To be a real Christian XI

October 9, 8:09 AMAtlanta Protestant ExaminerRonald Thibeault

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"Do you promise to love, comfort, honor and keep [him/her] For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. And forsaking all others, be faithful only to [him/her] so long as you both shall live, so help you God?" I do.

These are the words of one of the greatest covenants made before God. We say these words before God, in the presence of our friends and family. We make a verbal contract with another person to stick with them until the end, no matter what. Yet, for many of us, we take this binding contract too lightly. We would rather this contract would say,

"Do you promise to love, comfort, honor, and keep [him/her] when everything is good, when you are rich and healthy. Forsaking all others who are not as attractive, rich, or healthy, mentally and physically, until someone else comes along, whom you like better, so long as you both shall be going in the same direction with the same goals?"

Jesus tells us,

"It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce. But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery." Matthew 5:31-32

The attitude expressed here is one of love. One of my seminary professors spoke of the day he knew he loved his wife. He said it was one day when she was sick with the flu. She looked physically horrible, her hair was a mess. Her breath smelled of vomit. She had no make up on, and she was wearing one of his ratty old torn worn out sweatshirts. Yet to him, he said she was still the most beautiful woman in the world.

Jesus tells us here there is really only one reason for divorce: marital unfaithfulness. So if your husband loses his job because of downsizing, or if your wife ends up brain damaged because some drunken idiot careens into her lane while she is driving home from Walmart, you stay with them. If your husband goes to prison, then you stay with him. No matter what the circumstance you need to honor your marital vows.