Saved by Grace…

I hesitate to write about Matthew 19:1 – 10
As I think many people may misunderstand
What I am about to say…

But as much as I may be tempted to skip
Over “difficult” or contentious passages
I will not…

Jesus addresses the subject of:
Marriage and Divorce
As the Pharisees were testing Him
Hoping to find fault with Him

But, of course, they did not

However, what Jesus did say in reply to them
May seem harsh to people today
As sadly, so many Marriages end in Divorce
And some of them involve Christians

Also consider that people today who are
Divorced, get remarried or there are those
Who marry people who have been Divorced

And the question that arises is whether or not
These newly Married people are committing
Adultery or not…

Which I believe is the wrong question…
As it starts from the wrong focus…

Remember the Pharisees came to TEST Jesus
They were NOT really looking for the ANSWER
Their MOTIVE was WRONG
Because their HEARTS were WRONG

So having said that…
What are your motives and intentions
As you read this passage and passages like it?

Do you come to the Bible looking for answers
And direction for your life?
Or do you come looking for a reason to say:
“This is too difficult to understand”?

Our motives, attitudes, opinions are of the
Utmost importance and should come from
A HEART that is open to God and the leading
Of the Holy Spirit, through the Word of God
The Bible

Jesus answers the question by stating
What is the “perfect” will of God

He refers to Adam and Eve BEFORE the Fall
And He quotes from Genesis 2:24
“For this reason a man shall leave his
father and mother and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh’?
So then, they are no longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together,
let not man separate.””
(Matthew 19:5 – 6)

Then as Jesus goes on to answer their
Second question, He states:
“And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife,
except for sexual immorality,
and marries another, commits adultery;
and whoever marries her who is divorced
commits adultery.”
(Matthew 18:9)

Now ALL of this is TRUTH

BUT be mindful of the context…

Jesus stated the “perfect” answer
As He was talking to those who had been
Entrusted with the truth and were supposed
To be leading and teaching the people

However, these Pharisees were more concerned
With their position in society and how people
Looked up to them, than paying attention to the
People and their needs

Added to that we need to be mindful that
Jesus was living in the world at this time
And so had NOT yet died for the sins of all men

I called this Devotional “Saved by Grace…”
Because Grace has such a high place in helping us
To understand this passage

When Jesus died on the cross,
He died for ALL sin
Past, Present and Future tense sins

So Divorce and Adultery are covered by Grace

So before someone has a fit
STOP
And think about what I just said…
And indeed all that I have been saying…

Are you “looking” for permission to do whatever
You want to do?
That is, “if everything is covered by Grace then
I can go out and sin all I like”

Or, as a Christian and follower of Jesus,
Do you strive for perfection mindful that at times
Things can go wrong but secure in the knowledge
That God still accepts you because of His Grace?

This is going back to MOTIVE…

Why do you do what you do?

When you sin, which you may well do…
Are you quick to run into the Father’s arms
Or seek Jesus to get back on the right path?

Or do you knowingly sin because you know
Everything is covered by Grace?

Just to put this all into context…
We are thinking about Divorce and Adultery
As we are reading Matthew 19:1 – 10

So often we fall into the trap of thinking that
These are BIG sins and carry bigger punishment

But THAT is NOT true
Jesus died for ALL sin

And we could be talking about lying and stealing
Or anything else you can think of…

In God’s eyes – sin is SIN

So WHAT is your motive?
Why do you DO what you DO?
Are you trying to get away with as much as possible?
Or are you choosing to walk with Him?

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