What God Hath Joined Together

What God Has Joined Together is founded on the words of Jesus. This book explores the marvelous conceptual definition of marriage with seven distinct elements. The authors name these seven concepts: the principles of personhood, paradise, equality, "help meet" companionship, leaving, cleaving, and sexuality. Hopefully, loving couples desiring deeper passion, love, contentment, and fulfillment will discover anew the joys of paradise restored through the wonderful grace of covenant-commitment, forgiveness, and faith. At the same time the reader can discover Bible-based guidance for young couples and Biblical hope and restoration for threatened homes.

Writing in alternating chapters, Pam and Terry interweave their story with an analysis of how mandatory celibacy has crippled the Catholic Church, sapped it of many gifted and dynamic priests, and divided the Catholic faithful around the world.

Gay marriage has become the most important domestic social issue facing twenty-first-century Americans -- particularly Americans of faith. Most Christians are pro-marriage and hold traditional family values, but should they endorse extending marriage rights to gays and lesbians? If Jesus enjoined us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and the homosexual is our neighbor, does that mean we should accept and bless gay marriages? These and other, related questions are tearing many faith-based communities apart. Across the country, states have voted, courts have debated, and churches have divided over the legitimacy of same-sex marriage. Amid the uproar one perspective is decidedly missing: that of thoughtful, pro-marriage Christians who, informed by their faith, are struggling to make sense of this issue. What God Has Joined Together? is an effort to bridge the divide between marriage-supporting and gay-supporting people of faith by showing why both sides have important things to say and showing how both sides can coexist. Drawing on scientific research as well as on the Bible, the authors explain that marriage is emotionally, physically, financially, and spiritually beneficial for everyone, not just heterosexuals. They debunk myths about sexual orientation, assess claims of sexual reorientation, and explore what the Bible does and does not say about same-sex relationships. The book ends with a persuasive case for gay marriage and outlines how this can be a win-win solution for all.

New from Best-Selling Author John Piper From Genesis to Revelation, the providence of God directs the entire course of redemptive history. Providence is "God's purposeful sovereignty." Its extent reaches down to the flight of electrons, up to the movements of galaxies, and into the heart of man. Its nature is wise and just and good. And its goal is the Christ-exalting glorification of God through the gladness of a redeemed people in a new world. Drawing on a lifetime of theological reflection, biblical study, and practical ministry, pastor and author John Piper leads us on a stunning tour of the sightings of God's providence—from Genesis to Revelation—to discover the allencompassing reality of God's purposeful sovereignty over all of creation and all of history. Piper invites us to experience the profound effects of knowing the God of all-pervasive providence: the intensifying of true worship, the solidifying of wavering conviction, the strengthening of embattled faith, the toughening of joyful courage, and the advance of God's mission in this world.

Editor H. Wayne House introduces a lively debate on varying Christian views of divorce and remarriage. Contributors include J. Carl Laney, William Heth, Thomas Edgar and Larry Richards.

A strong novel about two couples in the process of getting divorced and how divorce is seen in the early 20th century.

God uses divorce to save lives! Many divorced people have felt that they have let God down. Those who need to divorce feel that they are going against God's will. But no more! God Himself has spoken on their behalf. The Lord said to the author, "Son, sit down, I want to teach you about divorce." Divorce: God's Will? is the result of God's command to help people come out from under the condemnation of religion and to experience His love. This book is full of hope and compassion! It reveals God's true heart to those who are in a bad marriage and those who have gone through a divorce. There is so much love and power that flows from these pages that it literally releases the reader from condemnation and brings their heart to total peace. Since God's Word, the Bible, is the foundation for marriage and divorce, the author has plainly established and made clear from the Bible that God is for divorce. God cares more for the man and woman who make up the marriage than He cares for the marriage itself. Divorce: God's Will? covers everything from staying in a bad marriage too long, to that ever-elusive subject, Submission. This book is destined to be the psychologist's, clergy's, and family/marriage counselor's most referenced companion. You can learn more about Divorce: God's Will? at www.divorcehope.com.

Historically, Christians have been divided on the issue of divorce and remarriage; many institutions and theologies coming down on the side that it is adultery to remarry while one's former spouse is still alive. This is consistent with the words of Jesus in Matthew and the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans. Others stand by the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians where he clearly declares that it is not a sin to marry again if you were "put away" (abandoned or divorced) by an unbelieving spouse. There seems to be a conflict in Scripture regarding divorce and remarriage. You do not have to pick a side to the exclusion of the other. There is a marvelous harmony in the Word of God. In this book you will see Scripture in all of its glorious consistency, and you will appreciate the divine logic. The subjects of divorce, remarriage and adultery have confused both Christians and their pastors alike. In this thorough exegesis of all the Bible texts concerning divorce and remarriage, Michael Pearl answers these issues with the Word of God, revealing the perfect harmony in Scripture and God's divine plan for marriage. This is not a lecture or a diatribe against those who are divorced. If you are a pastor or counselor you will find this book to be a great tool to instruct those who are troubled by this subject.

The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology. These widely acclaimed commentaries serve as exceptional resources for the professional theologian and instructor, the seminary or university student, the working minister, and everyone concerned with building theological understanding from a solid base of biblical scholarship. Overview of Commentary Organization Introduction—covers issues pertaining to the whole book, including context, date, authorship, composition, interpretive issues, purpose, and theology. Each section of the commentary includes: Pericope Bibliography—a helpful resource containing the most important works that pertain to each particular pericope. Translation—the author’s own translation of the biblical text, reflecting the end result of exegesis and attending to Hebrew and Greek idiomatic usage of words, phrases, and tenses, yet in reasonably good English. Notes—the author’s notes to the translation that address any textual variants, grammatical forms, syntactical constructions, basic meanings of words, and problems of translation. Form/Structure/Setting—a discussion of redaction, genre, sources, and tradition as they concern the origin of the pericope, its canonical form, and its relation to the biblical and extra-biblical contexts in order to illuminate the structure and character of the pericope. Rhetorical or compositional features important to understanding the passage are also introduced here. Comment—verse-by-verse interpretation of the text and dialogue with other interpreters, engaging with current opinion and scholarly research. Explanation—brings together all the results of the discussion in previous sections to expose the meaning and intention of the text at several levels: (1) within the context of the book itself; (2) its meaning in the OT or NT; (3) its place in the entire canon; (4) theological relevance to broader OT or NT issues. General Bibliography—occurring at the end of each volume, this extensive bibliographycontains all sources used anywhere in the commentary.