Divorce: Introductory Thoughts Prior to Shamim Masih Article


Christ gave self up for Church-Bride

Divorce: Introductory Thoughts Prior to Shamim Masih Article

John R. Houk

© April 7, 2014

 

Shamim Masih writes an excellent article on faithfulness in marriage and reflecting on the Lord Jesus’ pronouncement that the only reason for divorce is unfaithfulness. Shamim is particularly critical on the West’s laxness for allowing divorce for any reason. He points out Jesus was answering the same laxness concerning divorce as was permitted under Jewish Law.

 

Shamim is correct. I am aware in the West there are those that would be critical of Shamim’s thoughts on divorce especially violent domestic violence is involved. In America wife-beating is a reason for divorce. I do believe it is foolish for a woman to remain together with an abusive husband.

 

Here is my Christian apologetic thought on wicked abusive husbands. The fact that a husband beats his wife is a demonstrably act of rebellion against God’s Word. Christian husbands are big on demanding wifely submission based on Scripture:

 

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5: 22-24 NKJV)

 

The key to the above Scripture is the “husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church”. This is extremely significant because of the next instructions pertaining to how the husband must treat the wife:

 

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. (Ephesians 5: 25-28 NKJV)

 

Husbands if you are beating on your wife you are being unfaithful. If you do not love on your wife in the same way Jesus loves the Church you are being unfaithful. It would be like Jesus saying to humanity, “Forget you godless lot of men who kill the Son of God rather than accept God’s love. Let the lot of you burn in hell as you justly deserve.”

 

Jesus Christ the Son of God did not do that! Rather after being whipped to within an inch of his human life and nailed to a cross on Calvary Jesus prayed to Father-God (and I quote a long section to demonstrate the natural depravity of man but pay attention to verse 34),

 

32 There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. 33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”[a]

 

And they divided His garments and cast lots. 35 And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.”

 

36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”

 

38 And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:[b]

 

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

 

39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ,[c] save Yourself and us.”

 

40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord,[d] remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

 

43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23: 32-43 NKJV)

 

Husbands if you are not following the example of Jesus Christ the Son of God you are being unfaithful. Wife if you have an abusive husband that particularly leads you to believe your life is under threat, it is my humble opinion divorce is one course to embark upon.

 

JRH 4/7/14

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Christian Marriage is a Covenant Not Sexual Contract

 

By Shamim Masih

Sent: 4/6/2014 8:55 AM

 

ISLAMABAD: at the beginning the Creator made them male and female, and said, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” Matthew 19: 4-6

 

In the end of February, 2014, a section of the Christian Divorce Act 1869 has been challenged before the Lahore High Court for being “offensive and insulting” to women. The petitioner was going through a divorce and that a petition for maintenance was pending before a civil court. He said under section 10 of the Christian Divorce Act 1869 he could only divorce his wife if he accused her of adultery. He said he could not make an accusation he did not believe to be true. He claimed that the Act had existed since the colonial times, so he requested the court to declare section 10 of the Act ultra vires [Blog Editor: HERE and HERE] and in contravention of the constitution through exercise of judicial review. He claimed that in several countries, including the UK and the USA, allowed a Christian man to file for a divorce on grounds like unreasonable behavior which enabled divorce petitions to be dealt in an expeditious manner. He keeps on saying that divorces under the Act had been tarnishing the image of innocent women.

 

The petitioner seems Christian by faith and wanted to leave his wife for his lustful desire because the reason he mentioned that he and his wife were not happy together. He said that he also did not get along with his in-laws. In Christianity the only reason to divorce is adultery. Couples may separate but no divorce. Christ Jesus clearly teaches about divorce that “….anyone that divorces his wife except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulterous, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery”. Matthew 5:32 NIV

 

Divorce is as hurtful and destructive today as in Jesus day. God intends marriage to be a lifetime commitment (Genesis 2:24). When entering into marriage, people should never consider divorce an option for solving problems or a way out of a relationship that seems dead. In these verses, Jesus is also attacking those who purposefully abuse the marriage contract, using divorce to satisfy their lustful desire to marry someone else. Are your actions today helping your marriage growing stronger or are you tearing it apart? Jesus said that divorce is not permissible except for unfaithfulness. This does not mean that divorce should automatically occur when a spouse commits adultery. The word translated “unfaithfulness” implies a sexually immoral lifestyle, not a confessed and repented act of adultery. Those who discover that their partner has been unfaithful should first make every effort to forgive, reconcile, and restore the relationship. We are always to look for reasons to restore the marriage relationship rather than for excuses to leave it.

 

Once the disciples asked did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away. Jesus replied, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.” Matthew 19:8-9

 

We need passion in the marriage relationship to keep the commitment and intimacy satisfying, but this passion should be focused exclusively on our spouse. It is clearly written, I hate divorce, says the Lord God of Israel and I hate a man’s covering himself with violence as well as with his garment, says the Lord Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith. Malachi 2:16

 

Has not, God made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his; and why one? Because He seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.

 

Divorce in these times was practiced exclusively by men. They broke faith with their wives and ignored the bonding between a husband and a wife that God instills (the two become one person), as well as his purpose for them (raising children who love the Lord, “Godly off springs”). Not only were men breaking faith with their wives, they also were ignoring the bonding relationship and spiritual purpose of being united with God.

 

Biblically speaking the only reason to divorce is adultery. Now the couple may separate but not divorce. The bane of Christianity in the West has been the Church “accepting” divorce and allowing remarriage for other reasons. This has deteriorated the Church till it is just like the world, so witness is ineffective. Proper course would be for husband and wife to talk through [their] issues – without input from anyone else. If each truly choose and act in love for good of the other before self-issues will resolve.

 

The court directed him to bring relevant documents before the court at the next hearing, date for which would be fixed by the registrar’s office. So I recommend better to take these documents with him, if he is sincere to his wife otherwise; he would be interested to fulfill his lustful desires or someone working behind him for his vested interest.

Be Blessed,

Shamim Masih

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Divorce: Introductory Thoughts Prior to Shamim Masih Article

John R. Houk

© April 7, 2014

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Christian Marriage is a Covenant Not Sexual Contract

 

Edited by John R. Houk

Brackets indicate editorial additions by the Editor.

 

© Shamim Masih

Special Correspondents

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Snapshot of Human Rights Activism from 2011

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Shamim Masih’s Donate/Support info:

 

Editor: For Americans especially, I have discovered the best way to donate to Shamim Masih is via Western Union sending to a Western Union agent in Islamabad.

 

FOR USD TRANSFER.
Intermediary Bank:                         MASHREQ BANK, NEW YORK
Intermediary Bank SWIFT BIC:         MSHQUS33
Beneficiary Bank:                         JS BANK LIMITED
Beneficiary Bank SWIFT BIC:                 JSBLPKKA
Bank A/c # at Intermediary bank:         70008227
Title Of a/c                                Shamim Masih
Beneficiary Account Number:                 405527

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Bank A/c # at Intermediary bank:         00010855
Title Of a/c                                Shamim Masih
Beneficiary Account Number:                 405527
IBAN #                                        pk80jsbl9530000000405227

FOR EURO TRANSFER.
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Title Of a/c                                Shamim Masih
Beneficiary Account Number:                 405527
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Ducking from the Truth


Agenda- Homo Plan Change America

Mark Alexander of The Patriot Post tackles the Left Wing usage of the tool of the Homosexual Agenda used to depreciate Christianity and Biblical Morality in order to transform society into a Leftist Utopia. This is a subject that is nearly if not totally ignored by the Mainstream Media and unfortunately the leading Conservative pundits in America. Why? The ungodly union of Leftist Transformationism and the Homosexual Agenda have successfully managed the narrative that defending Biblical Morality is bigotry as well as giving Homosexual activism the aegis of the destruction of Religious Liberty.

 

JRH 1/10/14

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Ducking from the Truth

The ‘Gay Agenda’ v. Liberty

 

By Mark Alexander

January 8, 2014

The Patriot Post

 

Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.” –George Washington (Farewell Address, 1796)

 

For five decades, a relentless and insidious campaign to undermine faith and family, the foundational tenets of our Republic, has been on the rise. With the 2008 election of Barack Hussein Obama, the most faith-intolerant regime in the history of our Republic, the growth of that campaign has become a malignant battle for the hearts and minds of American voters.

 

Most of the participants in this battle are unwitting pawns of the political Left, believing that they are simply supporting individual rights. In reality, they are systematically eroding the ground beneath the two most critical pillars of Liberty: faith and family. In the end, the inevitable and irrevocable terminus of these actions is tyranny.

 

Though social research organizations consistently find that those with gender identity issues make up less than 3% of the population, that tiny minority has become the most vociferous enemy of faith and family – and has rallied a substantial political constituency. For that reason, few social and political commentators will even venture into this arena, fearing public vilification and removal of their public platform by Leftmedia print and TV outlets under pressure from weak-kneed advertisers.

 

No such fear here, but as a prerequisite for this analysis, let it be stated clearly that the central government has no constitutional authority to regulate sexual activity between consenting adults. However, our Republic most assuredly has a stake in protecting religious Liberty, and marriage as defined by the Laws of Nature.

 

The first target of the Left and their homosexual agenda constituency is the first clause of the First Amendment to our Constitution, which states simply, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”

 

That succinct proscription notwithstanding, Leftist judicial supremacists, who occupy what Thomas Jefferson called “the Despotic Branch,” have adulterated the plain language of that clause to greatly suppress the free exercise of Liberty across the nation. They have succeeded in large measure to supplant Rule of Law with the rule of men – the rule of egocentric executives and legislators who believe they are the font of wisdom sufficient for ruling over their subjects.

 

The second pillar of Liberty targeted by the Left is the family – beginning with marriage. In the words of Justice Joseph Story, “Marriage is … in its origin, a contract of natural law. … It is the parent, and not the child of society; the source of civility and a sort of seminary of the republic.”

 

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As you recall, in 2008 candidate Obama himself feigned disdain for same-sex marriage and asserted a pretense of faith: “I believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman. Now, for me as a Christian … it is also a sacred union. God’s in the mix. … I am not somebody who promotes same-sex marriage.” Of course, that was just another bald-faced election-year lie. A full 12 years earlier, while running for Illinois State Senate, Obama said this: “I favor legalizing same-sex marriages, and would fight efforts to prohibit such marriages.”

 

Obama’s expressed sentiment therefore lasted only as long as the campaign. No sooner had he been elected than he began a concerted effort to undermine marriage by promoting “gay rights.” Most notably in 2010, just weeks before the “Tea Party Republicans” who had decimated the Democrats in the 2010 midterm elections took control of the House, Obama signed last-minute legislation overturning the Clinton-era policy of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” thus subjecting military ranks to overt homosexuality.

 

What Leftist politicos understand, but most of their constituents do not, is that the deconstruction of religious Liberty and the family, starting with the redefinition of marriage, will ultimately result in the rise of an oppressive and dictatorial successor.

 

Occasionally, the Left attempts to merge both its assault on religious Liberty and upon the family into one battle, endeavoring to kill two birds with one stone – the first being the “Natural Law” contract of marriage, and the second being the objection to homosexuality by every religion on the planet.

 

Such was the case in May 2012, when homosexual advocates managed a successful coup d’état against one of the most faith- and family-centered organizations in the nation – the Boy Scouts of America – opening the door for homosexual members in order to open the next door for homosexual leaders.

 

Emboldened by that success, they began a national campaign to target Christian-owned pro-family businesses – small and large – endeavoring to break their support for marriage by way of legal injunctions against their expression of their faith. Finally, the coercive “gay lobby” campaign met its match.

 

A very high-profile failure was the homosexual assault on Chick-fil-A due to CEO Dan Cathy, and his very vocal Christian affirmation of faith and family. Cathy’s rejection of so-called “gay marriage” was the catalyst for an attempted national boycott against the restaurant chain, but the result was an outpouring of support for Chick-fil-A.

 

But homosexual advocates suffered a far more spectacular defeat just last month, as you undoubtedly heard, when the Arts and Entertainment network attempted to expel the patriarch of one of the most successful cable television programs in history, solely due to his expression of faith and support for marriage and family in a GQ magazine profile.

 

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The details of the A&E defeat provide a useful case study in “David and Goliath” politics – grassroots activism versus huge media and political adversaries.

 

Phil Robertson, who heads the popular Duck Dynasty clan featured on A&E, was asked by GQ editors about sin and repentance, and he responded with a paraphrase from 1 Corinthians 6: “Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers – they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.” Robertson added a few comments considered crude by “cultured” leftists, but reflective of the provincial language of his Louisiana culture.

 

As soon as the article was published online, Robertson was attacked by the two most influential national homosexual advocacy organizations – the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the so-called “Human Rights” Campaign – for making “anti-gay remarks” in the GQ magazine profile. Typical of how Robertson’s remarks were framed are these pathetic pontifications from GLAAD spokesman Wilson Cruz: “Phil and his family claim to be Christian, but Phil’s lies about an entire community fly in the face of what true Christians believe. Phil’s decision to push vile and extreme stereotypes is a stain on A&E and his sponsors who now need to re-examine their ties to someone with such public disdain for LGBT people and families.”

 

A&E, which previously asked the Robertson family to reduce its show’s references to guns and closing with prayer – requests the Robertsons refused – swiftly expelled Phil, noting, “His personal views in no way reflect those of A&E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community.”

 

Within days of A&E’s decision, Sandra Cochran, CEO of Cracker Barrel, one of the largest family restaurant chains in the nation, announced with much fanfare that she was ordering merchandise connected to Phil Robertson removed from their shelves. Cochran noted, “We operate within the ideals of fairness, mutual respect and equal treatment of all people. These ideals are the core of our corporate culture.”

 

As I wrote Cochran, “Nothing Phil Robertson said offends your ‘corporate culture,’ unless you are offended by the foundational sacrament of marriage between man and woman as defined in the Old and New Testaments of Christian Scripture – and every other major world religion.”

 

The nation’s largest retailer, Walmart, wisely kept its shelves loaded with Duck Dynasty products.

 

The execs of A&E, Cracker Barrel and the highest profile homosexual advocacy organizations assumed the rest of the Robertson clan was more invested in their lucrative contracts with A&E than their faith, and their viewers were more invested in the asinine antics of reality shows than the substance and world view of the characters in this particular show.

 

Bad assumptions. Neither the Robertsons, nor their fans, duck the truth.

 

In less than 48 hours, Cracker Barrel issued one of the most stunning corporate apologies on record. “When we made the decision to remove and evaluate certain Duck Dynasty items, we offended many of our loyal customers. Our intent was to avoid offending, but that’s just what we’ve done. You flat out told us we were wrong. We listened. Today, we are putting all our Duck Dynasty products back in our stores, and, we apologize for offending you.”

 

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Days later, after Phil Robertson’s family advised the network that they would not go on without their patriarch, A&E folded its hand. Apparently the network execs were more invested in their viewer share revenue than being “strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community.” As some sort of recompense for their gender-confused audience, they announced, “We will use this moment to launch a national public service campaign (PSA) promoting unity, tolerance and acceptance among all people, a message that supports our core values as a company, and the values found in Duck Dynasty.”

 

This week, the Robertson family announced their new endorsement line of firearms, undoubtedly a source of additional heartburn for A&E.

 

This resounding defeat of the homosexual lobby is a case study in how grassroots Americans can successfully confront and crush the Left elite. By extension, it is also a strong indication that Patriots across the nation are poised to deliver the same humiliating defeat to leftists in 2014 that they did in 2010.

 

The bottom line is that a growing number of grassroots Americans recognize that the Chick-fil-A and Duck Dynasty showdowns are not about homosexuals, chickens or ducks, but about the suppression of faith expression and the undermining of Liberty. Phil Robertson is not a bigot, but those who suppress religious Liberty in the name of “tolerance and diversity” certainly are.

 

Those who support the “gay agenda” certainly think they do so for the right reasons. But they’ve been lulled into thinking that this issue has no overarching implications for the Liberty of future generations. They are wrong.

 

Send a courteous message for those who would undermine faith and family:

 

o   Contact A&E: feedbackaetv@aenetworks.com

 

o   Contact the so-called “Human Rights” Campaign: http://www.hrc.org/the-hrc-story/contact-us

 

o   Contact the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation: http://www.glaad.org/contact

 

o   (Recommended Reading: Gender Identity, The Homosexual Agenda and The Christian Response)

 

Pro Deo et Constitutione – Libertas aut Mors
Semper Fortis Vigilate Paratus et Fidelis

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© 2014, The Patriot Post.

 

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Pro-Homosexual Advocate Destroys Traditional Marriage Banner


folsom-east-2009-electrotorture-remote

 

One always hears about the demand to accept homosexuality as a matter of multicultural diversity. In fact the Leftist MSM and the Leftist leaning entertainment industry have brainwashed most of America into believing that a stand for Biblical Morality or exposing the overt public perversion of homosexuals in their debauched public often outdoor parties is homophobic discrimination on par with racism.

 

So what happens when Christians or confirmed heterosexuals peacefully protest the stain of homosexuality? The homosexuals go psycho-medieval and assault peaceful protestors or those that expose the truth of homosexuality.

 

Check this out!

 

JRH 6/6/11 (Hat Tip: Solid Snake)

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VIDEO: Pro-Homosexual Advocate Destroys Traditional Marriage Banner in New York

 

By John Ritchie

June 06, 2011

TFP Student Action

Defending Moral Values on Campus

 

Man Rips up TFP Marriage Banner in NY

 

TFP Student Action members were assaulted while peacefully demonstrating for traditional marriage in Fairport, New York, on June 2.

As young TFP volunteers stood at the corner of Main Street and Church Street with signs, a pro-homosexualist hurled himself against the group’s thirteen foot long banner inscribed with “God’s Marriage = 1 Man & 1 Woman.” The banner, held by three volunteers, was knocked down and violently torn to pieces.

 

Pro-homosexual advocate violently tears up TFP banner
in Fairport, New York
.

homosexual violence

 

The assailant also threatened to destroy the group’s cameras used to document their campaigns for moral values. “I’ll smash your camera,” he said. Approaching another TFP volunteer who was holding a sign that read “Honk for Traditional Marriage,” the aggressor said: “Are you going to give me your sign, or do I need to rip it up too!?”

Assault with glass bottle

In a separate incident at the same demonstration, another supporter of “gay marriage” threw a beer bottle at TFP volunteer Michael Shibler from a moving vehicle. The glass bottle hit him on the forehead, causing it to swell and bleed. Local police are investigating both incidents.

“These bully tactics do not even slightly dampen my resolve to continue promoting the truth about marriage in charity. Our cause is noble and we will win,” said Shibler.

“Some say that same-sex ‘marriage’ doesn’t harm or affect anybody. Well, I think my throbbing forehead is a good example of how it does harm people. Anti-family proponents would like to completely silence my first amendment right to free speech,” he said. “While demanding tolerance for what they call ‘diversity,’ they are utterly intolerant of opposing viewpoints.”

 

TFP volunteers and members of Citizens for a Decent Community joined forces in Rochester, New York, to defend true marriage.

Protesting in favor Traditional Marriage

 

On their tour for traditional marriage, TFP Student Action members are distributing flyers titled 10 Reasons Why Homosexual “Marriage” Is Harmful and Must Be Opposed. It calls on New Yorkers to firmly and peacefully resist the advance of the so-called gay-rights movement.

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