MY CANDID OPINION IS THAT GOD TAKES THE ISSUE OF MARRIAGE REMARRIAGE AND DIVORCE SERIOUSLY BECAUSE THE FAMILY IS NOT ONLY LIKE A CHURCH BUT LIKE THE GOD-HEAD WHICH IS THE BED ROCK OF THE NATION AND THE SOCIETY IN GENERAL
MARRIAGE: IS THE OLDEST INSTITUTION ORDAINED OF THE LORD EVEN BEFORE THE NATION OR THE CHURCH SO IT IS VERY DEAR TO THE HEART OF GOD. WHEREEVER MARRIAGE IS PROPERLY CONSTITUTED IT RECEIVES THE BLESSINGS OF GOD IRRESPECTIVE OF THE RELIGION AND IT IS HELD SACRED. IT IS NOT WHAT YOU RUSHED INTO OR ENTER TO SATISFY ONLY THE CARNAL URGES IT SHOULD BE PRAYERFULLY ENTERED FOR THE LIVE OF THE NATION IS AFFECTED BY THAT SINGULAR ACT. WHEN YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN THE WORD OF GOD ID THERE TO GUIDE YOU ON THE STEPS TO TAKE TO BEFORE CONTRACTIING A MARRIAGE VOW. WHEN YOU ARE BORN AGAIN THE FEAR OF GOD AND THE WORD OF GOD IS UPPERMOST IN YOUR LIFE. SO YOU WANT THE LEADING AND THE GUIDANCE OF THE LORD BEFORE YOU SAY "I DO' FOR ONCE MARRIED YOU ARE MARRIED FOREVER 'TILL DEATH DO YOU PART' FOR THIS REASON GO HAS GIVEN US A FREE WILL TO SEEK - FIND - CAREFULLY AND PRAYERFULLY YOUR SPOUSE AND YOU WILL RECEIVE HIS BLESSING. "HE WHO FIND A WIFE FINDS A GOOD THING AND OBTAINS FAVOUR OF THE LORD". BUT YOU CAN SURRENDER THIS FREE WILL BACK TO THE LORD ASKING FOR HIS GUIDANCE AND LEADING IN GETTING THE WIFE. MANY TIMES GOD CHIOCE IS NOT FIRST ATTRACTIVE TO THE FLESH. BUT LATER YOU WILL HAVE GOD TO THANK FOR HIS CHOICE WHEN THE 'UNATTRACTIVE CRUDE OIL IS REFINED TO THE ATTRACTIVE FINISHED PRODUCT' THAT IS THE STAGE WHERE MANY MISSED IT. THE CHOOSE LIKE ADAM AND EVE CHOSE - LOOK GOOD - TASTE GOOD - AND BEFITTING FOR PRIDE AND THE COSTLY MISTAKE LEADS TO UNENDING SORROW MANY HAVE LOST THEIR MINISTRY, REPUTATION AND STANDING BECAUSE OF THEIR CHOICE. THE ONLY THING THAT CAN END THE UNION ACCORDING TO THE VOW IS DEATH AND THE VOW SAYS THE UNION IS FOR BETTER AND FOR THE WORST. SO WHEN YOUR MARRIAGE IS ROSEY THANK GOD IT IS PART OF THE VOW AND IF IT IS TURBULENT THANK GOD IT IS PART OF THE VOW TOO. HOWEVER, IF IT IS DEADLY OR UNBEARERABLE AND YOU MUST SEPARATE, YOU CANNOT MARRY ANOTHER PERSON DURING THE PERIOD OF SEPARATION LIKE THE FATHER OF THE PRODIGAL YOU MUST BE PRAYERFUL AND EXPECTANT THAT YOUR PARTNER WILL RETURN HOME. IF SHE DID - THANK GOD IF SHE DIDN'T THANK GOD IT IS THE CONSEQUENCE OF YOUR CHOICE. BUT THE SCRIPTURE SAYS WE CAN DIVORCE FOR FORNICATION SAKE YES THE FORNICATOR IS A SINNER AND LIKE ALL SINNERS GOD MADE PROVISION FOR UNCONDITIONAL FORGIVENESS: IF YOU REFUSE TO FORGIVE GOD WILL NOT FORGIVE YOU SAYS OUR LORD AND NO MATTER HOW PIOUS YOU ARE IF YOU ARE NOT FORGIVEN BY GOD - HELL IS CERTAIN. IF YOU HAVE FORGIVEN AND YOUR PARTNER IS UNREPENTANT - OR EVEN DEPART - KEEP ON FORGIVING AND EXPECTING THE TURN AROUND THOUGH SEPARATED YOU HAVE MADE YOUR CHOICE AND SO IT WILL BE THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE AS LONG AS BOTH OF YOU REMAIN ALIVE. ONE REASON IT IS BETTER TO PRAY THROUGH AND GET THE LEADING OF THE LORD BEFORE YOU ENTER INTO A MARRIAGE COVENANT THE MISTAKE CAN BE VERY COSTLY ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES.
REMARRIAGE: THIS IS ONLY POSSIBLE IN THE SITUATION WHERE ONE OF THE PARTNERS WAS DEAD AND THE OTHER IS YOUNG OR SO DESIRED TO REMARRY.
DIVORCE: GOD HATES DIVORCE - YOU CANNOT LOVE GOD AND LIKE WHAT HE HATES; IF YOU MUST DIVORCE MAKE SURE YOU DID NOT INITIATES IT AS A CHILD OF GOD. CONTEST IT PRAYERFULLY. TELL THE JUDGE YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN AND WILL NOT CONSENT TO IT BASE YOU STATEMENT ON THE WORD OF GOD: PRAYERFULLY LISTEN TO HIS DECISION WHEN IT IS CONTRARY TO YOUR EXPECTATION THANK GOD FOR IT AND TELL GOD YOU ARE STILL STANDING ON HIS WORD OF NO DIVORCE: "THOSE THAT THE LORD HAS JOINED TOGETHER LET NO MAN PUT ASUNDER INCLUDED IN THIS ARE THE COUPLE THEMSELVES. BE FAITHFUL UNTIL GOD CALLED YOU HOME OR CALL HOME YOUR PARTNER.
PRAYING FOR THE DEATH OF THE WAYWARD PARTNER SO THAT YOU CAN REMARRY IS UNACCEPTABLE TO GOD: FOR GOD DOES NOT LOVE THE DEATH OF ANY SINNER BUT LONGSUFFERING TOWARDS US WANTING US TO REPENT AND BE SAVED. UNTIL THEN KEEP YOURSELF BUSY WITH THE WORK OF THE LORD; CONTINUE EARNESTLY TO SEEK THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS WITH FAITH AND EXPECTATION THAT ALL OTHER THINGS WILL BE ADDED TO YOU IN HIS TIME. NOT FOR ONLY THE PASTORS BUT ALL THAT BORN AGAIN AND HAVE THE FEAR OF GOD IN THEIR HEART
WHAT IF THE MARRIAGE WAS CONTRACTED WHEN THE COUPLE WAS IN THE WORLD AS UNBELIEVER: THE PARTNER WHO IS NOW A CHRISTIAN CANNOT LEAVE OR SEND AWAY THE UNBELIVING PARTNER BUT MUST BE PRAYING FOR HIS/HER SALVATION WITH LOVE, ENDURANCE OR LONGSUFFERING. BUT IF THE UNBELIVING DEPART THE BELIEVER IS FREE FROM THE YOKE OR THE BELIEVER IS THE SPIRITUAL COVER IN SUCH RELATIONSHIP.
IS IT NOT BETTER NOT TO MARRY? TO MARRY OR NOT TO MARRY IS NOT YOUR CHOICE TO MAKE AS A CHILD OF GOD BUT THE LORDS. BUT PAUL DID NOT MARRY AND JESUS REFERRED TO SOME PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT MARRIED FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL AND IF THE CURRENT POPULATION STATISTICS WERE ANYTHING TO GO ABOUT - IT IS NOT POSSIBLE THAT EVERYBODY IS ABLE TO BE MARRIED IN A MONOGAMY RELATIONSHIP. HENCE THE CHURCH IS COMING TO TERMS WITH THE STATE OF BEING SINGLE. THE GRACE WHICH THE LORD BESTOWED ON SOME AND ARE ABLE TO BE SINGLE AND WORK FOR THEIR LORD AND STAND UNPOLLUTED WITH RIGHT STANDING FOR THE LORD.
IS THIS NOT TOO DIFFICULT OR UNREALISTIC? TO MAN IT IS DIFFICULT BUT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN? TRUST GOD. ARE YOU SINGLE AND EXPECTANT LET THE LORD DIRECT YOU - IS YOUR MARRIAGE TUBULLENT? THE CALMER OF THE STORM IS JESUS TAKE IT TO HIM IN PRAYERS
GOD BLESS YOU

How very Orwellian.

Please o! lets not deviate from the main topic. I hate when fellow Christians use irrelevant and indirect quotations and half baked biblical references to confuse people and answer questions. Question is "IS m*st*u*r*b*a*tion A SIN". I am totalling disappointed with the pastors opinion. Infact he didn't even answer that, but was going around in circles. He compared this with stealing bread and eating it, that it's the thought of stealing that is wrong and not the eating of the bread. Well i say it aloud now for all to hear. Eating or consuming "STOLEN GOODS" is wrong. Please pastors quoting the bible literally. How can one possibly m*st*u*r*b*a*te without having impure thoughts? without first having lustful desires of the flesh and then satisfying the flesh by masturbating? are we not suppose to dwell in the spirit? Did Jesus m*st*u*r*b*a*te? Any one who starts this acts, starts getting addicted to it and it could then grows to various acts of rape, paedophilia, incest etc etc. this is the same way he encourages young youths to dress half naked saying dressing doesn't matter it's the heart that matters. Then the question is how can someone who is so pure in heart dress half naked? and then lead others to sin??? How can a pure spirit entertain and get so excited at strangers admiring their body parts and clothings, when this so called body according to the bible is suppose to be the temple of the lord! At this rate there will be no virgins in "BELIEVERS THAT LOVE THE WORLD CHURCH" honestly.

Some men of old did some certain things and they were blameless by God. We all know that God hate lie but, Abraham lie to the king that sarah was his sister instead of wife. God didn't blame Abraham for telling lies  but, he started tormenting the King. David unlawfully eat the food that was meant for the priest and he was blameless by God. If pastor Chris said m*st*u*r*b*a*tion is not a sin which I considered a sin, that doesn't mean you start uttering sacarstical statement about him. God might not blame pastor Chris for this statement, each and everyone of us will be held accountable for our deeds.

A reasonable born again Christian chooses to enlighten people from his or her spiritual understanding of the Bible. A carnal Christian preferred condemnation.

God would punish anybody who say anything bad about pastor chris

To begin with, those commenting on this topic and Oyakhilome, have no clue about what they are talking about. Sit down and do some thinking. You are a Christian, Muslim or whatever because you were born into it. Which of you here can prove the existence of God beyond what you were told by your parents, teachers etc when you were growing up. The bible Chris reads from, who wrote it? They say it is the word of God, fine, prove it. Have you seen God since you were born, have you felt him, have you had any form of contact beyond what you were told? Despite these, some people are killing in the name of religion, what a shame. I live in Europe. These people brought Christianity to Africa to steal our resources. The people who brought you this false religion, do not believe in what they taught you! They don’t go to church, they don’t want you to make noise about God to them, you who they brought it to, have churches in every street, and kill in the name of the said God for little no reason. Africa, wake up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh well, I give up. If you people are willing to believe in that black magic crap and bullshit, that's your kink, but don't be surprised if it gets you laughed at by the rest of the world.

you guys should go and sort your religious hatred somewhere else and leave us(atheist,humanist,agnostics) alone.the christains are just as evil as the moslems;look what borrowed religion has gotten us into.what a travesty.