Second Baptist Church, Inc., (1902) Monrovia, California
MATRIMONIAL MUTINY AGAINST GOD, HIS WORD AND HIS CHURCH! Bishop Wm. LaRue Dillard, Ph.D.
Jesus says, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32NKJV).
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MATRIMONY MUTINY AGAINST GOD, HIS WORD AND HIS CHURCH! By: Bishop Dr. Wm. LaRue Dillard
July 13, 2015 People of God, Grace to you! Only the people of God can prevent mutiny against God’s ordained command for matrimony, and we must not be silent when it comes to our belief. We Christians, “Christ ones” of the evangelical orthodox Baptist Faith are children of God’s family, by Spirit Baptism. Therefore, we stand firm in our personal life, and commitment to the authority of the Holy Scriptures governing our lives! The church cannot remain silent in this dark and pernicious culture, when it comes to sin against God’s Word. By “evangelical” we mean that we subscribe to the (sixty-six canonical books) of the Holy Bible including the “Three in One of the ‘Godhead”: One God, manifested through Three Personalities, namely: The Father, “YAHWEH,” the Son, “YESHUA,” and the Holy Spirit, “NESHAMAH, RUACH.” We, Christians of the evangelical BAPTIST FAITH, and are committed to the teachings of the Holy Bible. The word “Baptist,” means a “belief in three baptisms: “SPIRIT, WATER, and FIRE.” If we reject the first two: (Spirit and Water) baptisms, God will baptize non-believers in “HELL’S FIRE,” known as (Gahanna of fire), this truth is radiantly ablaze in (Matthew 3:11, 12; Luke 16:19—31; Revelation 19: 19-21). We must become defenders of the truth of the Holy Scriptures in all areas of life (Jude 3; I Peter 3:15). Those individuals who are used by satanic demons are trying to turn Christians away from the truth of God’s Holy Word, and brain-washed into the sinful cultural thinking of mankind, even those who claim to be Christians. They shout for people to accept their sinful perspective and or opinions about the actions of the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, THE SENATE, CONGRESS, SUPREME COURT, nor any other Governmental Bodies who make laws according to their own design, and so called influential respected progressive thinking people.
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But they all need to know that they cannot change the Law of God pertaining to marriage or anything else. Thus, I call upon the army of Christians to stand firm in the truth of the Holy Bible in this dark hour. The Holy Bible says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (II Timothy 3:16, 17 NKJV). The word “man” in the verse is a generic term for humanity, those who are born of God. Thus, the Supreme Court’s action is illogical when it comes to the mandate of the Holy Bible. For God has already said, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” Literally (Godhead), the Holy Bible is God breathed (John 1:1, 14); the Bible came from God through holy men who wrote it. We are told: “For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (II Peter 1:21NKJV). God superintended these holy human authors so that, using their individual personalities, they composed and recorded without error God’s Holy Word to mankind. Christ Jesus attested to the fact that inspiration extends to very words: “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled” (Matthew 5:18). Jesus says in John 10:35, “...the Scripture cannot be broken.” The apostle Paul quotes Deuteronomy and Luke as Scripture (I Timothy 5:18), and the apostle Peter declares Paul’s epistles to be Scripture (II Peter 3:16). Inspiration does not involve mechanical dictation but the accurate recording of God’s Word. The word “perfect” in verse 17, means complete. There are those who claim to be Christians, and reject God’s Word. They twist, or distort His Word to fit their sinful behavior, thinking and action. But Jesus said: “Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matthew 7:22-23).
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Demons are (fallen angels) active in the world (Matthew 12:43-45), seeking to thwart the purpose of God as spoken in His blessed Word. They even promote their own system of doctrine (I Timothy 4:1), usually in line with their distorted thinking in line with mankind in this dark and pernicious (very harmful) culture. We, Christians stand strictly on the teachings of the Holy Bible in all things. Moreover, we are to love everyone regardless of their chosen life style, but we do not love the sinful things they say, or do against God’s Word, nor support them. If they choose the sinful life of (man and man; woman and woman relationship) they will reap the consequence of their sin and suffer God’s wrath. Even though they act or speak religiously, and still reject the Holy Word of God, but they are liars (I John 1:6 NKJV). It is munity against God’s Word. Anyone giving a perspective on the Word of God, must always use HEREMENUTIS; that is a term meaning (Scripture interpreting Scripture with Scripture); coupled with the term EXEGESIS, to give a clear and concise explanation of a text in its original setting, from the Old and New Testament, and not mankind’s interpretation, nor opinions. God didn’t say that there is an equal position in the marriage union between male and female relationship as being on the same level, when He instituted marriage in the Garden of Eden. He made them “male and female, man and woman as husband and wife, and the husband shall rule over his wife.” Thus the husband is to be the spiritual head of his wife (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:7, 18, 22-25; Ephesians 5:2233). The husband is the head of his wife, just as Christ is a head of the Church. It was God’s love for humanity and His aim for husband and wife to procreate, and populate the world by producing offspring. Man and man, woman and woman cannot do that. GOD IS ALSO THE ORIGINATOR OF LOVE. The Bible says, “For God loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Begotten means the eternal generation of the Son in the Godhead.
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There are several Greek words for our English word “love.” [AGAPE] is God’s love that has now entered the hearts of truly Spirit Baptized people. Another word is [PHILEO], which is love expressed between all people, including family members when you say, “I love you.” Finally, [EROS], love which is expressed intimately between a husband and wife only. We Christians do not focus our attention just on a form of religion, but on a relationship and fellowship with Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit; as well as fellowship with other Christians of all ethnic groups around us. Often when tragedy strikes; such as mass murder against our nation, schools, theaters, even inside a church Bible study group, people often ask: “Where is God, Does God love or care for us, Is God in control of this world?” Yes! But with infinite wisdom. We are ushered into the very heart of God to find the answers to our questions about the nature and extent of His control, and the actions of mankind apart from God. Spirit born relationship with God is more than saying I am religious. We behold and experience both sides of a paradox which yields to a greater truth. God is the absolute sovereign of the universe, but He has given us freedom. He created us to love Him, but there could be no mature love between us and Him without our freedom of choice. There are three presuppositions which must guide our answer to all the questions about God’s involvement in our troubled world and our oftencalamitous existence.
FIRST, God is supremely in control even when He limits his control. SECOND, He is sensitively in control as he grants us the gift of free will, knowing what we may do with it.
THIRD, he is sublimely in control as he intervenes and brings good out of evil that happens to and around us.
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Fortified with these three gigantic truths about the nature of God, we can confront those who would distort the truth of Holy Scriptures. We, who are Christians, struggle to balance these other trues, but the time-tarnished, assumptions: that God is OMNIPOTENT, having all power; He is OMNISCIENT, having all knowledge; OMNIPRESENT, everywhere present at the same time, and He is IMMUTABLE, unchanging. For He is gracious! We are often tempted to sacrifice one or more of these three rocks of our intellectual and spiritual foundation in seeking to explain what we go through and what happens in the world around us. But what God does with what He knows is always conditioned by what decisions will enable us to become mature, healthy Christians. Greatness of character and personalities as much as in the delights of life that we are forced to grow. There are those who are Christians who have been reluctant to grapple with the implications of the paradox of God’s control and our freedom as Christians. We’ve clutched one side or another of the paradox. There’s been a softness in our thinking. Remember, God is like a pitcher, not the catcher, of our hard questions about the condition of humanity, the truth we must catch, however much it hurts, is that God gave us freedom, knowing what we might do with it. There is no alternative; we had to be either puppets or holy persons, according to His Word. GOD’S LOVE IS ORIGINAL, GENUINE, CONGRUENT, AND CURRENT! (I Thessalonians 4:1-12). The port of entry of God’s thoughts, “that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His kingdom and glory!” (Verse 12). The Lord Jesus’ various death, burial, bodily resurrection, and glorious ascension, and what that means for our forgiveness, reconciliation and freedom from guilt and self-condemnation. Now pile onto the scale of Pentecost birthday of the church and the Lord’s return through the Holy Spirit to indwell His people with power, add to that the precious weight of His intervention and momentary guidance. In the biblical metaphor for living. How can Christians ever live a life which in any way is a balance to what Christ exemplified? We can’t without His indwelling Spirit. He presses us on to love in His style and by His power according to His blessed Word in you, and flowing through you.
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His love for us. The love we need for others is Christ Himself invading our hearts and expressing Himself through a person like, William LaRue Dillard, and all of His people. That’s the secret of balancing the scale. Let Him do it according to His Word. Christ loves us just as we are but will never allow us to remain satisfied with what we are. Genuine love instigates growth in the Lord through His Word, worship and Christian service. Love is an action, not an emotion (I John 3:18), congruent (agreeable) love. Often people can’t hear what we say because of what we do in our daily lives. Our behavior and attitudes negate our pious language. When we do what love dictates we will be heard in what love articulates. Put your loving on God’s scale. Does it balance with His love according to His Word? The joy of your tomorrows will be dependent upon what you do about biblical love expressed today. The Christian life not only begins with faith, but it continues as a daily walk of faith. Christians walk in dependence on God. As walking has a direction, so does the Christian life. Christians are not to walk like unsaved people (Ephesians 4:17), or (non-Christians). We Christians are exhorted to walk in the light, that is, in the revealed will of God (I John 1:7). So you say, you want to marry that person, even though you are male and he is male; or you are female and she is female? So then, I ask you to put your intention on God’s scale. Does it balance with God’s command for marriage? Of course it does not! Then why would you want others to accept what God rejects and condemns? We, the saints of God are the communicators of the good news of the life, message, death, resurrection and reconciliation of Jesus Christ. What He accomplished for our salvation, eternal life and abundant living is the content of the saints’ good news. He, Himself is our reward.
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The gospel is a (Noun and Verb). It means “good news,” from a Greek word, EUANGELION, had three uses in ancient times. It was a reward for good tidings—good news itself, and good tidings of the kingdom of God,” His eternal salvation, through Jesus Christ, to be received by faith, on the basis of His expiratory death, burial, bodily resurrection, and ascension (John 5:24; John 3:36; Acts 15:7; Acts 20:24; I Peter 4:17). Another Greek word, EUANGELIZO, to preach glad tidings. English, “evangelize,” is used in the active voice Revelation 10:7; (declared); Revelation 14:6; (proclaim). We are also taught in (I Corinthians 15:1; II Corinthians 11:7; Galatians 1:11). The Greek word expressed is PROEUANGELIZOMAI, “to announce glad tidings beforehand, as used in (Galatians 3:8). The Three uses: 1) It meant the bearer of good news; 2) the good news itself; and 3) Reward given to the bearer of the good news.
All three having meaning for the saints. Euangelizo or occasion’s pleasure, delight, or causing favorable regard; it is applied to beauty or gracefulness. MARRIAGE IS GOD’S DIVINE INSTITUTION, BUT WHAT ABOUT DIVORCE AND OR REMARRIAGE, DOES GOD ALLOW REMARRIAGE FOR THE DIVORED? A word to the singles: It’s better to be joyful and happy unmarried, than to be unhappily married. Make sure your choice for marriage is God’s design and gift to you. The following are the consequences of the condemnation: divine abandonment (Romans 1:24-32). The sins of the flesh are all in the same category as men and women dishonor their bodies by involvement is the following sins: homosexuality, (sexual perversion), unrighteousness, fornication, adultery, living together outside of marriage; covetousness, envy, murder, proud, disobedience to parents, backbiters, haters of God, full of anger…. All of the above and more are equal sins in God’s eyes, and is offensive to Him (Romans 1: 2730).
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Unrighteousness is at epidemic level in the world today, even among church going people. Sexual perversion is prevalent, just as it was in the first and second century A.D. world (Romans 1:24-32; Acts 15:20; Gal.5:19; Eph.5:3; I Thess. 4:3). God can heal the sins of the guilty, and restore them to fellowship with Himself, “If we confess our sins, He is just and faithful to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).
The Holy Bible says, The Bible says,
“Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made trustworthy. lives; but if her husband as he is: Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Neverthe less such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you” (I Corinthians 7:25-28). Celibacy is presented as desirable, though not necessary. “But if a man thinks he is behaving himself improperly toward his virgin. If she is past the flower of youth, and thus it must be, let him do what he wishes. He does not sin: let them marry (Corinthians 7:36).
If she pass the flower of her age. If a virgin daughter is getting beyond marriageable age, then her father may arrange a marriage if her needs so require. “A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if he dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. But she is happier if she remains as she is, according to my judgment---and I think I also have the Spirit of God” (I Corinthians 7:39-40).
A vital question in the minds of many in the Christian family is a simple one: “Does God allow Divorce and Remarriage?” To answer the question directly, we need to note that; first, God instituted marriage to be an exclusive, monogamous, permanent heterosexual relationship between one husband and one wife. Not polygamy, but one wife only.
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So in a narrow sense He does not allow for divorce, let alone remarriage. Now let me factor into our consideration of remarriage the fallen condition, the sin nature, the propensity toward our own will, that so characterizes all of humanity, necessitating the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on Calvary. As sinful creatures, we find ourselves, as saints who believe in the institution of marriage, but we have often strayed from God’s ideal. Thus, some of those who are now divorced are in a place of troubled minds. Once divorced, the person is still a saint of God, whose sin hinders the fellowship with the Lord, but not the relationship, with the Father, through Jesus Christ the Son, which is eternal for the Spirit Baptized. When we loss fellowship with God, our prayer should be as that found in (I John 1:9), gives the only remedial measure such a divorced person can take, if the Lord is to be pleased with us. When we “confess” our sins, He restores the joy and fellowship with His own to Himself. So, it is critical that any divorced person take the failure of the marriage to God, in honesty and seriousness, with a request that He will forgive and cleanse. Such a person should be forthright in his/her sin (which characterizes the scriptural view of divorce) well before one gives any consideration to what happen next. In Jesus Christ, then, we saints have restoration, with a renewed sense of God’s love for us, for when He forgives, He “puts back” in places of service. Therefore, all persons, even the divorced who have confessed their inability to live up to the Master’s ideal, may be restored in love and affirmation. The answer to the question raised above about remarriage must consider truths derived from a reading of several passages, including Deuteronomy 24:1-4; Jeremiah 3:8; Malachi 2:16; Matthew 5:31--,32; Matthew 19:9; Romans 7:2, 3; I Corinthians 7:2,3; and other text. From these passages, we learn that since God did not ordain divorce, He equally does not ordain remarriage. The two concepts are intertwined. Yet, even when the ideal is missed, there is still the person in question.
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Remarriage, I believe, from the total witness of Scripture, should be viewed as a viable option for those saints who have come to an understanding of God’s ideal, even as they may have failed in a previous marital commitment. What we saints should strive for is to learn from the mistakes of the initial coupling, so as to know how to prevent future problems. THE WORD “ADULTERY” frightens many, as the Word makes it plain that the person who divorces and remarriages engages in this. We should not minimize what Christ said, nor should we lock a person in such an emotional “strait-jacket.” Perhaps we should focus on the attitude rather than the state of the adultery. All unrighteousness is sin, so adultery should be viewed in that sense. All sin must be confessed before the Father. The Lord loves all persons, so we would do well to call all to maintain a strong view of the marriage ideal, while keeping in mind that those who failed, yet need to know there is a possibility for recovery, and remarriage. Clearly, we cannot exhaust the subject here, for there is much left to be said. The complexity of the topic, and the limitations of space and time, only allows me to skim the surface. Suffice it to say, there is hope for the divorced. They can lead valuable, productive lives, following their repentance. The saints’ challenge is to make the Body of Christ the place where all can come, bringing their emotional baggage which may constitute a heavy burden. When they come, divorced, abused, battered by life, may they find that the church (saints) have a “balm” for their suffering. In the Lord Jesus Christ, all can come to the haven of hope; the refuge for the restless; and the source for solace. In the church fellowship, we epitomize the concern of our Christ; we personify the character of the Savior. Our very reason for existence (reason d’etre) is inextricably woven into being that caring presence for all humanity. In (First Corinthians chapter 7: 1-40), God wrote through the eminent apostle Paul, not a treatise on marriage but answering questions which had been sent to him. We have only one side of the correspondence.
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It is clear that Paul favored celibacy (Verses 1, 7, 8, 9, 17, 38), though he approved marriage in his preaching which is God’s institution. In the mutuality of marriage, each partner has a right of his or her own and debts to the other (benevolence=debt). For more complete New Testament teaching concerning marriage, see (John 2:1-11; Ephesians 5: 21-33; I Timothy 5:14; Hebrews 13:4; I Peter 3:17). So give yourselves to fasting, prayer, Bible Study, and worship of our great God, and He will give you peace. Amen Until He Comes, I Am Serving Christ Joyfully, Bishop Dr. Wm. LaRue Dillard Parish under-shepherd
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THE AUTHORITY OF HOLY SCRIPTURES The primary concern of the Christian Clergyman should be to adopt a strategy of defending off attacks on the authority of the Holy Scriptures governing the affairs of mankind… Etched in the mind, erupting out of the heart of evangelical orthodox saints should be the cry “I am an evangelical Christian.” I subscribe to an absolute unmoved belief in… THE INNERRANT…UNADULTERATED…AUTHORITATIVE “66” CANONICAL BOOKS
of the Holy Bible and the Trinity of the God Head which is not up for revision, nor change in any form (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:18, 19).
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