever. If there are divisions, threats of divorce, unforgiveness, bitterness etc. in your marriage it is not due to the hardness of your hearts if you are both believers. Why? Because believers in Jesus no longer have hard hearts that pursue a ‘certificate of divorce’ but rather live from their new hearts and seek reconciliation. With our new hearts of flesh we have new desires and new passions. We actually have God’s desires and God’s passions living within us by the Holy Spirit.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23
Question 2. Do you believe that you have God’s desires and passions for others living in you by the Holy Spirit, to love and forgive as he has loved and forgiven you? Please share.
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