Yes, God hates

divorce! Got it. No doubt about. But does that mean that God is eternally

and everlastingly mad at divorced people? Has divorce become the unpardonable

sin, replacing the sin called blaspheming the Holy Spirit? Does divorce

mean that you are forever paralyzed at that point of spiritual growth

when you were divorced? Does a divorcee, upon remarriage, infect his/her

mate with this eternal sin in much the same way someone who is HIV positive

infects everyone with whom he or she has sex?

But here is

this big question: is divorce the one, great, singular act of sin not

covered by the covenant of grace God's grace greater than all our sin,

that is?

Just recently

I read a small article in the Atlanta paper. The article stated that the

leader of one denomination issued a strong reminder that divorced members

of this denomination who divorce and remarry cannot receive communion.

When enforced and obviously not so very well this makes these Christian

outsiders to their faith because of their divorce.

I also became

aware that one growing evangelical denomination refuses to ordain to the

ministry any person who has been divorced unless it can be proved by some

sort of tribunal that all the fault lies with the other party. Now, when

have you and I ever known of a divorce for which the fault remains solely

with just one party?

Even in my

own tradition of denominational life, a man who has been divorced may

just as well give up any hopes of serving as a Deacon in the church. Much

less, a pastor who endures a divorce is severely limited in the number

of churches that would consider him for ministerial service.

In some circles

of church life, an ex-con with a history of drug trafficking and even

murder has more chances to making it to the pulpit than a man of divorce.

Has divorce become not necessarily the unpardonable sin, but the perpetual

sin? The big "D" forms a noose around one's neck, visible even

in the night?

My mother was

divorced from her first husband who may have been abusive toward her.

Yet, I believe, because of the limited-grace messages my mother heard

all her life from narrow pulpits, that she never got to the place where

she could live confident in God's unmerited, unlimited, and unstinted

grace "grace greater than all our sins."

Please don't

misread me. I am not in favor of divorce. I provide free that is, free

counsel to any couple that struggles with their marriage vows. I have

taken tons of time from my own family to walk husbands and wives, step

relationship of genuine communication and conflict management.

I don't believe

God winks at divorce. He hates it, just as his word says so. But, he also

includes divorce in those matters that have been handled at the cross.

Let me close with this big question: if God forgives divorce and we can

see the fruit of genuine sorrow and a desire to live a more Godly life,

what right do we have to forever impede one's reception of God's grace,

development and growth in his kingdom, service in his church, and yes,

supper at God's table?

John

Hatcher is pastor of

Outreach International

Center

1091 South Jeff Davis

Drive

Fayetteville, Georgia

30215

770-719-0303

Back

to the Top of the Page