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Stumbling Blocks
Martin Luther was a German monk who noticed the Bible allowed monks to marry even though the Catholic church forbid monks to marry. Martin Luther noticed that because monks were forbidden from marrying this caused many of them to seek sexual gratification in other places which were immoral by the standards in the Bible.
In 1546, Luther nailed a copy of his "95 Theses" or complaints against the Catholic church to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. (church doors acted as the bulletin boards). One of Martin Luther's "95 Theses" or complaints was that monks or priests should be able to marry. This event sparked the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther's observation that priests should be able to marry is the reason why Protestant Pastors can marry today.
In a similar way even though the Bible does not condemn married couples from using moral erotic media in their marriages, many Christian leaders today have forbidden married couples from using moral erotic materials in their marriages. And since the Church leaders teach that it is sin to use moral erotic materials in marriage, this many times pits husbands and wives against each other and causes many arguments in the marriage. And once they disagree on what is permissible in the bedroom, this causes the husbands and wives to pursue their own secret sexual outlets. For example the husband may look at porn and the wife may read romance novels and watch soap operas.
We believe if Christian leaders will be honest about what the Bible teaches and allow married couples to use moral erotic materials in their marriages, this will stop lots of arguing within marriages and give Christian married couples the resources they need to keep their sexual passions for each other strong.
The apostle Paul warned against Christian leaders who would add rules to those that God has given us in the Bible. In 1 Timothy 4 verses 1 to 5, Paul says, "1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer."
And Jesus also warned against religious leaders who add to the rules in the Bible and burden people down with rules they can not keep themselves. Matthew 23 verse 4 says, "They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden." (NLT)
And then Jesus implies that all the man-made rules turn people into "sons of hell" when Jesus says in Matthew 23 verse 15, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are."
We don't want to be like the Pharisees and teachers of the law that Jesus talks about. We don't want to burden people down with rules that God does not have in the Bible. Why? Because man-made rules tend to destroy other more important areas that God cares about. Take for instance the Jewish custom of "Corban". In Mark 7 verse 11 Jesus condemns the man-made rule of Corban because it indirectly caused people to not take care of their parents when the parents became old.
In our case today, the man-made law of forbidding married couples to use moral erotic materials in their marriages causes married couples to argue and do secret sexual sins and ultimately many times causes divorces. Many times after divorce these same persons lose their belief in God.
And think of the children who many times are emotionally devastated and many times turn away from God because of the divorce of their parents. Jesus said in Matthew 18 verse 6 says, "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea."
So those who preach man-made laws that end up causing divorces are in serious trouble with God.
Man-made rules make it difficult for people to get saved because they think they will have to live by the rules in order to get saved. God does not want to make it difficult for people to get saved. This is why Jesus said in Matthew 11 verses 28 to 30, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
And the elders and Paul did not want to make it difficult for people to get saved either, and so they said in Acts chapter 15 verses 19 and 20, "It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood."
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