Life is short. Get a divorce.

Seen on a billboard, advertising the services of a law firm specializing in divorce cases.

As time progresses, and as we become more and more a post-Christian society, we are witnessing a massive swing in cultural beliefs and practices. The line between right and wrong has been blurred to the point of non-recognition. Things that were once viewed as being sinful have now become acceptable, and things that were once viewed as practices to abstain from are now seen as practices to be embraced and enjoyed.

This blog is pointed particularly at those who profess to be believers in Jesus Christ. The Bible admonishes us to abstain from the ways and practices of the world, but it seems that many in the church today are living lives that are more in alignment with the ways of the world than with the ways of the Word of God.

In the sermon on mount, Jesus gives several illustrations of this concept. He speaks of the correct way of viewing murder, adultery, divorce, taking oaths, retaliation, and love. He began each of these discussions with “You have heard…but,,,” This establishes a contrast between the ways of the world with the ways of the Word. Let’s give a brief consideration to each of these examples.

Jesus speaks first about the matter of murder. He takes it much further, and goes much deeper, than the physical act of taking someone’s life. He says that if I harbor hatred in my heart toward another person, then I am guilty of murder in the eyes of God. He goes on to explain that if I even view another as being worthless, a fool, of no value, then I am in danger of the judgment. Yet, today, it is not uncommon to hear individuals speak of their disdain for another person, speaking of them in derogatory terms. Even to the point of wishing them harm and envisioning in their minds how much they would enjoy hearing of their suffering or death!

Then He speaks of the matter of adultery. The marriage bed is to be a sacred, sanctified, place to be shared by a husband and wife. When a man and woman are united in marriage, they become “one flesh.” To bring another person into this sacred relationship is to bring shame upon the one to whom we are supposed to be committed. The way of the world embraces, sometimes even applauds, these extra-marital relations.

Next, Jesus speaks of the matter of divorce. The Bible teaches that the plan of God is that one man be married to one woman until they are parted by death. Marriage is a beautiful picture of the relationship between Jesus Christ and His bride, the church. The Lord has committed Himself totally to the care, nurture, and spiritual development of His bride. Paul gives a beautiful description of this relationship in Ephesians 5:22-33.

Taking oaths is Jesus’ next topic of discussion. It is so easy to make promises that we never intend to keep. Our word should be backed up by our actions. Great harm has been done in families in which the husband or the wife constantly makes promises they never keep. Children have been devastated by parents who make promises they continually and consistently break. Even more serious are those promises we make to God, and then quickly forget making those promises, never bringing them to fulfillment.

Jesus then turns His attention to the matter of getting revenge. We are not to retaliate when someone has done us harm. Instead, we are to strive to live by the golden rule: Do unto others as you would have them do to you. Treat people the way you would like to be treated, whether they ever treat you the same or not. Many live in a perpetual state of vengefulness, seeking to cause pain to others because they have been hurt by them. We are to go out of our way to do something that displays our genuine love for them.

And that brings us to the last of the examples given by Jesus: love. He speaks of loving those who love us, and doing good to those who do good to us. But we are to love everyone, not just a select few. He says that we are to love our enemies as well as our friends. Our love is to be undefiled, coming from a sincere heart.

These are not to be thought of as an exhaustive list, but rather a sampling of how we, as Christians, are to live our lives as testimony to His grace being operative in us. But what I would like for us to think about is this: we are to live our lives totally committed to the principles and precepts clearly delineated in Scripture, regardless of how the world views those principles.

The Bible presents clear instructions on so many of the social concerns facing our nation. As Christians, and representatives of Jesus Christ Himself, we are to live according to His teachings. Murder, adultery, divorce, taking oaths, retaliation, love for enemies, abortion, human sexuality, biological identity, honesty, integrity, and so many others, are concepts presented clearly in Scripture.

Our choice is which path we will follow: the ways of the world, or the ways of the Word of God. In this present post-Christian era in which we live it is crucial that we represent our Lord by following His teachings in all areas of life and livelihood. May we ever be found walking in obedience to Him.

Blessings!