IRRELIGION
Do
not be fooled, organized religion--when the religion is
irreligion--is dangerous. Today, some churches are condoning
homosexual practice. Relatively, the tolerance of remarriage
after divorce is not so blatantly immoral; it is in the
guise of "natural" lust! Even Billy Graham, a
famous evangelist whom I once revered, advised a pernicious
lie, "God never meant for people to be divorced, but if
you are already divorced, ask God to forgive you, to cleanse
you, to straighten you out and make you a good wife or a
good husband to your present spouse, if you have one."1
What undermining, wicked advice! That is like saying,
"If you are already living in sin, give God some lip
service, and ask Him to help you continue in your sin."
In regard to this
subtle deviation, the Bible clearly states, "The wife
is bound by the law for the length of time her husband lives
... " (1 Cor. 7.39), and "So then, if she be
married to another man while her husband lives, she shall be
called an adulteress" (Romans 7.3). Such immoral
activity is condemned: "Now the works of the flesh are
manifest, which are [adultery], fornication ... that they
who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God"
(Galatians 5.19-21).
A divorced woman has
two, and only two, alternatives: (1) she may remain divorced
without ever marrying again, or (2) she may be reconciled to
the husband (1 Cor. 7.10, 11). Except for the death of a
spouse, it is either first or none. God forbid anyone to
direct otherwise, amen. A man is permitted to marry once
(monogamy), but not to remarry (1 Cor. 7.27).
Many other preachers
and teachers have promoted irreligion. Television, radio,
and the postal service are broad channels for influence. Jim
Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart were involved in scandals at the
same time they were ministering to the public (by the way, I
do not hold any grudges against any of these men whom I have
mentioned). The point I want to make is that people should
be on guard against listening to leaders or advocates of an
organized religion and contributing money to them without
knowing whether what they teach is true or not and not
knowing how such people live.
In God's sight, there
is only one body of believers, and its sole source of
authority concerning truth and morality is the Holy Bible.
All of the members of the body are different individuals
with various gifts. We need to become well acquainted with
the written word of God and pray that the Lord will work in
our hearts so that we will be more useful for Him. If you
know the Bible well enough, He will do just that!
Br. Ken
1 Billy
Graham, "Marriage, Your Home and You," Decision,
June 1986: 2.
(This is not a personal
letter. This brief sermon has been revised; "What
undermining, wicked advice!"
is a replacement. I had been impressed by Kenneth
Copeland, a fascinating speaker, and probably picked up
one of his expressions at the time of this writing, as you
may see in the original,
although I don't really know what his ideas concerning the
rebuke of remarriage are. I came a long way since then,
especially through biblical
language studies, and made it a point to become more
learned and personally genuine. May God bless his people
that they recognize their growth in Him as they prosper.
Amen.)
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