Prostitutes can become wives - stop being hypocrites, says pastor
Published:Thursday | December 15, 2016 | 12:00 AMCecelia Campbell Livingston
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
Most persons no doubt have watched the classic movie 'Pretty Woman', starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts. Yes, the lady of the night ended up with her prince charming and the end was so touching, more than a few had tears in their eyes.
However, real life is a completely different matter, an 'upstanding' Christian who has fallen in love with a woman who used to make her living by trading her body won't be seen as acquiring a prize. It doesn't matter that his bride-to-be has seen the folly of her ways and has started out on a clean slate. Her past will be used against her and the man who vowed to stand by her could eventually find his love being put to the ultimate test by the opposition and negativity he will face in such a union.
The sad reality is that Christians who are supposed to be understanding and compassionate are most times the harshest critics.
More of a dream
The Reverend Gifton Wallace of the Fire Baptised Holiness Church of God in Harmony Hall, St Mary, said the prospect of "living happily ever after" in such a union is more a dream than reality, "but with hard work, patience and continuous open dialogue, and a determination to love in spite of, will see such a union not just surviving the storms, but having a healthy meaningful relationship," he said.
Wallace said assuming that the suitor is in a relationship with God - a born again believer - he first must understand that it is God's will for his life.
"Once there is that unreserved convention, he must understand that God will grant the necessary wisdom, grace and patience, not just to deal with the scars of her past but, to propel her into a positive future in order for her to function effectively in the role of a wife because ultimately, if this does not happen, he would be affected in the long run and you would not enjoy a happy and meaningful life," Wallace points out.
Where the bride to be is concerned, he said she must first have a desire for transformation. She should also make a proper assessment of what led to that behavioural, pattern, seek counselling discipline and commit herself not just to getting past her past, but making herself better in order to make the marriage work.
Regarding "judgemental Christians", he said there will always be those who have issues with that kind of a union, but reminds that in the Bible, the Lord instructed the prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute as a way of demonstrating His love for Israel and also pointing out to them that the things that they continue to do, they are prostituting themselves, yet his love for them was endless and without reservation.
"Just as God loves us, He also gives us the capacity to love, and the very way that He loves, He also gives us the ability to love in like manner, especially since we represent and reflect him in the earth realm," said Wallace.
He had strong words for the Church, stressing that Christians should stop being hypocritical and selective about what is considered "grave sin" and recognise that the responsibility is to bring restoration to lives that are broken and destroyed.
"Jesus in silencing the voice of some of these critics, made it very clear that he came that they might have life and have it more abundantly. Therefore, we must with the same passion understand and purpose that persons who find themselves in such situations are equally deserving of an opportunity in life," he concludes.