Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the intentional, voluntary process of letting go of feelings of resentment, bitterness, and the desire for vengeance toward someone who has caused harm. Forgiveness does not mean you must trust the person you forgive. Many get forgiveness and trust confused. One may still remember the event or the pain it caused. With time and forgiveness, the event becomes less painful. The message of the Bible is that Jesus Christ is able to give everyone the power and ability to forgive others, even the deepest and most painful hurt. Just as freely as Jesus Christ forgives you, you can forgive others. Forgiveness and love are what everyone needs most. Without forgiveness and love there can not be meaningful relationships. Any type of relationship: marriage partner, parent-child, friends, coworkers, churches, any group, and even nations. Forgiveness does not require one rebuild a relationship, trust the person again, or keep them in your life. While reconciliation is good, it is not mandatory; forgiveness is mandatory. Many make the mistake of thinking that forgiveness is for the person that hurt you; it is not. Forgiveness benefits the one who is hurting; unforgiveness eats a person up from the inside out.

God offers forgiveness as a free gift; the Bible calls this Grace. Grace is God’s unmerited love toward humanity—giving people good gifts, forgiveness, and salvation (free of the consequences of our wrongdoings) even though they do not deserve it. Mercy is not getting the punishment or judgment that a person does deserve. Grace is getting the blessing, forgiveness, and eternal life that a person does not deserve.

Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

Colossians 3:13 "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. "

Proverbs 10:12 "Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs."

Hebrews 12:15 "See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many".

Trust

Trust: the act of someone having faith that the other person is good, honest, and will not harm or deceive them. The Bible teaches that God is good and trustworthy. God has kept all His promises and will keep all future promises. The Bible teaches that ultimate trust, confidence, and reliance should be placed in God, rather than in human beings. Because people are fallible, sinful, and mortal, placing absolute or savior-like reliance on them leads to disappointment, while trusting God brings steady peace. Bible says that humans are fallible and that trust must be earned. Matthew 7:6 teaches that you would not give valuables to the unworthy. Matthew 25:14–30 tells a story about being entrusted with wealth (the good and bad). The Bible tells everyone to check whether something is worthy. "Test everything; hold fast what is good" 1 Thessalonians 5:21, 51 CE (AD).

Scripture contrasts trusting God with relying on human limits, pride, or worldly power (like riches or military might).

Proverbs 3:5–6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Isaiah 26:4 “Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal.”

Loneliness

Loneliness is the distressing emotional state that occurs when you perceive a gap between your desired level of social connection and your actual experiences. Loneliness is subjective. You do not have to be physically alone to feel lonely; a person can feel deeply lonely while surrounded by coworkers, family, or even within a marriage. Solitude is the voluntary and restorative act of spending time alone. Loneliness is involuntary, uncomfortable, and tied to unmet social needs. You can have many acquaintances or friends and still feel lonely if those relationships lack authenticity, emotional intimacy, or meaningful support. Today, even with social media, there are more lonely people. The Bible has a lot to say on loneliness.

• Joshua 1:9 and Deuteronomy 31:6 remind you to be strong because God goes with you everywhere and will not forsake you.

• Matthew 28:20 offers Jesus's promise to be with you always, while Isaiah 41:10 reassures you of His strength and support

• Psalm 34:18 and Psalm 147:3 emphasize that God is near to the brokenhearted to save and heal.

• Romans 8:38–39 and Hebrews 13:5 provide ultimate assurance that nothing in creation can separate you from God's love or His promise never to leave you.

Once one sees that no one human or group of humans can take away loneliness, one can find happiness and fulfillment in life. Sadly, many look to drugs, alcohol or other vices or distractions for fulfillment or a way to try and take away loneliness. Yet the only way to have true and lasting fulfillment is in the Love of God.

Marriage

Human beings are fallible and sinful; as such, marriage has built-in difficulties. Marriage requires people to live and work closely together. It is easy not to reveal one's faults and weaknesses to those not close to you. We have had people say, "I am not a sinner; I do not need God's forgiveness." We reply: "Can we ask your spouse if you are not a sinner? If not married, your mom or dad or brother or sister? Never has the reply been "yes". Those close to you know your faults and weaknesses. Only with daily love and forgiveness can marriage work. Marriage and all good relationships require humility, not pride. God can provide this needed love, humility, support and forgiveness needed. (See pride page).

The Bible defines marriage as a sacred, lifelong covenant union between one man and one woman, designed to reflect the relationship between God and His people. As such, marriages other than one man and one woman fails to reflect God's Image (damages this image). Some claim that God hates those who do not live in this ideal Biblical marriage, but the BIble is clear: God loves every single person. As a perfect God, God can separate a person from their sins and offers forgiveness for those sins. There may still be consequences of one's sin.

Scientific studies on premarital sex and marriage show a statistical correlation between having multiple sexual partners before marriage and lower marital stability or satisfaction. Having multiple past partners can lead to ongoing comparisons during marriage, which may lower satisfaction during difficult periods. People who choose to abstain or wait for marriage may also hold conflict-resolution habits strongly oriented toward long-term commitment and avoiding divorce. Premarital sex is linked to higher rates of divorce. Premarital sex has stronger adverse consequences for mental and emotional health for women than men. This is what the Bible has been teaching for 3,500 years.

Mutual Love and Respect: The New Testament outlines complementary roles centered on deep sacrifice and honor:

• Husbands are commanded to love their wives sacrificially, just as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25).

• Wives are called to respect and submit to their husbands' leadership as unto the Lord (Ephesians 5:22; Colossians 3:18).

• The overarching posture is mutual submission and kindness out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 4:32; Ephesians 5:21).

• Marriage is an enduring bond joined by God, warning against casual divorce (Mark 10:6–9)

• "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure" (Hebrews 13:4).

• From the beginning, God noted that "it is not good for the man to be alone," establishing marriage as a partnership of mutual help and support (Genesis 2:18; Ecclesiastes 4:9–12). (Married men live longer and have lower mortality rates than men who are never married, divorced, or widowed.)

• Marriage provides lower rates of social isolation and loneliness.

What about very bad marriages?

Scripture explicitly states God's stance on violent behavior. “The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.” (Psalm 11:5)

Colossians 3:19 explicitly commands, “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

Marriage is intended to be a reflection of Christ's care for the church—nourishing and cherishing. Severe abuse constitutes a functional abandonment and betrayal of that sacred marriage vow, effectively breaking the marriage covenant.

“The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.” (Proverbs 27:12). God does not expect you to stand passively in harm's way.

No Obligation to Enable Sin: Stepping away from an abuser forces them to face the consequences of their actions, which is often the first step toward genuine, biblically defined repentance (Galatians 6:7)

What about re-marriages?

The Bible views marriage as a lifelong covenant, though it provides specific exceptions where divorce and remarriage are allowed. Christian denominations and scholars interpret these passages in different ways.

In 1 Corinthians 7:10–11, Paul instructs that a wife should not separate from her husband, but if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to him. But there are exceptions.

Jesus taught in Matthew 19:9 that divorcing a spouse—except for sexual immorality (Greek porneia)—and marrying another person constitutes adultery. Many theologians view this as granting the innocent party the right to remarry.

Abandonment: In 1 Corinthians 7:15, Paul writes that if an unbelieving spouse chooses to leave a believer, the believer is "not enslaved".

The Bible clearly permits remarriage if a former spouse dies, as the covenant is dissolved by death (Romans 7:2–3; 1 Corinthians 7:39)

+++++++++--------------++++++++++++

Ref:

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage/premarital-sex-and-greater-risk-of-divorce/

https://ifstudies.org/blog/testing-common-theories-on-the-relationship-between-premarital-sex-and-marital-stability

https://ifstudies.org/blog/number-6-in-2023-the-myth-of-sexual-experience

Bumpass LL, Martin TC, & Sweet JA (1991). The impact of family background and early marital factors on marital disruption. Journal of Family Issues

Heaton TB (2002). Factors contributing to increasing marital stability in the United States.

Kahn JR, & London KA (1991). Premarital sex and the risk of divorce. Journal of Marriage and the Family

Depression, sexually transmitted infection, and sexual risk behavior among young adults in the United States. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine

Manning WD, & Cohen JA (2012). Premarital cohabitation and marital dissolution: An examination of recent marriages. Journal of Marriage and the Family,

Paik A (2011). Adolescent sexuality and the risk of marital dissolution.

god-and-nature.org Home Topics: Bible Faith Nature Biology History Cults World Religions News-N-Bible Links About

Founded 2026 - Facebook TBA and x.com @godandnature56

Why is there something? Why not nothing?