The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at New Georgia

Tim Johnson, editor

September 30, 2007

 
In This Issue:
The Divorce Rate in America: What does it say about us?
by Steve Klein

Do You Pray?
by Bill Hall

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The Divorce Rate in America:
What Does It Say About Us?

     This past week the Census Bureau released the latest data on the divorce rate in America.  The following are excerpts from a news article on the report written by Sam Roberts.

  •   Don't stock up on silver anniversary cards. More than half the Americans who might have celebrated their 25th wedding anniversaries since 2000 were either divorced, separated or widowed, according to a census survey released today. For the first time at least since World War II, married people had a less than even chance of still being married 25 years later.

  •   The oldest baby boomers recorded the highest divorce rates. Among people in their fifties, 38 percent of men and 41 percent of women had been divorced. In 1996, the comparable figures were 36 percent and 35 percent.

  •   One statistical constant has been the so-called seven-year itch, as popularized in the play and film about errant husbands. Couples who separate do so, on average, after seven years and divorce after eight.

  •   On average, people who remarry typically wed again in about three-and-a-half years. Second marriages that end in divorce last about 8.6 years for men and 7.2 years for women.

  While these statistics are very sad and somewhat interesting, none of them are particularly surprising.  They merely reflect the obvious decline of morality in our nation.  From a Biblical standpoint, here's what they say about us.

  1. Many Americans love what God hates. Malachi 2:16, "For the LORD God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one's garment with violence," Says the LORD of hosts. "Therefore take heed to your spirit that you do not deal treacherously."

  2. Many Americans "deal treacherously" with their spouses.  When people make a covenant to remain in a relationship till "death do us part" and then become unfaithful to their spouses, it is treachery!  Obviously there are many innocent spouses who have been mistreated in this way, and our hearts go out to them.  But anytime there is a divorce, at least one spouse has been treacherous.

  3. Marriage is not held in honor.  Several factors can contribute to a divorce.  Selfishness, pride, and lust to name a few.  But some of these things would not result in divorce IF people had the proper respect for the institution of marriage. God has decreed that "marriage is honorable among all but fornicators and adulterers God will judge." (Hebrews 13:4).  The increasing divorce rate plainly reflects a decrease in America's view of the sanctity of marriage.  We do not honor marriage.

  4. Many give little consideration to what Jesus said about divorce and re-marriage. Jesus said that, "whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery." (Matthew 19:9).  Unless a divorce is obtained because one spouse has been sexually unfaithful, neither spouse has a God-given right to remarry.  Few divorced people give Jesus' words any consideration at all.

  It may be that we cannot change the world, but we can make our little corner of the world what God wants it to be.  Let us determine to love what He loves, be trustworthy in our dealings, honor His holy institutions, and always, always, always heed the words of Jesus.

-- Steve Klein

 

 Do You Pray?

   The worshiper who would prayer in the assembly must do more than bow his head and close his eyes. He must pray. "Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say 'Amen' at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say?" (I Corinthians 14:16). This verse suggests four requirements if one is to enter into a prayer.

  1. He must listen to the prayer. One cannot legitimately say "Amen" at the conclusion of a prayer if he has not listened to the prayer. "Mind-wandering" is an ever-present problem. We sing, but we don't observe the words of the song. We bow our heads, but we don't listen to the prayer. We sit through the sermon, but our minds wander to things of an earthly nature. Consequently, we attend worship periods, but we don't worship as we ought. If one is to pray, with the congregation, he must listen to the prayer.

  2. He must understand the prayer. When a man in the first century led a prayer in an unknown tongue, the worshiper could not say 'Amen', for he could not understand the language in which the prayer was spoken. Neither can the worshiper say 'Amen' today if the leader has not spoken loudly enough to be heard or if he has used words or phrases which the worshiper does not understand. Those who lead prayers in the assembly should be conscious of the needs of the whole congregation, speaking up where all can hear and using words which all can understand.

  3. He must agree with the prayer. A number of years ago, while sitting beside an old preacher, I observed his saying "Yes" or "Yes, Lord" at the conclusion of each separate phrase of the prayer as it was being led. He spoke the words softly enough that I was probably the only one in the assembly who could hear them, but I was impressed. Obviously, this brother was listening to every phrase, determining whether or not he agreed with the phrase, and was softly speaking his agreement. He was not just sitting through a prayer; he was praying. Occasionally, we hear sentiments expressed in prayer with which we do not agree. To these sentiments we cannot say "Amen".

  4. He must say "Amen". The word "Amen" means "so let it be." We long to hear the strong, resounding "Amen" at the close of prayers which we used to hear. We fear that the move away from this practice is just another step toward cold, lifeless formality in our worship periods. We are not contending, however, that one must say the word "Amen" audibly; but we are suggesting that at least in his mind he should say "Amen", thus making the prayer his own prayer. He has listened to the prayer; he has understood the prayer; he has agreed with the prayer; now he speaks to God his "Amen" or approval of the prayer as his prayer. In this manner, he unites with other worshippers in common prayer to God.

-- Bill Hall