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PASTOR GENERAL'S
REPORT
TO THE MINISTRY OF THE
WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
VOL.l, NO. 3
PASADENA,
CALIFORNIA
"SPELLING OUT" THE OFFICIAL
DOCTRINE ON
DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE
AUGUST 21, 1979
It seems we never did "spell out" the details of how the
1974 decision on "D & R" should be applied in various
cases. Result:
There has been a grievous "watering down."
by Herbert W. Armstrong
THERE IS ONE great difference between the Law of God and the laws made
by human government. God has given us His Law in the form of general prin
ciples to be applied in various cases, whereas in national laws, state
laws, and city ordinances, MAN tries to make multiple thousands of laws,
"spelling out" every little detail in a separate law.
It .is made clear for us in the third chapter of II Corinthians: "God
hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of
the spirit: ..." (Verse 6) .
God's Law is given in one single word--"LOVE." God is Love. His Law
is Love--that word sums up God's CHARACTER. The Law then-rs amplified into
the two "Great Laws"--love toward God, and love toward neighbor. God
amplifies it a little further in the Ten Commandments--the first four giving
the broad principles of how to love God, and the last six how to love neigh
bor. But God intended us to understand the PRINCIPLE involved and apply it
honestly.
Now it comes to my attention that many are finding "gray areas" in the
D&R law. I will try to "spell out" a little further in a general way, and
those who seek the WAY OF GOD instead of their own way will have, I hope,
no difficulty in applying God's Law properly according to its intended
spirit. Otherwise, those who try to reason around God's law to have their
own way will stand condemned in the sight of God.
GOD DOES NOT COMPROMISE WITH OR WATER DOWN HIS LAW. Rather than that
He GAVE His only begotten Son Jesus to pay the penalty of repented sin in
our stead.
Two Major Categories
Actually what happened in 1974 was not a CHANGE in the Church's defini
tion of God's Law, but the ADDITION of a second reason for divorce and re
marriage we should have, but did not, see before--so now we have the TWO
categories.
First, just as we understood it in the Church before, Jesus gave for
nication (prior to marriage) as the grounds for nullifying a marriage. This