Pastor's Corner
May 2004
"and do not participate in the unfruitful deeds
of darkness, but instead even expose them."
--Ephesians 5:11
"All that is necessary for evil to triumph
is for good men to do nothing."
--Sir Edmund Burke
Recently I had a conversation with someone in our church regarding the cultural push toward so-called "homosexual marriage". They asked me "will we be hearing any urgings from you about this pressing issue?" Well, the following is my response.
God ordained marriage from the beginning of creation to be between one woman and one man (Genesis 2:21-25). Any other type of "marriage" is outside of God's will, violates His ordained order and places people in a position of God's judgment (Romans 1:18ff.). Therefore our argument against these "marriages" is not first and foremost sociological but theological. God designed a wonderful and beautiful institution between a man and a woman. There, in that loving relationship God can be honored and the nucleus is established for the family as God intended it (cf. Genesis 4:1-2). We fight for marriage between one man and one woman because this is God's will, order, desire and design. Having said that, there are also sociological reasons why marriage is designed this way as God's institution. For thousands of years, ordered society has been built on this one woman one man relationship. Laws of property and probate have been based on it. The proper nurture and raising of children have depended on this relationship. Indeed the very definition of "family" has always looked to this one woman one man relationship for the birthing of children to the care of elderly parents! Any change from this order has and will cause chaos in any society from the courts to the schools to the neighborhoods we live in! Clearly this cultural shift to promote these "marriages" which clearly contradict God's order must be fought against by Christians. The question is how?
The last thing we want to do is to throw-up our hands and accept this change as inevitable. The following are some things we can do to stand for righteousness regarding marriage as God intended.
We can pray. We must never underestimate what God can do when His people pray! Nations have fallen, lives have been saved and cultures have abandoned evil for good when God's people have prayed!
We can "speak the truth in love." In our culture we can and must speak-up on this issue. We must clearly articulate why marriage between one man and one woman is right and necessary and what evil and danger lies behind any deviation from this norm.
We can push for a Federal Constitutional Amendment for Marriage. Who would have ever thought we would need to put such a definition in our Constitution?! Yet, even though States may have their laws and constitutions in support of traditional marriage, we know that the Federal Constitution can "trump" those laws. The best course is "The Federal Marriage Amendment" already proposed in Congress. Please contact your Congressmen to let them know you support such an amendment.
Finally, I would add a word about our attitude as Christians toward those who think that so-called "homosexual marriage" or any other kind is OK. The Word of God tells us that these are deceived by the evil one (II Timothy 2:24-26) and that they are spiritually blind to the things of God (II Corinthians 4:4). With compassion and not anger (which doesn't achieve the righteousness of God! cf. James 1:20) we speak-up and stand-up as light and "salt" in a dark and decaying world; "exposing the darkness" with the "light of the world" - our Lord Jesus Christ! We must never forget that our ultimate responsibility to the world is to share Jesus as Savior and Lord. Jesus who changes culture by changing hearts.
So, having said all this, may we be good men (and women) who "do something".
Serving with you,
