Dunsee

Mathew 6:18 tells us that when we fast, we should fast in secret. An issue that I sometimes run into is that when people invite you to eat with them or bring food to work for everyone or have bible study meals, and you don't join them, they can sometimes get a little offended. What is a good way to politely decline the meal in a way that you're being honest and yet still keeping your fasting in secret?

To me, the real question is were they really Christians? A person can go to church, and say that they believe but if they are also doing all these awful things and aren't the least bit repentant, then do they truly believe in their heart or know the word of God? A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

As for about being mindful of praying for wisdom, that really hit home hard. I did that just last night and I'll tell ya, today was a very rough day, but I did indeed ultimately gain the wisdom I asked for. Hallelujah

Not looking for excuses, looking for understanding. I'll be more specific. If they married young and didn't have anyone to guide them and they then made a terrible choice for a partner who was emotionally abusive and manipulative and so you were weak and couldn't take it anymore and left. After, the abusive one moved on and was really into pagan worship with Tarot cards and ouiga boards but the other found Christ, is the one who found Christ meant to spend the rest of their lives without a loving partner because of their terrible choices made before?

If a couple legally divorces under man's law on grounds that do not meet the requirements under God's law, does that mean they are still married? If so, then after the legal divorce,if there is then sexual immorality, does that then make the divorce real under the law or are they still married?