Infidelity Within the Covenant

“Mark this well: adultery is not the same thing as divorce. It is certainly covenantal unfaithfulness and is grounds for divorce, but if there is no divorce, then the marriage remains binding on both parties. An adulterous husband is a covenant-breaking husband, not an ex-husband. In short, we must distinguish covenant-breaking from covenant-separation.”

“Reformed” Is Not Enough, p. 144

All the Way Down Aaron’s Beard

“So what problem is created by the heretic? For instance, we have some who reason that since these other fellows (liberals, etc.) are certainly part of the visible Church, then our relationship with them should be collegial. In other words, we should schmooze with one another all the way down Aaron’s beard. Others reason that ‘if that lesbian bishop is a Christian, then I’m a Hottentot.’”

“Reformed” Is Not Enough, p. 141

Breakable Covenants

“We like to pretend that the New Testament is filled with automatic covenant blessings, but the only way to maintain the illusion is to come up with an invisible covenant that no one can point to in such a way as to prove us wrong. We like to pretend that this is a point of distinction between the old and new covenants, whereas in fact it is one of the places where the New Testament draws parallels, with solemn warning. In this respect, the New Testament church was no different than the church of Jews in the wilderness. Jews in the wilderness apostatized; Christians in the first century apostatized. Much of the New Testament was written with this concern front and center.”

“Reformed” Is Not Enough, pp. 139-140