Truth & Circumstances

Episode highlights:

• Observe the biblical principle of radical amputation and end the relationship. Matt 5:27-30; 2 Tim 2:22
• Shepherd them through why ending the relationship is necessary.
• Put the gospel in front of them. Assure them that because of the cross, God forgives sin.  However, as a loving Father, God still allows us to feel the temporal consequences of our sin. Heb 12:3-11
• Explain that ending the relationship is not primarily about punishing them but about protecting them from further sin and from making shipwreck of their faith. 1 Tim 1:18-19

Episode highlights:

• Because marriage is a picture of the gospel, we cannot legitimize a sinful union by calling unmarried people “married.”
• We also cannot confuse our children by teaching them one thing at home and another thing in extended family contexts.
• To do otherwise is to miss an opportunity to share the gospel.
• We must have a loving conversation with these family members, use the issue to share the gospel, then go out of our way to demonstrate genuine love to all involved.

Episode highlights:

• We need to differentiate between explicit biblical callings and “inferred callings.”
• We need to prioritize explicit biblical calls over inferred calls. 2 Pet 1:19
• We need to understand that there is a difference between working hard and allowing ambition to drive us to be unfaithful in areas of explicit biblical responsibility.

Episode highlights:

• There is nothing wrong with holding a business up to their end of the deal.
• Believers are supposed to be champions of justice and truth. Isa 61:8; Mic 6:8
• A few caveats:
  • Make sure you’ve given them every opportunity to make it right. Phil 4:5
  • Make sure your heart is right. Prov 4:23; Rom 12:19
  • Make sure you don’t have ulterior motives.
  • Make sure your words are godly. Eph 4:29

Episode highlights:

• Accountability for sexual sin needs to be frequent and detailed.
• Relapses, particularly for lust/pornography are not unusual.
• The spouse of someone struggling with sin almost always has his or her own issues to work through as a result.
• Taken together, these things indicate it’s not wise for the offended spouse to be the main source of accountability.

Episode highlights:

• Having an upfront conversation with your husband about this doesn’t indicate a lack of submission.  You’re obeying a one another command (1 Th 5:14).
• It is a godly and loving thing for a wife to share with her husband what the Bible says about the necessity of Christian friendship (Heb 10:24-25).
• It is a godly and loving thing for a wife to share with her husband how his lack of care for his own spiritual wellbeing is affecting her and the home.

Episode highlights:

• Key biblical principles:
  • God is a jealous God (Exo 20:4-5)
  • The Bible calls us to have relationships with other brothers and sisters in the Church (Eph 4:7-16; Heb 10:24-25)
• The jealous spouse should understand that while there is such a thing as godly jealousy, there is also ungodly jealousy.  It is wrong to prevent your spouse from having godly relationships with other believers.
• The other spouse should consider whether or not he or she is doing anything to inflame jealousy in the husband/wife.