Opinions Formulating Facts Instead Of The Other Way Around

The nature of this electronic sign is analogous to our perception of the past.
The snapshot failed to capture the clarity of the message, but only a remnant.
In real time, the message was clear... but its momentary digital capture produced an unclear rendering.
Such it is with partial recounting or narrowed points of the past believed as complete truth.

Recently I had a textual discussion about my parents, their divorce, and the 'reasons' why certain things happened.

Within there was an excuse of an individual.

This individual was portrayed as 'innocent' in the matter.

To put it simply, I was insulted and shocked.

My response was giving equal weight and responsibility to all individuals involved (the party divorced and the third party interloper).

I was told there was some 'truth' yet unknown to me, and that having been informed of this absent knowledge I would see clearer the past.

When that missing information was shared, I sensed an insult.

Insulted that instead of factual information, excuses were being made.

A friendship / alliance was revealed, rather than a standing on truth.

Shocked... that something so pivotal in my life (and the lives of millions of people the world over - divorce) was reduced to a misunderstanding and an innocent pursuit.

It pains me to witness selfishness being excused, or lust, or the imitation of the fallen aspects of the world, and so on.

The human is a fallible creature, agreed.

I know first-hand about what leads to infidelity and the making of many excuses when pursuing wants and don't wants, instead of truth.

A human's perception of themselves and the world is skewed according to a variety of factors.

Inherent bias.

Motivation.

Identity.

Alliance.

Excuses.

Frailty.

Nearsightedness.

I think all of us grew up with family stories expressed as truth, but often missing some important and factual details.

It could be said the past is seen through a screen of lies, with light coming through the screen... yet the screen coming closer into view the closer we get to it.

The lies are either purposed, or arising from ignorance, or a blending of both (and other things).

The past is riddled with lies if we were to take a fine-toothed comb over it.

Not every individual person, when confronted with something truthful, is able to immediately change their minds or hearts... since they've held to previous information believed as truth.

Also, not every individual deals with the truth as far as they are able to understand the truth, and God is Truth.

We may have our moments of denial's temptation, while others live a life of denial... and truth causes them to implode.

There is much more to say about how one perceives the past, but we should rather focus on the good and doing the good forward.

'Now' is what we are able to make decisions over.

The past is to be not so much forgotten, but rather forgiven.

We ask forgiveness for our trespasses on others, and forgive the trespasses of those who trampled us in some way... regardless if they knew what they were doing or not.

Holiness.

The human makes judgments about themselves often times according to wants... instead of what is right or wrong.

We want to be right or know what is / was right.

This is often why a battle of morals and ethics arise between two people.

Facts are often times not enough... one must question the ethics of the other.

It is through a skewed ethical perspective, and a widely immoral manner excused as 'normal' that facts can be obscured.

When trespasses are justified, the heart is open to corruption.

To consider any given event or thing, an individual's opinion overshadows the bigger picture.

Typical humanity... and all of us are tainted.

When that bigger picture is viewed through wants and don't wants, instead of rights and wrongs, excuses can be plentiful.

Besides the difficulty of two minds agreeing on what is right from what is wrong, even if two minds were to agree on right and wrong, their view can still be subject to their opinions.

But there is a Way.

Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the Perfect Law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. 

- James 1: 22-25 

The Perfect Law now in the Age of Christ speaks to the entirety of morals and ethics as explained in the Word of God.

The Law of Moses clarifies what is of proper morality and ethical practice, and the Law is concluded and made personal in the Gospel.

It is understood the religious and ritual aspects of the Law have been fulfilled in Christ, thus why the Law continues to be upheld regarding our relationships with one another (morals and ethics) and public life regardless of specific governments or prevalent religious attitudes..

For the people who do not consider God as their utmost Authority, or who do not ponder their past and the present, to hold them accountable to the things of God is a difficult assessment.

But those who happen to proclaim they know God, or believe in the Holy One revealed from Above, then judgment is extended to them.

It is extended according to their claim of inclusion into the kingdom of God - the royal family - the Church.

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.” 

- 1 Corinthians 5: 9-13

Notice that those who claim fellowship with God's Spirit are to be dealt with when they show their lives to be needing goading.

It is interesting that a harsh response is given not to a 'pagan' or person absolutely ignorant of who God has created them to be, but rather the believers.

God is Just and thus judgment of things known and understood and believed are relatively demanded from believers.

When judgment of waywardness is mentioned to a believer through love, the Spirit within that believer should respond with gratitude in the correcting of their flesh.

When not done graciously through love, or if the response to correction is defensive or much excuse making, then a myriad of situations arise... the most extreme being the absence of the Spirit in that flesh.

But we pray and hope for better conditions in all those we interact with, whether they are a weed or the wheat.

More often it is a matter of immaturity, impatience, and lack of love (in both parties) if combativeness arises or persists.

The fact of sheep is that many are ever-destined to only feed on milk.

It is when trespass (sin) is taken seriously can a claimant to fellowship with God Almighty assesses, and reassesses, their lives and their sinful impact on others.

Humility.

Let us not be silly in excusing our own trespasses or that of others if alliance, or relation, or some other 'tie' is being sheltered instead of the Truth.

Refreshment comes with confession and acknowledgment of sin, while darkness can persist when the light is avoided.

Thus why God's Word divides not only blood relatives but even soul and spirit.

Let us always renew ourselves with milk, while facing not only our humanity - and that of others, but the greater things that come through a greater diet than milk... God willing.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 

If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Yeshua have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. 

- Galatians 5: 13-26

When the fact of infidelity was scuttled away as a silly detail over the signing of paperwork, as if God's Word or Way is nullified by what people agree amongst themselves, this contention was met harshly by me.

Infidelity, firstly with God and secondly between humans, is the foundation of a mountain of pain and trouble still echoing in this generation (and in the next).

For my heart to dismiss the impact of infidelity as something inconsequential, or typical, was to ignore the magnitude of sin's detriment on the earth... and in my immediate relatives and in my person.

Yet I was reminded, and thus revealing my own allegiance and bias when my lack of patience got the better of me, that not everyone is even drinking milk to begin with.

Not all are aware of the teaching of righteousness, or living their lives according to Truth, but rather through opinions based on wants and don't wants.

I think this is why the topic of God, and what is right and wrong according to God, is largely avoided between people (although humanity contemplates such things in secret).

When measuring morals and ethics, what is revealed in what kind of 'god' people are following.

Often that 'god' resembles themselves, or opinions and ideas originating from people... but not from Him.

People make 'gods' out of man's laws, or earth-bound ideas, rather than consider what has been established and why.

What is the final say on divorce and opinions formulating facts instead of the other way around?

That love and forgiveness is to be always considered... and since love never fails, then divorce is a sign of failure for the flesh and an inability to see things from God's perspective:

Some Pharisees came to Him to test Him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” 

“Haven’t you read,” He replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” 

“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

Yeshua replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” 

The disciples said to Him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” 

Yeshua replied, “Not everyone can accept this Word, but only those to whom it has been given. For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.” 

- Matthew 19: 3-12

Many, still, have yet to taste the gift from Above... but may they be baptized in Him soon enough.