I recoil at the word “therapy,” as it has a secular connotation. To be honest, I often have trouble with even some Christian counseling, as it is frequently little more than secular claptrap with a short prayer before and after the session. On the other hand, Christian fellowship based completely and solely on the Word of God is most assuredly
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helpful as we all need to be constantly reminded of God’s standards and our responsibilities. Are covenant groups with several pastors useful in giving support against the temptations of stepping outside their marriages; or does so much depend on the willingness of participants to really open up in such settings?
I have seen pastor groups do great good. Others, while properly intended, fail miserably. That being true, we are left with the inescapable conclusion that those attending determine the results — good or bad. For me personally, I love to talk and interact with those of like faith, but I’m very careful to always remember that nothing even comes close to some one-on-One time with the Lord. What do you mean when you write about “committing adultery without knowing it”? Many people, ignorant of the Word, remarry without biblical grounds. They have been deceived, and sometimes “innocently” misled into believing what God calls adultery is not adultery. But God’s Word says what it means, and means what it says — and we are to know the law. Where does forgiveness play into turning away from adultery? Unlike what you might think, forgiveness is too often used and abused by sinners to relieve the pressure of knowing they are in willful spiritual rebellion. They tell themselves their sin will be washed away, no matter what they do. That is treating the blood of Christ as a common thing, and God will have none of it. How heartbreaking that the glorious gift of forgiveness has been perverted, as Jesus died on the cross so our sins could be forgiven, not so we can continue to sin. Where can ministry go from “here” in lowering the incidents of adultery with pastors and ministry leaders? As the world needs real Christian leadership now more than ever, we cannot shirk our duty by not following the example of our God who can do all things except fail. We must be a holy case in point. Failure is not an option. Lastly, we need to openly and often talk about adultery among ourselves and with our congregations, as God’s truth is the greatest disinfectant. CE