Anathema
Now regarding those who profess to be brothers and sisters, yet persist in their rebellion this is what the
apostle has to say:
“When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. But I
wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship
idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. I meant that you are not to
associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships
idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people. It isn’t my
responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church
who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the
evil person from among you.” (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)
I set my heart out to know what scripture says about marriage, divorce, and remarriage as I was
confronted with those who were having marital problems during my cross carrying journeys.
I did this for fear of God.
A family I had met pointed out some marriage scriptures. It was tragic.
I believed that Jesus Christ is Lord, who is also the Savior of the world. That He is God’s Son come in
the flesh, that He died for our sins and was raised from the dead.
I knew that what He said was true and that He was the Most Holy and Loving Person whose feet had
walked this dusty earth.
Many people that I knew and dearly loved flashed before my eyes as the reality of this eternal truth
was gripping my soul.
While I began to grow in this knowledge I realized the grave blindness of the modern church and its
leaders. I saw the difference between the shepherd and the hireling that Jesus talked about.
I was overwhelmed with sorrow, thus fulfilling the proverb: for in much wisdom is much grief, and he
who increases knowledge increases sorrow. (Ecclesiastes 1:18)
Perhaps what was equally painful is that scripture demanded not to associate myself with any persons
calling themselves a Christian who had been divorced and remarried, otherwise known as we have
learned, adultery; for adultery is a sexual sin.
The apostle says that we must remove the evil person from among us. He says that those who persist
in their sexual sin are evil.
He said not that we are to remove the evil alone, but the evil person from our fellowship and that we
should not even eat with such a person. (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)
This must mean that Christians are pursuing holiness, and that those who are wayward are to be
treated in this way, but why? Because the Lord is holy, and He must be regarded as holy by those
who come near Him. (Leviticus 10:3) As it is written, “Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16)
Also a little leaven, leavens the whole lump. (1 Corinthians 5:6) It is because His Nature, Word, and
Grace are capable of sanctification. The power of the Holy Spirit is the blessed promise of the Father
to turn sinners into saints. (Acts 1:8) For how else could we be His witnesses other than we bear His
image on earth, not merely talking about His character, but revealing Him to the world?
We remove those who persist in their sinful passions from our fellowship for the hope of their eternal
security; not with a self righteous attitude, but with sincerity and truth. This process could be very
dangerous for us depending on the condition of our hearts. (Matthew 7:1) The purpose of this
judgment is not to damn the person but that they would recognize their erroneous ways and repent.
The goal is restoration, as commanded by St. Paul, “If a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are
spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.”
(Galatians 6:1 New King James Version)
Is there nothing to fear? Is there nothing to lose? Rather, is there not much to gain? As the Lord has
spoken, “Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They
will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will
never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels
that they are mine. “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying
to the churches.” (Revelation 3:4-5 New Living Translation)
Those who are outside the church God judges, but we are to judge those which are inside. The
message to the lost was to reveal Christ, but the letters to the church were corrective. We are to judge
matters concerning doctrine and faith.
I perceive the best way for Satan to stunt the growth of Jesus’ kingdom is to raise up organizations
with a Christian banner of acceptance and love, inviting all who have been offended for being reproved
by godly counsel, condemned for gross behavior, or excommunicated from the church because of their
stubborn refusal to turn from their wickedness. Whereas the faithful representatives of Jesus’ kingdom
obeyed the laws of His land, in love for their King and fellow man, and are hated by the world and
institutions erected by Satan. I would dare say that the largest network of evangelism taking place is
Satan’s, for these institutions do not fear God. They tolerate sinful and base behaviors. They multiply
as steadily as they marry and have children. Then they divorce, remarry, and have more children.
Just as Israel did not want to bear the reproach of holiness and the name of God, so have believers
shrunk back from bearing the reproach of Christ’s narrow teachings. Jesus bore the shame of our sin
and we must bear the shame of His holiness! However the shame we suffer for Him will likewise be
turned into honor. But those of earthly minds, their glory will be turned into shame as they see Him
who bore the humiliation of their sin, but were too proud to wear His righteous garments provided to
cover the shame of their nakedness.
The time came when God would test my devotion to this truth, or perhaps it was my faith. Either way
the Lord knows what I went through.
I had developed a friendship with a person over the phone who had heard about me carrying the cross.
We had many good conversations and our souls seemed to knit. He appeared to fear God and because
of this my heart loved him.
About one and a half years later I decided to visit him and carry the cross in the region where he lived.
Upon my arrival at the airport he greeted me with a kiss on the cheek. I was so happy. I had with
much anticipation longed to meet him in person. He introduced me to several friends and relatives.
Later in the same evening that I arrived, his wife asked me a question on the way back to his house. It
was something like this: David, I have been divorced and remarried, and now I am married to this
man. Where do I stand with Jesus? My heart felt like it sank into the pits of hell. My eyes filled with
tears. The look of terror was upon my face. I was astonished!
The first day I arrived I find out that my friend’s marriage union is adulterous. That makes him an
adulterer and his wife an adulteress.
At this time I didn’t realize that I was supposed to separate myself from them. I was crushed. I
remained with them for about ten days.
My friend asked me several questions about marriage, divorce, and remarriage and I answered them.
The resistance was painful.
How is it that we are so bold to expect the good that God gives through His promise and reject, ignore,
and despise the promise His word declares in judging carnality and sin?
Like so many, these dear friends of mine were swayed by the ruler of this world. They believed the
Bible in many areas but their hearts were hardened through unbelief concerning Jesus’ teachings on this
topic.
“My eye fails, shrinks, wastes away, is consumed because of grief.” (Psalm 31:9) Oh how I felt what
the psalmist felt at that time. Grief is the price a person pays for love and love is the price a person
pays because of truth.
Staying with them after the conversation we had about adultery, brought the judgment of God upon
me. I began to take notice as I carried the cross, how beautiful the girls were which passed by. I didn’
t lust after them, but they caught my attention. Usually this thought doesn’t enter my mind so quickly.
Before I go any further, let me humble myself and give God glory, before He humbles me, and gives
me over to some sin: I let it be known to all that this victory of purity in thought was the product of
God’s grace and my mind being transformed by His word!
As I carried the cross I thought at first maybe I was arrogant, proud and self-righteous, so that I spoke
to them not with gentleness but in bitterness and brought a similar judgment upon myself. But I was
reminded quickly, of how I trembled with fear, and tears, as I told them the truth in love.
I decided not to carry the cross that Thursday. I stayed at their home and was compelled to read 1
Corinthians. When I read chapter 5, I read what I was supposed to do but I didn’t want to do it.
So I had purposed inside my heart to only speak encouraging words, to show kindness, and try to
make people feel good the following Friday. I didn’t seem to notice beautiful girls that day, but the
next morning, a heavy burden was weighing me down and I could not hide it from my friend.
He said, David we have to talk. So I told him what was going on and that I had to leave him and his
wife, because of their adulterous relationship. That was terribly hard for me to do.
I cannot describe the crucible of those many days and last long hours before I left.
The apostle clearly tells us to not keep company with such a person, who professes to be a Christian,
yet persists in his sin. (1 Corinthians 5:11) After much prayer and sorrow I left.
Our fellowship must only be with family, and Jesus spoke in other words that, ‘those who do the will
of My Father in heaven are My family.’ (Matthew 12:50) We can have friends that are sinners but
must not associate ourselves with ungodly believers. It is doing this that we teach them the way of the
Lord and even deliver our own souls from God’s righteous judgment.
For, “When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a
stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his
sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at
thine hand.” (Ezekiel 3:20)
It was out of compassion that Jesus taught such strict morals knowing the deliverance keeping them
would bring. For a righteous soul, will not be at rest unless he is walking along the old and godly path.
(Jeremiah 6:16)
Because there is forgiveness with God we warn people, as it is written, “If thou warn the righteous
man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also
thou hast delivered thy soul.” (Ezekiel 3:21) The apostle Paul later confirmed this word from Ezekiel
was still in effect even under the New Covenant: And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I
have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record
this day, that I am innocent from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all
the counsel of God. (Acts 20:25-27)
I asked a preacher whom I loved dearly, who had been preaching for over fifty years, about divorce
and remarriage. In other words, he sighed and told me that he couldn’t imagine God expecting a
person whose husband had left her for another woman to live alone the rest of her life. Hopefully he
and the others he has unlawfully wedded will repent, instead of having an eternity to comprehend the
righteous judgment of God!
How do we behave so boldly, as to act upon and pronounce a hope not grounded in the Word of
God? Again we have proven to the world that we really don’t believe in the Bible. As the atheist said:
Christians today really don’t believe the Bible; however if they do, they must be the most cold-hearted
creatures on earth.
Can we truly expect God to do something contrary to His Word or not within the boundaries of His
character? Presuming this is sin. The great mercy is that our sins can be completely blotted out,
whether it is fornication, adultery, homosexuality, pornography or the like. It is not the depth of our sin
which God cares about, inasmuch as it is the shallowness of our repentance.
It is a boast to presume that God will do for you what He has not promised in His word. To trust in an
idea of which God’s word gives no assurance. This is vain confidence. Confidence and faith comes
through hearing the word of God. (Romans 10:17)
“In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which what was right in his own eyes.”
(Judges 21:25) Sadly, history is repeating itself; I am not referring to the nation of Israel but to Church
of the Living God!
The deluding, faith destroying, self seeking age old question, proposed by Satan, that has ravaged the
lives of men from the beginning until now, is this, “Hath God said,” or, “Did God really mean what He
said.” (Genesis 3:1) Since Adam and Eve, it has always come down to every man and woman
personally believing what God has spoken or follow broadway into eternal damnation, as it is written:
But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all
liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
(Revelation 21:8 NKJV)
Please do not make excuses justifying yourself until the time you stand before Him, whose face the
earth and the heaven will flee away (Revelation 20:11), only to find out that He really meant what He
said.
Rather be diligent and search these matters out; and do not harden your heart, if today you have heard
His voice.