If you were to die today would you go to Heaven or Hell?
Have you ever asked this question of someone or considered it yourself? The kind of answers you usually hear (or give) sound something like this.
"Well -- I never killed anybody, I think I'd go to heaven."All these answers have one thing in common. They all make comparisons, and they all use gross evil as a standard of measure. In the first statement, "a killer", in the second, mass murderers, in the third, the common sin of others.
or "I think guys like Hitler or Charles Manson, they might go to Hell, but not normal people."
how about "Sure, I've done my share of bad things and I've had some "fun", if you know what I mean, but I'm no worse than anyone else,- and better than some."
As children of God, how are we to estimate our own status in the eyes of God. Should we compare ourselves to others? Do we establish a base line using Saints or Sinners? Is it right to judge ourselves at all?
In today's devotional, Jesus encounters a Teacher of The Law with an attitude problem. As we examine his mind set, perhaps we may find that we are much like him.
Open your Bibles to Mark 10, and read verses 1-12. Read it several times until you can grasp the situation at hand.
Verse 1
Chapter 10 marks the turning point in Jesus' ministry as he leaves Galilee for the last time and begins his final journey to the Cross. No longer will Jesus seek rest and privacy with his Apostles, instead he gives his final days to minister to the people who gather to hear him teach and see him heal.
Verse 2
Notice the Pharisees are not seeking truth, their single motive is to trap Jesus so they can find grounds to take his life. (see Mark 3:6)
Divorce has always been a controversial subject. In Jesus day two major opinions defined the popular view concerning it. Both were an attempt to define Deuteronomy 24.
The teaching of Rabbi Shammai allowed divorce only for unchastity.
The teaching of Rabbi Hillel allowed divorce for just about any reason, even burning the toast.
The Pharisees reasoned that Jesus would have to choose one of these schools of thought. When he did, they could use the other school to discredit him. It was a no win situation, or so they thought......
Verses 3-5
Jesus' question refers to Moses. In the Hebrew Bible "Moses" referred to the first five books of the Bible; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy commonly referred to as the Pentateuch. To understand God's will on the subject of marriage and divorce the Pharisee could have gone to any of a number of places in The Pentateuch, they chose the one that defines legal divorce. In doing this they reveal their true heart. Instead of seeking God's will and purpose, they choose to focus on The Law's provision for man's weak and sinful nature.
Verses 6-9
Jesus reminds them of God's will and purpose in marriage. He refers to Genesis 1:27, and 5:2. It is clear from these passages that God intended a man and a woman to become one both physically and spiritually. This relationship was never to be expanded to include others and was never to be broken save by death. This is God's will. Malachi 2:16 declares that God hates divorce, yet we know that because of mans fallen nature marriages do end in divorce. God's only provision for this is found in Mat 19:9 and 1Cor 7:15. Here we find that only two circumstances allow for divorce in God's eyes.
It is my hope that all people everywhere will enter into marriage with the utmost care and reverence never allowing the possibility of divorce to corrupt our lifetime commitment to our spouse.
Let us always seek God's highest and most perfect will rather then seeking to fulfil our own self interests.
Step By Step
O God, You are my God, and I will ever praise You.
O God, You are my God, and I will ever praise You.
I will seek You in the morning,
And I will learn to walk in Your ways,
And step by step You'll lead me,
And I will follow You all of my days.
COPYRIGHT
Copyright 1991 Kid Brothers of St. Frank Publishing/ASCAP (admin. by Reunion Music Group, Inc., 2910 Poston Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203-6107) Arr. Copyright 1993 by Howard Publishing, Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. Used by Permission.
Father, we live in a world that is broken by divorce. We feel
the pressure to cave into it's mind set. All around us are
people living only for their self gratification. Pleasure is
their God, and they seem determined to trap us into bowing down
to their idol. Jesus we confess that we are weak and marriage is
the hardest thing we have ever undertaken. We pray that you will
cause your Holy Spirit to move in our hearts to strengthen us to
love and serve our spouses and our families............
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