We all are familiar with Malachi 2:16, ‘God hates divorce’.  But do we understand what the original text really says?  What He hates is the treacherous and violent act of putting away a wife without a written divorce decree.

Accurate translations of key passages fail to support the rigid injunctions against divorce that many claim.  Instead, they reveal God’s compassionate heart against the helpless and His desire to restore and redeem them.

For centuries, the church’s attitude toward divorce was based on incorrect translation of the original Greek and Hebrew.  As a result, it left no room to consider any of the myriad painful circumstances, aside from abandonment and adultery, that fuel divorce.

Historically, the church has recognized only two justifiable reasons for divorce:  adultery and abandonment.  But have we misunderstood what Jesus taught?

God’s original intent was that marriage, one man and one woman, would last a lifetime.  But just because He made husband and wife one doesn’t mean they wouldn’t ignore the Spirit, walk in their flesh, and do serious harm to their relationship.

The word ‘anti’ can mean against or in opposition to, or it can have a more subtle meaning – in place of.  This compels us to ask ourselves two difficult questions:  In which ways am I acting against Christ, and which things in my life do I allow to take His place?

Opinions about antichrist abound, and they vary greatly.  Yet Apostle John describes antichrist not as a world ruler but as a spiritual mindset or attitude in false teachers.  This spirit of antichrist was present in his day … and in ours..

Apostle Paul calls singleness a gift from God, which allows unmarried believers to focus their ministry efforts without the distractions of spouses and children.

Many believe that people are incomplete without spouses, deficient in some way and less able to bear fruit in God’s kingdom.  But God honors both conditions and equips both to bear fruit abundantly in their unique ways.

When we trust the Savior, God Himself makes His home in us.  And to bear fruit for His kingdom, we must continually choose to make our home in Him, remaining in intimate dependence.