In Genesis 12, as Abraham journeyed into Egypt due to a famine, he devised a deceit concerning Sarah, his wife. Aware of her beauty, which might have been striking to the Egyptians due to her possibly fair complexion, Abraham feared for his life. He instructed Sarah to say she was his sister, a half-truth since they shared the same father, Terah, but had different mothers. This deception, though partially true, was meant to protect Abraham, revealing his lack of faith in God's protection at that time. Instead of solving his problem, this sin brought further complications, as God plagued the Egyptians because of the deceit, affecting not only Abraham but also those around him. A similar incident occurred later in Genesis 20 with Abimelech in Canaan, showing Abraham repeating this tactic. Through these events, Abraham had to learn that cleverness is no substitute for faith, and that sin only produces more problems rather than resolving them.

Abraham, in a moment of fear, compromised the truth about his relationship with Sarah, presenting her as his sister rather than his wife to protect himself from the worldly powers he encountered. This act of equivocation risked the purity of the principles Sarah represented, which are tied to spiritual faith and truth. However, God mercifully intervened, ensuring that Sarah remained undefiled by plaguing the world to safeguard these principles. Once Abraham acknowledged the truth of his bond with Sarah, holding firm to the principles of faith, the knowledge and advancements of the world became a gift to him, enhancing his faith rather than undermining it. This illustrates that clinging to God's truth allows one to possess worldly benefits without sacrificing spiritual integrity, while the reverse is not possible. The story serves as a warning against yielding to fear of worldly wisdom or power, emphasizing that such compromise could lead to a fate like Lot's, rather than the blessed outcome of Abraham, who was preserved by divine intervention from the powerful influence of the worldly-wise.

Abraham faced a significant trial during a famine that led him to journey into Egypt, a move that may have reflected a lapse in trust in God's provision. In Egypt, he encountered a crisis where, fearing for his life, he presented Sarah as his sister rather than his wife, a half-truth intended to protect himself. This decision disregarded the potential consequences, including the defilement of Sarah and the breaking of God's promises. Despite this misstep, God intervened, ensuring that the situation did not spiral into disaster, though Abraham received a stinging rebuke from a pagan Egyptian and was essentially expelled from the land. This humbling experience highlighted Abraham's momentary faltering in faith, showing that even the father of the faithful had moments of weakness. Yet, it also underscored God's mercy in rescuing him from his errors, reinforcing the lesson that relying on deceit to avoid trials is not the path of faith. Abraham's return to the Promised Land marked a restoration of his focus on his relationship with God, demonstrating that true faith values divine fellowship over worldly security.

In Genesis 20, Abraham faces a significant trial in the land of the Philistines, reminiscent of an earlier incident in Egypt. As he journeys to Gerar, he once again denies his true relationship with Sarah, presenting her as his sister out of fear of the worldly pressures represented by the Philistines. This act of deception places Sarah in danger of being taken by Abimelech, the king of Gerar, who seeks a political alliance with Abraham, a man of considerable wealth and influence. Abimelech, acting within the customs of his time and in the innocence of his heart, takes Sarah, unaware of her true status as Abraham's wife. However, God intervenes through a dream, warning Abimelech of the grave consequences of touching her and affirming that He prevented sin by withholding Abimelech from acting further. God instructs Abimelech to restore Sarah to Abraham, declaring Abraham a prophet who will pray for him to live, with a stern warning of death to Abimelech and his household if he fails to comply. The following morning, Abimelech confronts Abraham publicly, expressing his dismay and seeking justification before his servants while also shaming Abraham for the deception. Abraham's lapse in faith is evident as he succumbs to fear, yet God's faithfulness shines through in His intervention. Abimelech, after rebuking Abraham, offers a generous gift of cattle and grants him freedom to dwell anywhere in the land, presenting the gift as a covering for the disgrace caused by the lie, an expiatory gesture to hide the foul deed. Additionally, God had brought a plague upon Abimelech's house due to this incident, rendering them unable to bear children. Following God's command, Abimelech seeks Abraham's intercession. Abraham prays, evaluating the situation and interceding on Abimelech's behalf, suggesting to God that the punishment was sufficient given the circumstances and the customs of the time. God hears Abraham's prayer and lifts the plague, demonstrating that holding fast to spiritual principles, even after a lapse, allows for restoration and peace, showing that worldly knowledge can become a gift when aligned with faith.

Any given doctrine must be built layer by layer, combining and comparing scriptures rather than allowing a single scripture to determine the doctrine. When we understand that porneia includes all the hideous perverted sexual sins that go beyond ordinary adultery- including bestiality, pedophilia, homosexuality, incest, and every other imaginable sexual perversion, we understand that Jesus gave a greater latitude and flexibility in these divorce decisions than we had earlier assumed (based exclusively upon adulterous 'fraud'). Any violence against the marriage contract (stemming from unconversion) would constitute grounds for divorce, and would permit the converted partner to remarry. Mutual access to the tree of life (God's Holy Spirit) gives marriage the best (actually the only) chance to succeed.