Divorce...Just Another Fruit of State Marriage

A tree is known by its fruit. ~Matthew 12:34(b)

Just read a brief article on marriage and divorce. In considering the words, "What God has joined together, let no man separate", it becomes increasingly clear why divorce rates, even among Christians, are so high. Elohim (aka God) is no longer the sole focus or the sole entity involved in joining two together. Common thought among many these days is that Elohim is doing the joining, but it's not acceptable for Him, alone, to do so. Of course, I'm referring to the fact frequently discussed in my blog postings that most people vehemently oppose the idea of couples being married without State permission and State certification. The main idea is that the State is the one who makes marriage valid. Therefore, where at one time Elohim was the sole joiner of two in marriage, it is now believed that it takes two entities...Elohim and the State...and that the State is the highest authority in pronouncing two husband and wife. This being the case, the bible verse(s) about Elohim joining together and letting no man separate are out the window. State is now joining and State also gives permission to permanently separate (i.e. divorce).

Most State married Christians argue that Elohim is at the head of their marriage and that they only get the State license because it's the "law of the land". As mentioned elsewhere in this Blog, there are only 7 states where people are not allowed to live together without a State marriage certificate (N. Dakota, N. Carolina, Virginia, W. Virginia, Florida, Michigan and Mississippi). And, of course, the law is not enforced in these states (unless you count rare, individual instances where it has been enforced due to a larger issue that a person has before the courts in which the archaic anti-cohabitation laws are then used as a "loophole" in order to seek a favorable outcome on the larger issue). In every other state in America, there is no law stating that people MUST have a marriage certificate. And there is no Federal law requiring such either.

With the "law of the land" myth debunked, pro-State marriage Christians will then argue that they place Elohim at the head of marriage via wedding vows...that He was the head of their marriages on their wedding days and that He remains at the head today. This is great...wonderful...awesome to hear! I don't seek to challenge this ideal outright, but it does beg the question of why they felt it necessary to involve the State to begin with? The few who've been open and kind enough to discuss the question have stated that they did so because it was the traditional thing to do (and they never thought about it or questioned its necessity) or they wanted the benefits that comes with being recognized by the State as married or they don't believe that marriage exists with Elohim alone, but that He ONLY honors State marriages.

Though I could take some form of issue with all three of these reasons, the latter is the one which most concerns me. I contend that all three, however, directly and largely contribute to the divorce rates in this country.

Looking closely at the third reason:

It bears mentioning here that the State ONLY recognizes "their" marriage. They do not recognize Elohim's marriage (more info). The State's marriage may have the appearance of Elohim's marriage as described in the bible, but a closer inspection reveals that it is an entirely different marriage, indeed.

Consider that in the State's version of marriage, a person can divorce. Yahushua (aka Jesus the Christ) said that what Elohim "has joined together let no man separate" (Matt 19:6, Mark 10:9). In the State's marriage, a person can remarry as many times as they'd like, even if their first marriage ended as a result of adultery. Yahushua said, "whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery", while the State says this is completely acceptable in their marriage, Elohim and Yahweh say it's not to take place or be excused and ignored in Elohim's marriages! Elohim said that Yahweh will judge adulterers (Hebrews 13:4) and that adulterers will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven (1 Cor. 6:9), but the State looks the other way and blindly permits adultery over and over and, sometimes, over again as they continue to reward such behavior with yet another one of their marriages. Furthermore, Elohim said that marriage is between a man and a woman. The State of Massachusetts, however, has begun to allow two people of the same sex to partake of their form of marriage and it is only a matter of time, I believe, before other states will follow suit.

The State only recognizes their marriage, however. It says that if you don't have one of their marriages, it doesn't exist (although the scriptures tell us that Elohim does the joining!). The State completely denies the existence of Elohim's marriage and Christians do the same...or condone what the State denies, when they engage in a State marriage. Don't believe me? Ask any Christian you know if two people can be married without a State marriage license? They will tell you no and they will tell you that anyone who practices this is not a Christian and is, in fact, a fornicator. Despite the fact that marriage with Him ONLY is completely biblical and State marriage is not biblical at all, most Christians believe that the additional permission and validation of the State is mandatory and that anything called marriage without this is, in fact, sinful.

Elohim's marriage, alone, has been deemed sinful!

How people can argue that He is at the head of marriage, yet His marriage, alone, is sinful is beyond me.

So, though many maintain that He is at the helm, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that such statements are merely lip service, but the reality is that they place the State at the helm in true thought and action. Most don't like anyone to confront them on this fact and it's not that they are consciously taking Him out of first position in marriage...on the surface of their minds He is first, but in their actions and deep within their minds He is actually placed in second position to the State. If this weren't the case, His marriage and His marriage alone, would be recognized by them and, since His marriage doesn't allow for divorce (unless in cases of adultery and, even then, He prefers forgiveness and/or reconciliation), divorce would be obsolete!

Remember, He looks beyond what we say and directly at what we do.

Sadly, divorce is rampant...even among the Church. Since most Americans, even Christians, are now partaking of a marriage that is not biblical and not ordained by Him, unfortunately, they are also partaking of divorces that are not biblical either. They have bought the State's entire marriage model...including divorce.

He says we're to leave father and mother, cleave to one another, become one (Gen. 2:24, Eph. 5:31) and not separate (Matt 19:6, Mark 10:9). Why isn't this enough for us? Has He, at any time, said that it now takes more than this? Or that He has now placed His marriage, its laws, order and rules, under the direction of men? Has He changed his laws and rules and now makes allowances such as what the State offers by way of divorce and remarriage? When we get to heaven, will Elohim be checking for marriage certificates? Or will He be more concerned with us having kept and honored His marriage, which was given to us at the very beginning of our creation?

We might want to rethink our understanding of marriage and get back to the basics. His marriage was enough then and is more than enough now. Any mass attempt to recreate, improve upon, add to, amend or duplicate what He's given ends in failure. While not everyone partaking of State marriage ends in divorce, but statistics say that the majority do and will. Why do we continue with this poor copycat model of marriage if it isn't what we want or need? Why do we reject the model that bound us for life with no Out Clause? Hmmm, my last question may be the very reason why we reject the original model of marriage. After all, we do love our Out Clauses, don't we?

Think about it...

~Free