Why do we give thanks as believers? Why is it that as the world grows in its discontentment, anger, rage, and hatred, the Christian not only has great hope by contrast, but thanksgiving and praise from the heart?
Nowhere in Scripture are God's people told to hate their enemies, but what we learn from Jesus throughout His ministry is that many of the religious leaders and their followers hated enemies and neighbours alike, if they could accuse them of being outside of their sphere of care and concern.
Jesus elevates marriage in the Sermon on the Mount and in Matthew 5:31-32 we see that clearly. Some might look at His statement in this passage and wonder how He could permit divorce for any reason, but as we look more closely we see how Jesus was really speaking in such a way as to limit divorce dramatically.
Jesus makes clear that the attitudes of our heart are not hidden from a God who is holy, and He will show us, even today, if we have the humility to see it, that all the world’s problems begin with the heart.