June 18, 2007 8:23 PM

The Truth About Divorce
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May 2005

Where Has This Year Gone?

Doesn’t it seem impossible it is already into May. This has undoubtedly been the busiest year ever for us. How we thank God for your faithful prayers, love and support. We are so excited over what our God is doing for us!

What seemed totally impossible only a short time ago is now under way for next February 2006. We will be telling you more about it as it unfolds, but for now we can say the Lord has touched the heart of a precious Christian who is making it possible for us to have an International Conference on Marriage and Divorce, in Florida next February. We have not finalized many of the details yet but we expect to have Godly speakers from five other countries there to encourage believers and rise up new leaders to declare this truth. This is A MIRACLE! Please praise the Lord with us and PRAY! There is so much work involved but we sense in our spirits, it is time.

Please pray with us also about the need of a headquarters building for C. P. R. Ministries. If we have an International Headquarters we can train pastors, church leaders, and draw volunteers in to help us in this ever-growing outreach.

Someone asked me; ‘Where are you going to get the money for this headquarters building?’ My response was; “I don’t know. I only know the Lord has placed it in my heart as the next step and told me; “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.” Luke 12:48b; and; “Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” I Corinthians 4:1,2. Faithful, How? Paul tells us in Romans 12:3; Each believer should consider why God has put him/her in the body of Christ. He then describes how the Lord has given each of us a different “measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing, according to the grace that is given to us,…he that GIVETH, let him do it with simplicity;”

Paul admonished believers in Romans 12:10-13; “…Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord ; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of the saints;” .

Please take time this month to praise the Lord for His faithfulness. It has been your prayers, your love, your encouragement, and your support that has allowed us to be His instruments for change. We are seeing change! If the Lord speaks to your heart to have a part in making this miracle happen, we would love to hear from you.

The task is greater now than ever. The work is not yet finished. We must work harder, pray longer, expend more energy than ever, because right now, while all this turmoil about legalizing sodomy is broiling in the local governments and churches, more people are revisiting questions concerning marriage and divorce.

‘The Hosea Project’ needs more help and is receiving some wonderful responses from pastors all over North America. They also receive some smoldering letters from those who do not appreciate this message. These are expected, but we have learned to keep our eyes on the Lord and not on the waves. If some feel like Peter when he walked on the water, looked at the wav3es, and, began to sink slowly, it is imperative that we recognize that the only solution: constantly “Looking unto Jesus,” and not at the storm.

Double Mindedness In the Church

A dear sister recently wrote a kind letter to an international family organization, responding to a paper they had sent her about marriage and divorce.

This sister wrote to their office asking them how they could teach what they were teaching when the Scriptures were so clear. She sent along a copy of my book, “The Trojan Horse Within The Church.”

Let me preface the rest of the story by saying, we are not out to criticize or belittle one of America’s largest and strongest Christian advocates for strong homes and families. Without question they have done much good with many of their teachings on the dispositions of different children, husband/wife relationships, etc.

The disappointing part of the ministry however is captured in this letter of response sent by Focus On The Family, to this dear sister:

Dear Ms._______;

We must always remember, these ministries do not teach a different message out of spite, but because it is what they were taught to believe. They are teaching “reformation” doctrine, but like me, were perhaps were never shown how that teaching contradicted all the New Testament and earliest church father’s teachings. These same groups are just as frustrated with signs of deterioration of the family as are we, but their sympathy is toward what is called the “innocent party.” We need to love them, share truth with them and pray for them. Thank you for responding to my letter of January 10. As I believe I have already explained, …….. is unable to send a personal response…I’m sure you can understand why he has once again asked me to respond on his behalf. It was good of you to give us your point-by-point reaction to …. views on divorce and remarriage and to pass along a copy of Joseph A. Webb’s booklet, A Trojan Horse Within The Church. Thoughtful, honest feedback of this nature is always welcome here at headquarters. Thanks for caring enough to enrich us with your input on this controversial topic.

In reply, all we can say is that you and Joseph A. Webb have your opinion and ……has his. To be frank with you, it is extremely unlikely that the material you sent will influence the Doctor to change his position… We must not become so caught up in defining the biblical justifications for divorce that we fail to have compassion for the individuals involved. This, as far as we are concerned, is really the ‘bottom line’ when it comes to the business of ministering to flesh-and-blood human beings. This, I’m afraid will also have to be our final word on the subject….

Thanks again for taking the time to contact us. Your continuing interest in our ministry means a great deal to us. God Bless you.”

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This week Pat and I received a letter from another sister group to this same organization. This group was started to counteract the anti-family groups in Washington DC. In it the President of this organization, stated: …If you appreciate the work of our group, I think our story will interest you…

Because our organization concentrates on ministering to American families, our president and the other leaders formed the group to help people like you have a voice in Washington, DC….

I believe preserving marriage is the biggest issue facing America today. WHOEVER DEFINES MARRIAGE AND FAMILY WILL DETERMINE THE HISTORY OF OUR NATION AND ULTIMATELY THAT OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION. (Emphasis mine)…

That is why we are working for passage of the Marriage Protection Amendment to the Constitution, which would define marriage as THE UNION OF ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN… (NOTE: Here is the basic difference in our ministry’s thrust and theirs, we believe Scriptrally we must say, ‘One man and One woman FOR LIFE?” IF we are going to truly protect the sanctity of a Biblically covenant marriage as they declare they are trying to do, then let’s say it like God’s Word says it.)

(NOTE: As we proceed through this letter I will you how the limitations their understanding or lack thereof concerning the Bible definition of marriage causes them to use well meaning words but ultimately apply them to non Biblical solutions. One example of this is the saying they want to “preserve Biblical marriages.”)

…I could give you dozens of reasons to oppose same-sex “marriage.” Obviously, same-sex “marriage” violates nature and God’s design for the family, and it harms society and hurts children.

This—the irreparable harm done to children—is the most compelling reason I can give you to help our organization work to stop same-sex “marriage.”

(Question: What do they think divorce and remarriage is doing to the children? Here is another example of selective social concern based upon their sincere convictions. Do they truly think divorce and remarriage is less a sin, and less destructive than same-sex marriages when Paul condemns both of these sinful lifestyles in the same verse? I Corinthians 6:9-11. Recent 25 year studies have shown divorce and remarriage THE strongest contributing factor to the destruction of children, and confirms the devastating effects of divorce and remarriage do not diminish with time, but is a permanent scar on the children’s lives, totally effecting every aspect of their lives from then on.) May God help these ministries to see the marriage truth with the same 20/20 vision He has given them about sodomy.

…I can only imagine the pain and anger many children will feel as they grow into adulthood and come to realize their “parents” selfishly played games with their lives by pretending that same-sex “marriage” is normal.

America already has enough pained and angry kids and adults, lashing out at real or perceived injustice. We have enough dysfunctional homes. Instead of creating more dysfunction, I believe we need to strengthen the institution of marriage as it exists now, not redefine it.”

These ministries do not like what they see happening in the homes of America today any more than we do. There would be an awful economic and financial price to pay if they admitted remarriage; while your first partner is still alive, is adultery and must be repented of. Several years ago, the leader of another large television ministry’s counseling department, told one young man who has shared “Till Death Do Us Part?” with them; “We have spoken to the leadership of this ministry and they say they cannot deny what the book says is probably true, but they wouldn’t dare teach it because they would almost immediately lose over 80% of their support.” This is the dilemma many Christian organizations face today. They desperately need our love and prayers. They also know the church is totally permeated with t his reformation teaching to such a degree that to teach New Testament truth, marriage for life, would be economically devastating.

 Who would have ever imagined we would see the day when “Christian” organizations would go to Washington DC with hat in hand, pleading with a group of politicians who are methodically removing all reference to God or the bible from our society begging them to “Please” sanctify what church leads have totally desecrated by promoting the acceptanc4e of marriage, divorce and remarriage as normal and approved by God; the nuclear family.

Again, let us emphasize, this is not an act of purposeful compromise, but those desperately trying with the only doctrine they know to stop the moral hemorrhage taking place in our society.

 Actually, if the church leaders would go back to God’s principles of family and child rearing as found in the New Testament the earliest church fathers teachings and discard the teachings of the reformers, who came out of 1200 years of spiritual darkness, most of our social problems would be cured. If His Church would repent, encourage the restoration of true Biblical families and repent to their children and their original partners God would send a Holy Ghost revival, and heal this land.

You and I are watching Bible prophecy being fulfilled before our eyes around the world. Jesus said of the last days; “But as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came and Destroyed them all. Likewise, also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. EVEN THUS shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” Luke 17:26-30

Now we need to “occupy till He comes.” (Luke 19:13c) and; “Preach the Word, be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. (Will not stand for healthy teaching in opposition to diseased teaching.) but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves (R.C.H. Lenski says about this word ‘heap’ “The congregations will be set on filling their presbytery with only such men (Ear ticklers) and at every election will turn down sound men.” Does that sound familiar today? teachers, having itching ears; Lenski says about these “ears;” “When men preach the truth, the Gospel pours in the power that pardons, regenerates, and renews. There will be those, Paul says who want ‘tickling’ instead.) and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables. Lenski again says of these ‘fables;’ “These people will wrench or twist themselves out of their normal position in order to set their ears upon tickling fables.” This means they will go to great lengths to hear only what they want to hear and suppress true preaching.

What is Paul’s message to us? “But watch thou in all things, ENDURE AFFLICTIONS, do the work of an evangelist, MAKE FULL PROOF OF YOUR MINISTRY.” II Timothy 4:2-5. Does that sound like the easy road? Did those last words ‘Tickle’ your ears or make them burn? That is the true undiluted Gospel. We are privileged to endure affliction for His name’s sake. It is always invigorating to read: “that I might know Him and the power of His resurrection.” We sometimes cringe however, when we are asked to read the next phrase, which is just as inspired as the first: “The fellowship of HIS SUFFERING.” This is our privilege, because He said: “IF we SUFFER with Him, we shall also REIGN with Him.” II Timothy 2:12.

If you want to be a part of those called to teach the pure Word of God concerning marriage and divorce today, you had better forget Dale Carnege’s book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” because we already see church leaders stacking their staffs, offices and schools with ear ticklers, and demanding anyone who believes differently to ‘please leave, and don’t come back.’ Again, this is not because they are mean spirited but are desperately trying to keep their churches from being torn apart. Whatever disrupts, this must be removed.

He said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And He worshipped him.”

Let me ask you something: Do you think this man ever missed the temple from that day forward? Do you believe he missed all the formalism and rules after he met the light of the world, The living water, The Door into the sheepfold? May God help us to remember, TRUTH DIVIDES! Truth does not need to be harsh or unloving, antagonistic or argumentative, but lovingly declared and lived for all to see and admire. Paul said in Ephesians 6:14: “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth,” Knowing our Lord Jesus said: Matthew 28:20: teaching them to observe (Obey His commandments) all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, even unto the end of the world. AMEN!!! Again in Hebrews 13:5c, where Jesus said: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” WHAT MORE DO WE NEED? Jesus loves us, this we know, for the Bible tells us so. Do we believe it? Are we acting like we believe it? Are we fearlessly declaring it, or having a ‘woe is me’ party? Read the last chapter: WE WIN!

God Bless you, Dr. Joseph Webb