Divorce, Marriage, and Remarriage: New Perspectives for Moving Forward: New and Fresh Findings Give Solid Direction

By James A. Pickens

At last, Christians and non-Christians alike are offered fresh discoveries relating to this very controversial topic. Christ saves us for service, and only through serving Him can the believer find fulfillment in this life. While many would restrain or limit opportunities to serve in a specific position in Christs church because of divorce and/or remarriage, I discover just the opposite is true. The ability to overcome the disappointments and failures every believer experiences can be used to encourage and guide others who face similar trials.

Many have tried to reconcile the various passages dealing with marriage, divorce, and remarriage. To my thinking, they provide unsatisfying results. It seems two very basic and pivotal questions are overlooked and have yet to be answered. At what point in time does God recognize a man and a woman have moved from courtship or engagement to marriage? And when exactly, in Gods view, is a marriage put asunder or nullified?

Without becoming bogged down in a ton of technicalities and arguments, the reader is presented clear and fresh insights providing understanding and direction to boldly move ahead in service and devotion for the ultimate glory of the King of kings.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 5, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490852584

James A. Pickens

Jack Pickens has ministered as pastor, evangelist, church planter, and musician for the past forty-one years in six states and Guatemala. He and his wife Cindy have been married forty years and reside in Batesville, Arkansas. They have four children and two grandsons.

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Copyright © 2014 James A. Pickens.

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Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc.

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-5258-4 (e)

WestBow Press rev. date: 10/21/2014

CONTENTS

1 Line Upon Line

2 The Final Government

3 Kingdom Principles

4 Interim Legislation

5 Rejection

6 Practical Applications

7 Conclusion

Endnotes

1

LINE UPON LINE

You will be hard pressed to find any creation on Earth that is not mentioned in the Bible. The list of actual, real, tangible creations includes the animal kingdom, the plant kingdom, and non-living items such as the mineral world as well as basic forces of nature including wind, rain, fire. These occur naturally and are usually found to provide service and enjoyment to mankind. We also understand throughout Scripture the Lord makes reference to specific parts of creations, and by doing so uses them as teaching tools. He brings clarity and understanding to us by way of analogy, comparison and contrast, and other teaching methods. For instance, we know He is strong and immovable because we know the characteristics of a rock. So when the psalmist says the Lord is my Rock (Psalm 18:2 ESV), we find comfort in the fact that a rock is solid, immovable, and so is our Great God. We know that without being attached to our Vine (John 15:4) we are unable to produce fruit. We could go on and on. In fact, the gospel writer tells us that if all of Jesus’ works could be recorded, the entire earth would not have shelf space to contain them (John 21:25).

In our present consumer driven society it is easy to lose sight of the primary purpose of creation. Yes of course we are to enjoy and utilize God’s gifts of nature, yet we need to consider that perhaps the primary purpose of the Lord’s handiwork is to guide us into a deeper knowledge of Who God is, who we are, and what our primary duty is while we live in, utilize, and usually enjoy this natural world.

God expands our knowledge of spiritual certainties using the physical, tangible, measurable creations of nature. To go a step further, we also discover the immaterial and conceptual creations of God provide us with invaluable information and instruction. These unseen creations are referenced continually in Scripture. Just as He created flora and fauna, He also created and instituted government, business, education, family relationships. While we plan to touch on many of these and other intangibles, our main focus will be on the holy creation of marriage.

A short and accurate definition of marriage is found in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. He compares the relationship of Christ and the Church with that relationship between husband and wife. In doing so he quotes Genesis 2:24 and Matthew 19:5, and afterwards gives a very brief commentary concerning marriage. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:31-32). With all the differing views of Biblical teachings swirling around the topic of marriage, divorce, and remarriage, all can agree with Paul as he states that marriage is not only a mystery, it is a GREAT mystery. And being such a great Godly mystery, it is highly unlikely that any mere mortal will ever uncover every aspect and satisfactorily answer every question concerning the subject of divorce, marriage, and remarriage.

When God’s Word describes marriage as a great mystery, we may be tempted to resign ourselves to the notion that we will never be able to understand or comprehend enough of the subject to make it practical; to change our lives, marriages, or